Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-11
CROSBY'S PAY SETS
NEW D. c. RECORD
Salary Highest Ever Received
by Commissioner, Due to
Army Allowance.

When Gen. Crosby took his oath of
office yesterday as a District Commits
sioner he became the highest paid man
ever to hold that ONCE, for in addition
to his salary of $4,000 a year as O Com
missioner, he receives his pay as q re-
tired Army officer, amounting to $4,000
a year, or q total of $4,000 a year. His
colleague, DR.. Reichelderfer, receives
the normal pay Of a civilian Commits
sioner, $4,000.
Col. Ladue, the Army officer who Is
the third member of the Board of Com
missioners, will receive the same salary
that DR.. Retchelderfer receives, but his
pay checks come from two sources. He
receives his regular Army pay, plus the
difference between that pay and the
$4,000 salary Of the Commissioners, the
difference being made up from the Dis
trtct's general fund.
The matter Of Gen. Crosby's salary
and the amount received by the Com
miSSioners were bothersome problems
to the Senators who debated the gen.
erals confirmation on Wednesday, With
the exception of Senator Blaine, none
OF them seemed entirely to understand
the situation and Senator Blaine was
not positive. But strangely enough,
Gen. Crosby's eligibility to salary as a
retired Army officer was the very point
upon which Senator Hale found that,
IN his mind at least, he was not eligible
for the post Of Commissioner.
Issue Raised Three Times.
Before Senator Hales short speech
explaining why he could not vote for
confirmation, the matter was brought
up three separate times.
The first was when Senator Mcclellan
asked Senator Glass If Gen. Crosby
would draw two salaries. Senator Glass
said he did not know, but he was of
the opinion that he would draw only
one salary.
Senator Dill put the same question
to Senator Walsh, and Senator Walsh
did not know. Senator Blaine, however.
suggested that he would draw two
salaries as In the case of Gen. Patrick
Of the Public Utilities Commission.
Senator Dill wanted to know the salary
OF a Commissioner and Senator George
said that 1T was $4,000 year, but !
believe it is more now"
Later Senator Mcclellan suggested
that the Army off1cer Commissioner
(Col. Ladue) merely gets his pay as
an Army officer; but the two civilian
Commissioners are given $4,000 a year
each" From this, Senator Mcclellan
concluded that if it was ever contem-
plated that a retired Army officer would
be made Commissioner, something
would have been said In the law about
his salary, for one Army officer will be
receiving merely his pay as an Army
| officer while serving as Commissioner
Gas a matter of fact he receives enough
from the District to make his pay
$4,000 q year, while another Commits
sioner will be receiving $4,000 from the
| District and $4,000 retired pay from
the Federal Government as an Army
oficer."
| Hale States His Views.
Senator Hale of Maine, made brie1
| speech virtually concluding debate or
| the nomination, evidently at time
when the Senators were becoming rest
less and anxious to harken to s. natol
| Vandenberg's earlier battle cry-"Let u
! proceed from this sham battle ovel
legaIistic phrases to the realities OF
actual battle with crime In the city OF
| Washington"
He first quoted the Jaw under which
Gen. Crosby will be able to draw two
| salary checks.
mo person who holds an Office, the
| salary or annual compensation attached
| to which amounts to the sum of $500,
shall be appointed to or hold any other
office to which compensation is at
tached unless specially heretofore or
| hereafter specially authorized thereto
bv law; but this shall not apply to re-
tired officers Of the Army or the Navy
whenever they may be elected to pub.
| lie Office or whenever the PresloenI
shall appoint them to Office by and
with the advice and consent OF the
Senate"
And then, explaining his position, he
said:
IF there were no other legislation
affecting the appointment of Commits
sioners Of the District, the appointment
of Gen. Crosby would be entirely In
! order under that provision OF law.
However, the act Of 1873, providing
permanent form Of government for the
| District Of Columbia, preScribes that
| two of the Commissioners shall be APP
pointed from civil life. Therefore, In
| order to make Gen. Crosby eligible for
| appointment, it must be found that he
comes from civil life.
my understanding Is that the At
| torney General has ruled that an Of
ficer who retires from the Army there
by ceases to be an officer OF the Army
| and becomes a civilian. Mr.. President,
| to that opinion I cannot subscribe:
| and, therefore, while have the high
| est regard for the character and abil-
| ity of Gen. Crosby, and while believe
| that he would make an excellent Com
missioner, I must register my protest
by voting against his confirmation"
A.