Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29
Brookhart Measure FuIfiIIs
Increases Intended Under
WEIGH Law.
SENATORS YIELD POINT
TO HOUSE CONFEREES
Retroactive Proposal Dropped to
Make Ratification Possible Be-
fore Adjournment.

The House and Senate are expected to
fatify promptly tomorrow or Tuesday
the conference report on the Brookhart
bill, adjusting upward the salaries Of a
large number of Government employees,
both in Washington and in the field
service, who received the smallest in
creases under the WEIGH law two years
ago.
The conferees reached a complete
agreement on the points of difference
between the two houses late yesterday,
and before adjournment Representative
Lehlbach of New Jersey, chairman of
the Civil Service Committee, filed the
report in the House, to be printed. It
can be taken up in the House early to-
morrow, and will be sent to the Senate
Immediately thereafter.
Senate Conferees Yield.
The Senate conferees yielded to the
House by striking out the retroactive
feature. The purpose of the bill is to
give an additional step-up within their
respective grades to those employees who
were advanced only one step as a result
Of the way the WEIGH law was inter-
preted. In general. the bill would give
another $50 year to those who re-
ceived only $50 In 1928, and another
500 to some who received a 500 in
crease two years ago.
Senator Brookhart felt that, since the
bill was intended to correct inequalities
In the Interpretation of the 1928 law,
the increases should be retroactive. In
order to get the bill enacted before ad-
tournment, however, the Senate con-
ferees agreed yesterday to drop the ret
roactive feature.
the authority of the Personnel ClaSsifi-
cation Board to review and revise allo-
cations. The Senate agreed to this
amendment in conference, but with a
modification making such reviews sub
ject to the approval Of the President"
1t was reported at the Capitol that this
change would meet the approval of the
White House.
The bill as agreed to in conference
means salary increases totaling about
81 100000. 1t would have cost $4,000, 900
more if the retroactive clause had been
retained. 1t is difficult at this time to
estimate the number Of employees who
will get increases.
LehIbach Explains WEIGH Intent.
When the measure was under con-
sideration In the House several days
ago Representative Lehlbach explained
that it was intended under the WEIGH
law of 1928 to bring about an increase
of S120 a year by dropping the two
lower salary rates within a grade and
adding two higher salary rates at the
top of the grade. AS q compromise,
ne said, in some instances there was
only one salary rate added to the top
and that resulted in having not the
same number of rates within some
grades as before. The WEIGH act pro-
Eided that employees should retain the
same respective rates In the grade as
before, but the Interpretation placed on
the law resulted in some employees get
ting $120 increases while others moved
up only one step, or $50.
The conferees on the bill yesterday
were: Senators Dale of Vermont,
Brookhart of Iowa and Mcclellan of
Tennessee; Representatives Lehlbach
of New Jersey. Smith of Idaho and JET
Sers of Alabama.