Evening star., 1925-11-11
G., II,
SIMPLER EXPENSE
SYSTEM IS URGED
McCarI Attacks Present
Means of Compensation for
Government Travellers.

Out of Justice to Government trav-
elers and with a view to eliminating
confusion, complexity and unneces-
sary expense OF administration in the
present system, Controller Genera Me
Carl has gone on record in favor Of
revision by Congress OF laws regulat-
ing subsistence expenses OF officials
and employees travelling on public bust
ness.
In letter to prominent Govern
ment official. whose name was not re-
vealed. Controller General MCCarl has
declared that the interests of the Gov
ernment deman nd the speedy correct
ment of the faulty foundation upon
which the right TO reimbursement for
such expenses is based" This does
not involve actual transportation fare.
McCarl feels that Congress should
study the entire system of travel eX-
penses, review the matter of the pres
ent cost Of living and evolve new leg
islatiun which would be more nearly
just to both the traveller and the Gov
gernment itself. Proper revision, he
feels, would not only save the Govern
ment money, but allow more generous
travel regulations.
After long experience III handling
the bewilderinS cOmpleHltN OF rules
and regulations laid down by various
departments and esta blishments Oh
the basis of present law. the controller
general has come to the conclusion
that the superseding legislation could
we'll he In the form Of such AN eX
elusive subsistence trsvel expense per
diem as will eliminate reimbursement
for actual subsistence expenses Of
travel and the need for accounting
therefor. and will put this matter on
more businesslike and scientific
basis"
Many Different Rules.
Under the present legislation each
department and establishment Of the
Government has its own rules and
regulations. of such wide variance
that frequently, II IS pointed out, men
rom separate departments. travelling
together on joint business. are allowed
entirely different expense accounts by
their departments.
These travellers get their subsisJ-
ence pay now under one of TWO diff
ferent. systems. Either d per diem
OF 81 per day. or what IS known as
| actual expenses of not to exceed
| So day. Under the actual" system
receipts must he produced for every
expense over 81 in pra ctiCally every
instance. Should the traveller spend
less than the s. under actual eX-
penses. he could not legitimately
/ claim the balance, according to the
rules and regulations.
Further discrepancy in the system
is revealed In the fact that the joint
service pay act OF 1922 authorized
! travellers in the services. including
! the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Pub
lie Health Service. Coast Guard
Army. Navy and Marine Corps.
maximum ST subsistence per diem
, for the combined officer personnel
and maximum Of s. actual" sub
sistence. But civilians in the same
( Government department are still held
by the law and regulations to only
81 and S. McCarl would be in favor
of a fiat per diem rate for all fair
TO both the Government and the trav-
eler
|. Thousands of Government employees
( in Washington. who for years have
been complaining and suffering un-
der the old and antiquated system, un-
der which they frequently We're forced
TO pay money out of their own pockets
! in order properly to carry out the
, business on which the Government
sent them. were expected 10 hail with
enthusiasm McCarls suggestion for
thorough overhauling by Congress of
travel legislation.
Civilian EmplOye Travels.
A Federal civilian traveller. il has
frequently been pointed out by those
who have had To travel. should not he
| forced to travel under such miSerl.
| conditions as compel personal loss
! to him or mitigate his efficiency in
! the performance of his public duty
! Neither should he he forced they say.
! TO lower or humiliate himself in the
! eyes of the public with whom he must
come in contact. The status of Fed
/ eral civilian travellers. it is claimed by
them. should be dignitied by such leg
lslatiVe provision for them as would
enahie them to travel in manner be
: hitting them as representatives of the
! United States of America.
! II nder the present system of account
/ ing the actual" expense accounts.
with their widely various regulations
! IN different departments and numerous
{ receipts. a huge amount of time and
! personnel is required of the general
! accounting office. of which McCarl is
! head. Most OF this could be elimina ted
, ne believes. at great saving TO the
Government.
/ Items in which such saving could he
! effected by IA change to n just per
! diem figure, McCarl believes. include
! personnel, space. machinery. files.
forms, records. printing. stationery
! and many other details
In addition. the old system. he points
; out. results often in misunderstood
! ings. suspensions in accounts. DELAYS
/ in adjustments and unauthorized pay
! ments.
McCarl frankly says that he would
/ gladly dispense with this mass of
minutiae" and the checking thereof
| now required to meet legal require
! mentS, in favor of a simplified busi-
: ness-lfke. up to date and scientific pro
] cedure that would permit of "A quick
/ audit, and just and satisfactory adjust
ment for Federal civilian travel.
/ Much time and attention of the
! travellers would be saved in a new
! fair per diem system. the controller
general believes. Reports have come
/ to him that under the actual" eX-
! pense system so much time is taken
/ up in obtaining numerous receipts
/ and checking up each days eXpend-
( lures for the Government that Of
| 1cial travellers lose much valuable
: time that could better be devoted to
| solving the Government problem ON
I which they are travelling.
| The laws on which present regu-
lations are based exclusive of the
! Joint service pay act OF 1922. We're
/ enacted in 1875. 1914 and 1915, since
| which time there has been an enor-
nous increase in the cost of living
| and resultant increase in the eX-
| penses of travellers on the road for
| their Government.
! MANIAC Is SUSPECTED