Evening star., 1924-06-11
MONTHLY PAY RATE
SEEN AS L0OPHOLE
TO MEET INCREASES
Legal Experts Evolve Posi-.
BILE Way to Start Raises for
Police and Firemen.
TIME ELEMENT IN LAW
IS EASIS OF REASONING
Intent of Congress Considered in
Getting Around Anti-De-
tlclency Measure.

Experts OF the controller general.
oilce, acting under personal instruc
'iohS from the controller general a.
'"e request of President Coolidge To-
"aH are studying carefully the laws
"iiicn established new schedules Of
dIdr1es for the police and firemen and
PUBIC school teachers, and the rs~.
oros OF Congress while these meas
ures and the deficiency appropriatioe
oilI were under consideration.
VIII prepare a digest of tho
showing not only what the laws
sPecincaily provide. but also vhar
was me intent OF Congress, and this
oisest will, in turn, be studied bv the
controller general before making hi
decision.
Consensus Of Ffndiuxr.
me best authorities who have stud
ied this same material are unanimoug
IN their findings. which follow:
Inc substantive law which sets IN
'he new rates of pay should rule, :
IL supersedes previous statutory ana
bonus law.
RMS substantive law saws that the
police and fremen and teachers shali
be paid at certain rates.
Ihe District appropriation bill carries
sufficient amount. specifically for paw
ing salaries of the police and ffremen
and teachers, TO pay the new rates for
more than six months
III these employees are maid ar the old
rates OF statutory pay. minus the hon,,s
even though the appropriation vonld
DC maze TO cover the entire yeaY-it
Wouio De IN plain violation of the direc-
tlon OF Congress that they be paid al
certain definite rates per month.
Can Pay New Rates.
Even if by paying the new rates per
month the total appropriation for sal
aries Of police and fremen and teachers
should be exhausted before the end Of
the year, or before Congress passes the
deficiency bill when they reassembae in
December, the new salaries could be
paid throughout the entire year, because
the President, the budget bureau and
ooth branches of Congress have already
recognized that such q deficiency must
occur.
Congress has. shown plainly it's in
tent to have these District workers
palo at the new rates: and has
never shown any intention that they
oe pald at some lower rate. Congress
ana none else has right to say al
what rates they shall be paid.
mere is authority to pay the new
rates and money enough to pay the
new rates until Congress has had an
opportunity to carry through the de-
hclency appropriations.
Decision Due Soon.
Something like this is the decision
expected from Controller General Mo
Carl. soon, and certainly before the
and of this week
The intention Of President Coolidge.
Budget Director Lord. Controller Gen
eral McCari, the District Commission
ers and all other officials is to relieve
the anxiety of the unjustly suffering
police and firemen as soon as posi-
BILE so that the decision will not be
delayed any longer than is necessary.
AT the same time. the decision OF
he controller general will not be hur-
ried. There is no need for expeditions
action as the salaries in question are
not to be paid until after July l. So.
the controller general will study au
sides of the question with the ut
most care, SO that when he does an
nounce his decision, it will be posi-
tive and will stand.
Request Reaches MeCarI.
The formal request in writing from
the District Commissioners asking
for decision on the teacher. police
and firemen's salaries reached Con-
troller General McCarl about
O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
The controller general today re-
celVeQ from tho State
certified copies of the new laws COW
ering the salaries of the police and
firemen and teachers, and the study
OF them by experts was at once be-
gun.
While the controller general
would not discuss the merits OF ths
question or give any indication OF
how his thoughts run, he did explain
today what his method of procedure
will be. He will first have the laws
examined to see just what author
ization there is for payment of tha
salaries in question. He will then
consult the budget bureau TO see il
there is money available to meet
Then, finally. he will take up con-
sideration of the anti-deficiency law
which has been somewhat emphasized
by budget officials in informal discus.
sions of the problem.
Aims Of MeCarI.
The course of procedure shows thsl
the controller general is preparing /:
do what the District Commissioner
asked him to do--"do his best to fin;
a way" to approve the payment d
the salary schedules. 1t also show
that he is not going - anticipnt
any blockade until he reaches it. j.
other words, he seems disposed /.
build up the case as strongly as Il,
can in favor of the police, firenef
and teachers before he tackles tn;
objections.
Those who have made careful stucs
OF the 'anti-deficiency law are cor,
WINGED that it will not prevent iua
action in the particular case noN
under consideration.
The 1000 police. firemen ani
public school teachers may rest as
sured that all is being done thai
can be done in their behalf by thu
President, by the budget officials. b,
the controller general by the Dis
trict Commissioners and by The Eve
ming Star TO overcome the precariop,
situation in which Congress lei
them, as a result Of a one-man fiji
buster on a rider entirely foreisi
to their deficiency appropria tion
Assurance of relief will be givei