The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-01-17
HLBACH
J [lEFENI]S
HIS own
Bill

An attack upon Comptroller
General j. R. McCarl, in which
that official was charged with
'snullifying existing law, = was
made By Representative Fred
terick r. LIehlbach, chairman
Of the House Civil Service
Committee, at the committee s
hearing on Federal pay raise
legislation today.
Coupled with this verbal assault
on the fiscal car, was LehlDacn
defense Of his own bin. which ne
declared would restore to the per.
sonnet classification board ITS right
full powers tunIawfully usurped by
the Comptroller General. :
I.ehIbach's remarks were drawn
by statements made to the commit
tee BY officers and representatives
OF the Federal Bar Association.
Defends Measure
LehIbach defended his measure as
contrasted with the pay raise Dill
sponsored by Senator Smith w.
Bfookhart. The Federal lawyers
who addressed the committee had
expressed the opinion that the Lshl-
bach bill would give the personnel
classification board too much au'
tl1ority.
j Neither my bill nor any bill sub.
Snitted to this committee Ilehl.
bach declared, concentrates an m
crease Of power OF the personnel
classification board. but aims to
restore the right duties and fliiic-
tions given to- the board by the act
OF 1923, which has been unlawfuliy
usurped by the Comptroller Gen.
era1.
when the Comptroller General
says that the Personnel Classifica-
ton Board cannot function in the
matter Of ALLEGATION, he is simply
multiplying existing law The Comp
troIler General has repeatedly stated
that he III not bound by any deci-
sions Of the Attorney General"
Lehlbach's last remark referred
10 q suggestion made By the Gov
eminent attorneys that the classffi-
cation board, on finding its powers
taken over by McCarl could have
taken their cause to the Attorney
General.
Continues His Rap
ut has been the experience Of
Congress- Lehlbach declared. that
wllen It becomes necessary to curb
the unreasonable decisions Of the
Comptroller, it must be done by
legislation He does not pay atten-
ton to anything else.
The Government attorneys who
ddressed the committee all ex
Dressed the opinion that any new
legislation should be designed to
kennedy existing inequalities in the
operation Of the Welch act.
William II. Valance, president 81
the Federal Bar Association, de
ciared that the WEIGH act has re
suited IN reducing the turnover oi
lawyers III the Government depart.
naents and pointed out that the
salaries paid for legal services IN
. the Government are not equal to
payment FOR similar positions out
side the Federal service. even under
the read justrnent program.
Edwin r. Mess, Postoffice De
partnent lawyer, stated that he
favored the BrOOkhart bid because
cit gives raises irrespective 81
nfeserlt arrangements under the
WEIGH ACT. and will remedy appaT-
ent inedulties and remove discriiai
nation.
Mess declared that the assccia'
elan. after considering all angles 81
fl,e situation, would not favor
siacing III the hands Of the Per
rens,ei Classification Board the final
5 authority ID the operation Of the
WEIGH act
Cites Employees View
He said that many employees fee
they have not been fairly treated BY
fl,e board and urged that the Presi
dar,f should have the final voice or
a,,rh matters. He also expressed
annroyal, Iii behalf of the assOcia
ton. Of the Fish bill. which woult
establish q minimum wage of $1,zOS
: year ia the Government service
Ernest Downin, Veterans Blu
raa,3 attorney, also spoke in favor
81 the Brookhart bill. declaring i
nrovided double step in pay SEIZED
lsles for all employees in the lowei
I.fss i reiterated the objection raiseG
~ Mess to giving the classifiva
lion board added authority. IT wa
81 this iuncture that Lehlbaci
clarified the terms of his bill.
Others who were to have al
dressed the committee were George
q Warren, OF the Interior DeparE
naent: Joseph e. Evans, Of the Cit,
Employees Association; Loren II
Wittner. Of the Departmental Class
ifieation Protest Committee; Mrs
Hgaraaret Hopkins W0rrell, Mrs
Mary Hennaughan, Edwin Evans
and DR. L. F. Kebler.
woodrow Wilson's efforts to SCI
eure the hacking Of powerful Il.
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