Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-21
Would Correct Inequalities
Brought About by
MCCarI Decision.
HOUSE GROUP SPRINGS
SURPRISE WITH REPORT
Balancing of Entire Structure Of
Classification Which Was Dis
rupted Would Be Restored.

The House appropriations committee
sprang a surprise when it included in
the second deficiency bill, reported to-
day, a legislative provision Ito correct
the inequalities brought about by the
controller generals decision, to restore
what it believes to have been the intent
of Congress under the WEIGH act, to
relieve the Treasury of the approx
mately $2.O00,0O0 of unintended cost,
and to restore the balance of the entire
structure of classification insofar as it
has been disrupted by the McCarl de-
cision."
This biz carries total of $17,299, SIC
in supplemental appropriations to meet
salary increases under the Welch pay
act.
ALLEGATIONS Would Be Amended.
The appropriations committees legis-
Iative provision in this bill directs that
the Personnel Classification Board
within 80 days after the enactment of
this act shall review the ALLEGATION Of all
positions which, on June 80, 1923, were
allocated in grades 4, 5, 6 and of the
professional and scientific service, and
grades IL, IL, 13 and ID of the clerical
administrative and fiscal service, of the
compensation schedules set forth in the
classification act Of 1928 covering sal
ary rates from $4,000 to $500, and
which have not been allocated, with the
approval of such board, to the grades of
such compensation schedules as amend
ed by the act of May %, 1928, covering
salary rates of $4,000 to $4,000. Such
allocations," the proposed legislative
rider directs, shall be amended by the
WEIGH pay act, and shall have authority
to ascertain the facts as to the duties
and responsibilities of any such position,
and to review and change ALLEGATION
thereof whenever, in its opinion, the
facts warrant.
This legislative provision. which is in
order under the Holman rule, Is recon-
mended by the committee because the
Holman rule provides for the incorpora-
ton Of legislation in an appropriation
bill II on its face it shows reduction
in expenditures or In the numbers or
compensation of the persons paid out
OF the Treasury OF the United states.
In its report to the House today. made
by Representative Wood of Indiana, the
committee expresses its belief that this
Is very necessary remedial legislation
to correct injustices growing out of in
terpretations of the WEIGH act by a de-
ciSion of the controller general which
has required the ALLEGATION of positions
contrary to the intent of Congress in
passing the law"
Directed Higher Ranges.
La; L. SIf g.
positions in the grades of the profess
sional and scientific service and the
clerical, administrative and fiscal serv-
ice, where the salary ranges are $4,000
and above, and where many increases
IN compensation, ranging as high as
$4,000 per annufn for individual, were
brought about by the controllers de-
cision adversely to what the committee
understood to be the intent of Congress.
"A general situation brought about
by the Controller Generals decision
may be tersely set forth by the state
ment that under it, instead of the
Personnel Classification Board being the
allocating body, as the classification
act of 1928 provided, the allocating
power by his ruling was split three
ways, partly to the heads of depart
mentS, partly to the Controller General
and partly to the board. The confusion
and harm to any system of classlfica-
ton by such confusion of authority Is
readily apparent.
I'm addition to the excess cost of
$780,600 in the District of Columbia, it
Is estimated that the projection of this
same ruling to positions in the field
service has added approximately
$l,250,000 to the field pay in these
upper grades, giving a grand total of
| excess cost of approximately $2,000,000.