Evening star., 1924-06-07
Returns Measure to Senate
With Objection That 1t
Fails to Provide S68,OOO,-
GOO Needed for Raise.
SALARY REVISION DELAY
ADVOCATED BY COOLIDGE
Gives Approval to Provision for
Regulation of Party Campaign
Funds-Says He Would Have
Signed Section if It Had Stood
as Separate Measure.

The postal salary increase bill was
vetoed by President Coolidge today
with the declaration that govern
ment extravaganza must stop"
1t was returned to the Senate with
a message objecting to the legisla-
ton because it made no provision
for raising the approximately S6S,-
> G0O.O0 from the postal revenues.
Approval was given by the President
10 the provision added to the bill to
it Sulate campaign expenditures, and the
statement was made that he would ap-
prove that section if it stood alone.
Asks Delay in Wage Revision.
Delay in the revision of postal sal
aries. conceded to be inequtabe in GER
. tain cases. until the Post Office Depart
l"ent Is able to complete its inquiry into
cost ascertainment was advised by the
President
He called attention to his position
in relation 10 government economy
emphasizing that he has stated this
position and reStated it until it is
We'll known and that because of this
attitude he feels that his position
OUGHT to be consistent.
The President said he could see nc
urgent necessity for this increase. al
t'i'H az II may Dt tHdI some ADJUST
lnent OF compensation would be juSti-
ned, but an organized effort by a
great body of public employees to Sc
cure what he termed an indiscrimi-
nate increase in compensation should
nave the most searching scrutiny
4 In this respect the President de-
bciares that the needs of the pubic,
the ability of the people to pay, must
nave some consideration"
Says Conditions Safisfy.
Tho pTeSiIapt
that he appreciates the good service to
the public the postal service has rem
dered, but at the same time he is sat-
tsfied that the conditions under which
the employees perform their duties
probably are more satisfactory than
ever before in the history of the Post
Office Department.
He called attention also to the fact
salaries in the postal service have
been adjusted three times since 1915.
the last time in 1920, and that since
then the cost of living has decrea sed
rather than increased The President
then went on 10 furnish some itemized
hgures regarding these increases and
table to bear out this statement
The Presidents veto message fol-
lows:
ITO the Senate:
Herewith is returned without an
prOval, S. 1898, a bill "reclassifying
salaries of postmasters and employees
of the postal service and readjusting
thclr salaries and compensation on an
equitable basis, and for other pur-
poses"
This bill adds approximately ses.
100000 to the annual expenditures of
the government. 1t makes no pro-
vision for raising this amount as
postal revenue. The money must
come from the pockets of the tax
payers. To the extent that we create
further obligations which must be
met from the moneys derived from
taxation, to that extent do we reduce
the possibility of further reduction in
taxes. Before such obligations are
created 1t should be conclusively
shown that they are essential in the
best interests of the nation.
Calls Halt on Extravaganza.
Government extravaganza must
stop. The people of the nation are
paying all that it is possible for them
to pay. have taken my position in
relation to government economy
which l have stated and restated un-
I'll it is we'll known. / feel that that
position ought to be consistent
do not see how I can approve the
large increase in expenditure of this
! KIND, except on the plea of urgent
necessity. 1t may be that some ad-
justments would he justified. but an
organized effort by a great body of
public employees to secure an inds-
criminate increase in compensation
should have the most searching
scrutiny. The needs of the public,
the ability of the people to pay, must
have some consideration. These sal
aries had been adjusted three times
since 1918. the last time in 1920.
Since then the cost of living has
decreased, rather than increased.
THE postal service rendered the pub
lie is good. The service conditions under
,l,,..-
are probably more satisfactory than ever
before in the history of the Post Office
Department. The government has been
soIicitous of the welfare of postal en-
ployes- Their compensation has been
The subject of several recent legislative
acts and adjusted to scales of pay as
favorable as any in the public service.
The act of July 2, 1918, increased the
compensation of clerks and carriers in
post offices and railway postal clerks
5000 a year. and rural carriers s240 a
wear In addition there were increases
in compensation to a large number of
the supervisory force. The act of No
vember S, 1919, further increased the
$100 to 5000 per annum. This was fol-
lowed by the act of July 5, 1920, which
provided further increases in compensa-
ton ranging from 5000 to $500 for
clerks and carriers and railway postal
clerks, and $3.50 for rural carriers. Sub
stantial increases were also provided in
the salaries of the supervisory force,
ranging from 5000 to $500 year
Cites Past Increases.
The effect of these increases in
salary grades over those for the fiscal
year 1918 was an increase of $500 to
clerks and carriers in post offices, $500
10 railway postal clerks and $500 to
rural carriers.
BY reason of these increases the
government has paid out during the
fiscal years from 1919 to 1928 an ad-
ditional aggregate of $45O, 100000 in
sa laries to postal eemployeS above
what would have been paid under the
scaie in effect before these changes
follows: During the fiscal year
1919, S33, ,202,600; during the fiscal
year 1920, SOS, 900; during the fiscal
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