Evening star., 1928-05-15
BROOKHART HOLDS
PAY INCREASE BILL
COST IS $2O,1O1,M
Amended Senate Measure
Requires Only s480, 900 More
Than House Plan, He Says.
PRESIDENT RESERVES
HIS FINAL JUDGMENT
Coolidge Has Not Decided to Veto
New Proposal, White House
Statement Shows.

As the Senate civil service committee
whipped its report into final shape for
submission to the Senate this afternoon,
Senator Brookhart, Republican, Of Iowa,
announced he had obtained new in
formation which convinces him that
the cost Of the. Government employees
pay increase bill as amended by the
Senate committee viii be only $20,l0l.-
080, as compared to Senator Smoot's es-
innate yesterday of s25, 5,40o, 900.
Senator Brookhart also said the new
data he has obtained places the actual
cost of the Welch bill as 1t passed the
House at approximately more than $19,-
000, 900, and that in actual operation
the amended Senate bill would require
only $480, 900 more than the measure as
it passed the House Supporters CT the
House bill have placed the estimate Of
its cost as $4,000. 900.
Although President Coolidge believes
that the amendments to the bin recon-
mended by the Senate committee would
increase the total beyond reasonable
amount he will reserve final Judgment
on the measure until it is passed and
sent to him for his signature. it was
stated at the White House today.
President Reserves Judgment.
The President was represented today
as having originally been In favor Of
the bill as proposed in the House for
salary increases aggregating about
Sl4.000. 900. Later, he became convinced
that an increase to $4,000. 900 as
finally decided upon by the House was
reasonable.
1t is understood that the President
was prepared to sign the WEIGH bin IN
the form in which it passed the House.
1t was officially stated today. however
that Mr.. Coolidge looks with disfavor
upon the increase recommended by the
Senate committee. which would bring the
total Of the bill 70 approximately s25,-
400 900. according TO estimates by Sen
ator Smoot.
Although frank in his expressions Of
opinion to Senator Snoot and others
regarding his opposition to the increase
proposed in the Senate, the President
does not wish at this time 70 have 1t
understood that he would VETO the bin
II passed with the larger an1Ount. He
Is known 70 believe that reasonable IN
creaSeS In salaries for Government en-
ployes should be made at this time. and
he might be willing 10 sign the shtil even
though IL were larger than he thought
necessary. rather than have no increases
at all
No definite indication, however. was
given at the White House regarding
the probable action of the President on
would sign q bill for sie,00o. 600 and
would reserve Judgment on bin for
much larger amount.
May BE Up thursday.
Indications today were that the tax
reduction bill would continue before the
Senate until some time tomorrow. which
probably means that the employees pay
Increase bill would not be taken up
before Thursday
The Senate civil service committee
decided today TO make one further
change in the House bin before report
ing 1t this afternoon, namely. to give
cents more per hour to charwornen.
Under the present Law the rate Is 90
cents an hour: the House bill made il
IS cents and the Senate committee has
decided 10 make it so cents an hour.
Senator Brookhart said he requested
the controller generals ofice 20 make
the calculation ON which he bases his
new estimate OF the actual cost Of the
pay bill as amended BY the Senate
committee. Yesterday Senator Brook
hart had figured the amended Senate
bill would cost something more than
$4,000, 900.
The Senator explained today that he
had arrived at that estimate by using
the Budget Bureaus calculation Of
$l6,fST. 900 as the cost Of the bill rs
it passed the House. Senator Brook
hart expressed the belief that the Sud
eaf S1 fR@ fSA kAe tzkNm
latinn.
They estimate on the possibility Of
the new law and not cn what Il ac-
taally going TO happen" Senator
Rrookhart continued.
Holds Estimates Maximum.
According to Senator RrooSharA the
BudSet Bureau arrived at the estimate
Of Si6.fS7.000 as the cost Of the House
bin by taking the average OF each grade
under the present Law. the average ef
each ggade as 1t would be under the
House bill and Snhtracting. the dtt1er~
ence heing their estimate Of the add
tional cost
The average. Senator Rrookhart says.
Is the maximum that would he paid u
everybody was promoted Is far rs he
could 50. He points out however,. that
promotions cannot b. made without Ap-
nEuprsation and he declares thar under
the present law appropriations have
never been Suflieient To come up 10 the
averageS Of the Grade.
1t IS bis contention that even under
the present law Government enapAcyes
IN the District Of Columbia could no
up TO the extent Of $a.2oo O00 under the
rate schedules IS they now stand Il sAa
annual appropriation contained IN the
variotS departmental appropriation hslls
was sufficient To cover all the Increases
that could be made. he said that ter
the Government service. as whole. m
GLIDING these IN Washington. increases
TO the amount OF $4,000. 600 eosald ne
made under the present elasSllicashan
law adequate appropriations were
available.
Senator Rrockhart said he felt eon~
ftaent he could demonstrate the cor
reetneSS Of the situation As he outlined
Ii today.