Evening star., 1924-06-09
WAY TO PAY POLICE,
FIREMEN, TEACHERS
RAISES is OUTLINED

RAISES is OUTLINED
Continued from First Page)
gress and reapproved IN the confer
ence report The bill failed only on
account of one-man tilibuster in the
Senate over a reclamation item put
on this appropriation bill as a rider.
Therefore, 1T fs recognized by lead
ers In Congress, by the District Com
missioners, by the District auditor,
and by every one familiar with this
legislation, that these new salaries
failed only because through a last
minute blockade the money was not
made available that Congress in
tended should be available, and that
must be met by retroactive legisla-
tion when Congress recoHvenes.
Way Around Is Sought.
In the meantime, these 1000 police
men, firemen and teachers, on whose
devotion to duty the welfare of the
community is so dependent, are al
ready having a hard time to make
both ends meet, and they and their
families will actually suffer keenly.
through no fault Of their own, il
obliged to wait until December or
January for the money to be made
aYaiIa BILE. Right here is where The
Star, with the united support of all
taxpayers and residents OF the Dis
trict, intends to do something to get
justice done.
The District Commissioners have
today asked the controller general
for q ruling on several suggestions
as to the best way to meet this
tha, tse aed clearly 20 no
pressed will and intent of Congress
can be carried out.
l.. 1t is suggested that the Presi,
White House. he intends to do, re-
sarding the soldiers bonus law
might issue an executive order. au-
thorizing the creation of dehcit to
| carry out the administering fsstures sar
wording in the law. which would
make this course proper with tht
| bonus law, but not for the Distric,
employees. it is pretty certain tha1
the controller general will rule
against such a procedure for the
police, f1remen and teachers.
Mixht Draw on Surplus.
eovernment be allowed to borrow
Whatever sum may be necessary from
| its recognized surplus of nearly VA
100000 in the federal Treasury unit!
Congress can act to make up what
ever sum may be thus used.
8. That If all other efforts fail, the
District merchants may declare
| moratorium. advancing credit to these
government employees until Congress
reconvenes and makes money avail
able to pay the overdue amount tc
| these police, firemen and teachers.
T. This seems today to be the PROB
| able solution-for the controller gen
right
| trict to borrow from funds made
| available for the entire year to make
up the amount pro-rated by months
to pay the police. firemen and teach-
ers the full salaries provided fol
| them by the new salary laws.
Put Before Controller
| This proposal by The Star was put
up today to the controller general for
ruling. and it is known that officials
in the District government and in the
budget bureau are inclined to favor
such a solution. Controller Genera
McCarl will have q very careful study
made in an effort to see that such
course Is not contrary to law.
The argument behind this propose
| is that Congress authorized these
new salaries to be paid, but due to ar
unexpected, stubborn action by ont
senator the money which the Presi'
| dent the budget bureau and botf
branches of Congress intended should
| be made available was not actually
appropriated. With this recognizeo
as deficiency which Congress will
undoubtedly provide for by making
funds retroactive, the question before
the controller general Is whether it
| is not right for the District to bor-
row from month to month during the
next six months sufficient amounts
from the money actually made avail
able in the District appropriation
| bill.
The District appropriation bill
| made this money available for pay
| ing salaries for the full twelve
months, and it would be only bor-
rowing during the first six months
money that will be paid back by di'
rection of Congress during the last
six months OF the year.
Rudolph Expects Loans.
Commissioner Rudolph, who him.
self was banker before becoming
Commissioner, expressed the belief
today that the banks of the city
probably would be willing to advance
needed loans TO policemen and fire.
men, basing the security on the GER.
tainty that Congress in December
will appropriate the lost pay for these
men, retroactive to July /.
Maj Sullivan pointed out this
morning that many policemen are
buying homes and that the unex.
pected withdrawal of $50 a month
from their envelopes for a period OF
| six months would probably plac.
these men in a financial predicament
! The same situation exists in the
! fire department and among schoo
] teachers.
BilPs Failure Regretted.
Members of Congress generally ar,
grieved and hurt at the failure Of
the deficiency appropriation bill
Representative Thomas L. Blantor
the ranking minority member Of tn,
House District committee, who ha
been recognized as watch dog o
the Treasury" said today:
1T is most regretable, indeed, tha
a Senate filibuster killed the defcienc!
| bill. This damper should not hav,
blighted the happiness of SO many de
serving people.
| The teachers. police and firemer
| should not be discouraged. 1t mean!
| only a little delay in getting theil
money. They have been granted theil
| increases by substantive law. whicf
q A~s ~la~ H.