Evening star., 1925-07-21
i. S. EMPLOYEES HIT
M'CARL' s DECISION
Ruling on Extras in Field
Service May Be Illegal,
Federation Says.

Both Controller General McCarl and
the Personnel Classification Board
came in for sharp criticism last night
at the hands of the National Fedora
ton of Federal Employees on account
OF the latest development in the field
serviCe-McCarl' ruling on mainte-
nance and subsistence.
The decision. which will require de-
partments either to cut off. or cover
into cash salary all such extras" for
the field service, was attacked by Miss
Gertrude NJ McNally, acting presi-
dent of the federation, saying the fed
Grafton doubts the legality of the
decision and considers that it is based
on "A misinterpretation of the laws
governing the adjustment of salaries
In field positions"
The federation fears that thousands
of employees are threatened with
what amounts to reductions in sal
aries" if McCarl's decision stands.
Act Was Limited.
The provisions of the appropriation
act of 1926. quoted by the controller
general as authority for this sweeping
nurtailment of expenses to Federal
field workers, We're intended, accord
ing to Miss McNally. TO cover those
field positions. the salaries of which
were fixed or limited by law: that
is. statutory positions and certain 9th
ers where a specific maximum rate is
fixed. This part of the law, it is point
ed out, has been taken to apply not
only to the old statutory positions but
to all other field positions covered by
the act of December s, 1924.
Commenting on the controllers S
ruling, the federation issued the
following statement.
THE act of December 8, 1924, pro-
vided additional money to enable the
department heads to adjust rates of
field employees as nearly as practicable
with rates fixed in the classification
act. Heads of departments were
given discretionary power to fix them
using the classification act as a guide
and following it out TO the best of
their ability.
at requires legislative action to
extend the classification act or
similar act to the field and to fix
field salaries by law. The classiftca-
ton act provided for a survey by the
Personnel Classification Board TO en-
able Congress to frame such legiSla-
ton, but the boards report was worth
less for that purpose and no legislation
has yet been passed.
Rates Up TO Department Heads.
1.-The power TO fix rates for the field
remains with the heads of depart
ments and they are not subject to
any law except the moral obligation
in the exercise of departmental dis
Cretion to fix them comparably as
near as practicable with rates In
Washington. In making the salary
grading upon which were based the
estimates for funds appropriated by
the act of December 6, 1924, denart-
ments were directed by the Personnel
classification Board to make deduc-
tions for allowances and to place posi-
tions into salary grades carrying the
net cash compensation appropriations
after these deductions were made
Therefore the money appropriated was
intended to provide only the net cash
required with the expectations that
the allowances would be continued.
"These allowances, therefore, are
n part of the compensation properly
pavable for the positions, and not an
additional or extra allowance over and
above proper compensation.
IF allowances are to be discontinued,
then money must be provided TO raise
the net cash pay in such cases to the
appropriate grade, either by transfer
from maintenance appropriations now
expended for allowances or by add
tional appropriations.
"What we need is a classification of
field positions with rates fixed by legis-
lative action which shall take into ac-