Evening star., 1930-12-16
WOOD FIRM IN FIGHT
ON SALARY RAISES
New Department Bills
Changed So That Stay of In
CreaSeS viii Be Automatic.
Continued From First Page.)


authority Is restored for making admin
istrative promotions to the extent of
whatever leeway there may be In the
appropriations for the particular de-
partment or bureau from funds avail
able for salaries.
1t does mean, however, that since no
specific appropriation is made as rec
ommended in the budget for 80 per cent
of the $l4.440,00 estimated to be re-
quired to bring all under-average SAL
aries up to the average through three
year program, the operation of the
three-year program for bringing all
under-average salaries up to average
will be automatically deferred until 1888
at least.
The action on the Interior Depart
ment appropriation bill by the House
in striking out the Wood amendment
and by the Appropriations Committee
Today in emitting 1t from the agriculture
appropriation bill restores the authority
to make administrative promotions
which the Wood amendment would have
prevented, where funds are adequate for
this purpose
Increase Is Possible.
The next step to secure the promised
increases to Government employees is for
the House to amend the agriculture ap-
preparation bill as reported so as to in
clude the $223,S20 required in the De-
partment Of Agriculture for the promo
tions during the first year Of the three
year program.
If the House fails to do that. there is
stin another chance to defeat Chairman
Woods campaign when the Treasury
Post once bill, In which the Senate has
included necessary funds for increases
under the three-year program, reaches
conference between the House and Sem
ate. A definite policy to cover all ap-
preparation bills must be thrashed out.
This emphasizes to members Of the
House that what many of them thought
they were accomplishing by the Vote
last Friday in knocking out the Wood
amendment was not automatically ac-
complished and did not mean that salary
increases under the three-year program
would follow. They appreciate today
that positive action must be taken to in
clude the necessary appropriations be-
fore the three-year program can 60 into
effect.
Senate Backs Increases.
In the Senate the Treasury-Post Of
fice appropriation bill is ready to go to
conference today, having passed the
Senate late yesterday.
The Senate not only put back in the
bill the amounts needed to take care OF
80 per cent of the total cost Of adjust
ing underaverage positions, but also
struck from the bill the Wood amend
ment, which would have prevented any
increases within grades of the classifi-
cation law during the next fiscal year.
The final determination both on the
Wood amendment and on the salary
money inserted by the Senate will rest
with the conferees of both houses, who
probably will be appointed today.
Under the Wood amendment depart
ment officials would have been barred
from using appropriations left over as
the result of deaths or designations to
increase other employees whose pay is
below the average.
The Senate approved the action of its
Appropriations Committee in eliminat-
ing the Wood amendment without a roll
call after Senator PhippS, Republican.
of Colorado, explained that the increases
recommended in the budget for the next
fiscal year are intended to make a start
toward carrying out the intent Of the
classification law by adjusting upward
the under-average salaries. He explained
that, in accordance with the budget pro-
posal, 1t Is planned to take care Of 80
per cent Of the increases next year
and the remainder in the succeeding
two years.
Phipps Informs rs to Bill.
When the salary question came up,
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah, asked
number of questions about the opera
ton Of the classification law and the
aggregate amount of Government
salaries. Senator Phipps supplied the
information requested.
Senators Mcclellan, Democrat, of Ten
neSsee, and Copeland, Democrat, of New
York, spoke briefly tn support of allow
ing the salary increases recommended
by the committee. The Senate then
the bill was quickly completed.