Evening star., 1928-05-26
Committee Chairman and
House Clerk Put Final
Touches on Measure.
L0NGW0RTH SETS NAME
ON CORRECTED DOCUMENT
Lawmakers Will Take Papers to
White House as Soon
as Completed.

The clerk Of the House and the chair
man Of the committee on enrolled bills
are working feverishly today to get the
Welch-Smoot salary increase bill to the
President this afternoon.
Both House and Senate late yesterday
approved the conference report on this
measure carrying approximately $780,
100000 in salary increases to $4,000
employees, $4,000 of whom are in Wash
ington.
AT 1905 o'clock today Speaker Long,
worth signed the Welch-Smoot bill and
1t was Immediately sent over TO the
Senate for the signature Of the Vice
President. It will then go u the COM
mittee on enrolled bills, of which Rep
resentative Campbell of Pennsylvania is
chairman, where 1t must be checked
over to see If it is correct in every word
with the working papers on which
House and Senate confereeS have acted.
As early as possible Chairman Camp
bell, accompanied by Representative
WEIGH. Republican, of California, spon-
Sor of the original bill which proposed
minimum of $500 and substantial
increases to all Government employees,
will personally carry tie bill to the
White House for the Presidents sigma
ture.
President Coolidge has given assur-
anceS to Senate and House leaders and
to sponsors of this legislation that he
is ready to sign the measure as ap-
proved by the Senate and House yes
terday.
The Senate agreed to the conference
report at 2:40 pm. and the House took
similar action three hours later. OF
the entire membership of Congress only
one member was opposed. Representa-
tive Woodrum, Democrat, of Virginia,
member of the House Civil Service
committee, who has all along contended
that the bill was designed to benefit
the low-paid employees, but that the
higher-paid employees get the more sub
stanttal increases
An important feature of the bill is
mat 1t provides for careful study by
the Personnel Classification Board of
the Government payroll with a view to
recommending to Congress in December
permanent pay schedule that win in
clude classification of the field employees
comparable with that put into effect
several years ago for District employees.
Measure Is Emergency Bin.
The measure on which Congress COM
pleted legislative action yesterday Is
only an emergency bill designed to give
temporary relief TO those in difdcult
circumstances with corresponding In
creaSss throughout the service. and
Speclflcally provides that no emplove
shall suffer any decrease in salary or
demotion IN grade
Representative Celler. Democrat, Of
New York. explained his reluctance 20
sign the conference report bcauSe he
telt II did not give sufficient relief 20
the most destitute. but that he did
sign Tor fear the bill might otherwise
fail. He said:
Il wanted an opportunity 70 explain
my position in signing the conference
report. together with the Senate man
ayers and the two colleagues OF the
House. ! did so reluctantly because the
oiii does not so far enough. but feeling
tnat the legislation might be wrecked
unless the majority signed the report
on the part OF the House signed It in
the interest Of getting half . loaf.
You VIII note. for example. that
realizing the StricteSt kind OF economy
We have refused to give even the char
women In the Government employ an
increase or 10 cents an hour. and only
gave them 5 cents an hour. The total
increase would have been negligible. vet
tnoSe VINO have the ear of the White
House said nay That Is the kind OF
parStmony that seems 10 animate the
sponsors OF this bill However. In bs-
uce 70 the vast army of civil employees
VINO viii get some increase. 7 signed
the report but give notice that never
again VIII consent 10 sign conference
report unless absolute justice and
equality Is meted out To al employees"
Representative Woodrum. who fol-
lowed Mr., Celler. said he did not blame
him for apologiTing for signing such q
report. and asked permission for extern
sion OF his remarks in the Congressional
Record at a later date He commended
the bill as IL passed the Senate rs being
III much better shape and fairer TO
the employe than the House bill In
that N provided for additional salary
increases at the top Of each grade. but
these rates. he pointed out, were Saeri-
feed In conference because the PreSi-
dent threatened 10 veto the bill
Mr.. Woodrun reminded his colleagues
that they had not hcSitated TO defy the
President ON the postal pay raise. hut
passed the bill over his veto. He de-
clared the President would not have
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