Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-12
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

One of the principal sources of com.
plant by Army, Navy and Marine Corps
officers and those of allied Government
services is that they often lose money
when they travel on official duty. This
the Interdepartmental Pay Board would
like to remedy, and it has made GER
tain suggestions with that end in view
Another proposal of the Pay Board
that has not yet been mentioned in
this series Of articles is that any
change Of pay schedules adopted by
Congress for the active personnel OF
the several services should be applicable
also to retired oficers and enlisted
men as basis for computing their
pay. Those already retired and here
after retired would be benefited If the
boards plan should be carried out.
Payment of mileage under the
boards plan would be confined to travel
on permanent change of station only
A per diem allowance, not to exceed So
g. day, in lieu of subsistence. and an
allowance "for necessary and actual
transportation expenses" would be au-
thorized for all other travel.
Now Get Mileage Allowance.
At present officers travelling without
troops within the limits of the United
States receive q mileage allowance of
cents per mile for the travel involved
or cents mile II transportation Il
furnished by the Government. Except
In cases of repeated travel to and from
the same point, no method exists where.
BY the of1cer may be compensated fol
additional expenses, however large, ovel
and above the return to him in mileagt
according to this allowance.
Frequently officers are sent out OF
inspection or other trips that require
and, in fact, for reasons Of economy II
time and in transportation cost, arr
planned to require-but little actua
travel from point to point, with consid'
cradle time spent at each point. AS {
result of this practice the officer, WHIT
meantime must maintain his base es'
Enlistment, and therefore is saving
only the actual cost of his food during
his absence from his base, is put IL
considerable expense for lodging anC
subsistence, and may in return only re-
ceive the 8 cents per mile allowance Il
cover the travel performed and all othel
expenses while away from his station.
While the Pay Board does not g
into detail on this subject, It is vel
known to officers that business con
Germs usually pay the actual travelling
and subsistence expenses OF men whom
they send away from their hom'
ofices or their bases Of operations OIL
business for the concern. Bushes;
houses generally go upon the theor.
that q man or woman travelling 10
them should not lose any money there
by, and recognize the fact that the.
must keep up their home establish
ments while ION the road"
per diem allowance in lieu OF sub
sistence for all travel other than OIL
permanent change OF station is Just ant
equitable to the officer and the Govern
ment." says the board. cit will permi
the ofiicer making short trips with lon
stops to be more nearly reimbursed 10
the expense involved, and will properl
| reimburse the oficer who makes lon
! trips with short stops.
Eliminate Actual Expense"
an the interest Of good and simpli
! fied administration, actual expenses
have been eliminated, as 1t results Il
| confusion in settlement of accounts an
misunderstanding and controversy. Wit
the controller general. Mileage shoul
be continued on permanent change
station. because 1t more nearly cover
the actual cost to the ofi1cer OF Tn
| change OF station made"
| Taking up the question OF retlre
officers and retired enlisted men, TN
board says that. although 1t consider
the efficiency of the services Is base
mainly upon the morale and perform
ance of duty of the active personne
yet the conditions OF retirement, an
particularly the pay of the retired per
sonnet, represent the eventual Statu
of the ofiicer or man Of long service
and consequently all personnel are nat
urally and properly concerned with IT..
Amy changes in the pay schedules Q
the active list" continues the boart
should therefore be applicable to ON
GERS and men upon their retiremen
Furthermore. personnel already retire
should receive their retired pay upo
the basis OF successive changes
schedules, since the new schedules re
fleet the estimate OF the responsibility
which they have discharged in the
active duty period and for which
their present retirement they should !
compensated, ann alan since the ne
schedules are ordinarily based In pal
upon changes IN tbs cost OF livin
which necessarily affseL retired pei
sonnet ~ we'll ~ active"
II also IL proposed by the hoard this
all retired 0fiieeFs and men when Gale
to active duty shall receive the pay {
their grads uHdeF eHIhling law retire
ofileeTs ana I4ep geigW the general on
Ger grades when on active duty receiN
active pay ana allowances, but generi
ofiiceFa may n9t Teeelgs any additio
10 their retired psg
OaRaitlea Is ttelA unIast.
This Ia HsHlfeslig unjust 10 once
J OF distinction who may he called upo
! TO .AeTye ~ Temporary AASiRHnien
, where their special qualifications A.
experienee kFe VI great valus 10 u