Evening star., 1928-05-11
DEGREES REWRITING
OF PAY RAISE BILL
Smoot Sees Obstacles Unless
Senate Acts on Measure as
Passed in House.

With the day Of adjournment rapidly
approaching, Senator Smoot Repuh-
lican. OF Utah expressed grave doubt
today whether the Government EN-.
ployes' pay increase legislation can
be completed at this session If the
Senate rewrites the bill already passed
by the House, as was urged during
debate in the Senate last night
The only safe plan is for the Sem
ate 10 act on the measure the House
has passed." said Senator Smoot, who
Is co-author of the measure as it now
stands. The difficulties now confront
Ing the bill are the result of a desire
expressed by number of Senators to
amend 1t TO give greater benefits to the
lower paid employees
During the brief debate ln the SEN
ate last night Senator Dill Democrat,
of washington declared the measure
vii have hard struggle" unless 1t
is amended with regard to employees
receiving less than $1,000 year. He
said he saw no reason why il should
pass in its present form.
Changes Promised.
This brought from Senator Dale. Re-
publican. of Vermont, and chairman
of the committee which has the bin
in charge. the statement that pos
Sihly when the Senator sees the bill the
next time he will not recognize it."
This debate on the floor last night
followed similar indications which crop
ned out at the hearing on the measure
before the civil service committee
ear.ier in the day
The Senate committee will resume
the hearing on the bill al 10 O'Clock
tomorrow morning, with representatives
of the Budget Bureau and the Per-
Sonnel Classification Board to testify
Referring to the Weich-Smoot measure
last night. Senator Dill said:
That bill proposes to increase the
salaries of those who are getting high
salaries already much mole than 1t
win increase the salaries of the low
paid employees The bill was originally
introduced in the House 10 give the
poorly paid employees OF the Government
a decent living wage. 1t has been
manipulated until today it is primarily
for the purpose OF increasing the sal
aries of those who already get good
salaries.
Struggle FOreseen.
Il want to say now that If that bill
comes INTO the CEIlAbS IA NAaS AGAAb AS
which il passed the House it will have
a long. hard struggle getting through.
unless 1t IS amended TO take care OF the
people whom it was introduced TO take
care Of, namely. those getting less than
81 200 a rear. The bill was introduced
In the Senate providing for new grade
at So 900 a. year. and virtually proposes
70 leave those who are getting $500 and
ST 900 q year at salaries Of less than
800 month Under the gl1ise Of try
ing 70 help the poorly paid employees.
that bill is being turned into bill to
increase primarily the salaries OF those
already receiving good wages. IT that
bin continues in that form I do not
see any reason why it should pass at
all"
7 agree with the Senator" observed
Senator King, Democrat. OF Utah.
Chairman Dale then took the floor
and gave the indication that the bill
NAV be changed considerably. He said:
Il would ike 10 say TO the Senator
from Washington that had 70 forego
the great pleasure of g0ing 10 New York
today TO confer with Gov. Smith because
the civil service committee has under
consideration the bill 70 which he refers.
We gave the greater part Of the day 10
a. and NC are going 70 give the greater
part Of a couple OF more days 10
II. and possibly when the Senator sees
the bin the next time he viii not recog-
nize IL