Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02

Continued From First Page.)
become that President Hoover, four
Government departments, an interde-
partmental board, two independent Gov
eminent bureaus, eight standing commit
tees and one special joint committee of
the House and Senate, individual mem
bers of Congress generally and the en-
tire officer and enlisted personnel Of
all six services have become involved
in it.
The publicity which has been given
to the question is primarily due to
two things;
First, the policy of President Hoover
in dealing openly with the subject and,
second, the frank campaign in favor
of increased pay that is being conducted
by the officers and men of the several
services, with the full approval of their
superiors.
When President Hoover received the
report of the Interdepartmental Pay
Board, recommending pay increases for
the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard, Public Health Service and
to the Bureau of Efficiency for study
and comment.
Criticisms Answered.
The Bureau of Efficiency disagreed
with some of the findings of the Pay
Board, principally with respect to some
financial advantages enjoyed by Army
and Navy officers and not by civilians,
and the salaries of certain groups of
civilians as compared with service OFF,
GERS, the inference being that, in the
view of the bureau experts, the Pay
Board had not treated the subject with
entire freedom from bias. President
Hoover permitted the War and Navy
Departments to reply to these criti-
cisms. This they promptly did
This started an official and we'll
documented debate; for the Bureau of
Efficiency was allowed to answer the
rejoinders of the two departments
Furthermore, it appears that the first
comment, or report, of the Bureau OF
Efficiency was merely preliminary" so
realm of probability that the contro-
versy will continue.
All of the documents in the debate
up to date have been made public by
order of President Hoover, presumably
so that everybody in and out of the six
services may know exactly what is go
ing on and may put In an oar, If he
chooses. 49,.
Meantime, many oficers and enlisted
men of the Army and Navy are writing
to Senators and Representatives, and
publicity agencies in four departments
are busy making available for publica-
ton in the press masses Of dataLall
supporting the contention that there
should be substantial increase in pay
for all six services. In addition to the
War and Navy departments, two other
departments and the Treas
~ ia NJ r
ter. The Coast Guard and the Public
Health Service are under the iurisdic-
ton of the Secretary of the Treasury
and the Coast and Geodetic Survey Is
under the Secretary Of Commerce.
Increase Estimated at $685. Os.
1t was inevitable, of course, that the
Bureau of the Budget should also be
drawn into the symposium. 1t has
ever, contenting itself merely with fur
nlshing, as requested, an estimate of the
increased appropriations that would be
necessary to provide for the increases
in pay in the six services, If the Pay
Boards recommendations should be
adopted by Congress- Its estimate is
that the total increase for the fiscal
year 1880 would be 1864 ,706.
This would amount to 26.75 per cent
of the present total sum appropriated
annually for pay and allowances in
these six services; This amount Is large
enough to frighten some members of
Congress, who are inclined to favor the
increase in principle, but want to aid
President Hoover and the Republican
Congress in making q record for econ
omy. OfIlcers of the Army and Navy
contend that there has been q much
higher percentage of increase in the
compensation of many civilian positions
under the Government since 1922, when
the, present military-naval pay law went
into effect, and that the increase in the
cost of living fully justifies the boards
recommendations.
Congress has regarded the whole
matter as important enough to be han
died in q special manner. It Is not
being left to- the standing commit
tees on naval affairs, military affairs,
appropriations and commerce of the
two Houses, but special committee
has been created as the result of the
adoption Of joint resolution intro
duced by Senator Reed of Pennsyl-
vania. Five Senators, appointed by
Vice President Curtis, and five Repre-
sentatives, appointed by Speaker Long
worth, compose this committee. The
chairman Is Senator Jones of Wash
ington and the vice chairman Is Repre-
sentative French of Idaho.
Reed Return Awaited.
After one meeting this joint congress
Sional pay committee has decided to
await the return from London of SEN
ator Reed, who Is member of the
United States delegation at the Naval
Conference. Senator Reed is not only
the author of the resolution under
which the joint committee is function
ing, but he is chairman of the Senate
committee on military affairs. Mean
time, the individual members of the
joint committee are studying the
numerous documents already available
on the subject, and 1t is reported thai
Vice Chairman French has requested
more information from the executive
departments.
Many Army and Navy officers have
not given up hope that the pay ques.
ton will be settled-and in their favor
before the end of the present session
OF Congress. If the joint congressional
committee decides to hold hearings
which seems likely, some persons famil.
lar with the situation in Congress be.
lieve the matter cannot be settled, on
way or the other, before next Winter
But at least one thing seems certain
| Congress apparently means to get Il
the bottom OF the matter and to cnae
some sort of revised pay legislation a
soon as 1t does.