Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-06
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

BY DONALD A. CRAIG.
For warrant officers, commissioned
warrant officers, enlisted men and wom-
en- nurses the average increases in pay
proposed in the new schedules recon-
mended by the Interdepartmental Pay
Board are greater than the average In
crease proposed for commissioned off,
GERS in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps
and allied Government services.
The proposed schedules would enect
a mean increase OF 81 per cent ioE
warrant officers and lib per cent Tor
commissioned warrant officers over the
schedules of 1908 or the date when the
particular grade was created.
The mean increase throughout all
grades and lengths of service for enlist
ed men over 1908 would be 80 per cent.
For women nurses throughout the
various grades the mean increase would
be los per cent over 1910.
IS Per Cent for Commissioned Ohicers.
For commissioned officers the increase
over 1908, as heretofore pointed out,
would be So per cent.
AS in the case of commissioned ON.
GERS nav, the board in its analysis Oh
the nay situation for the other grades
has started with the Army and Navy
nav acts of 1908 and several later laws
In which new grades were instituted
rather than the joint service pay act OF
l922. which it considers as having oeen
EaSsed by Congress to meet annormal
conditions Immediately following the
war.
In addition to being very much
greater than the pay of 1908, the new
Schedlles would be substantially greater
than those in effect at present, as will
appear from the comparisons OF pay
ranges for various grades and lengths
of service.
It is recommended that rental and
subsistence allowances for warrant ana
commissioned warrant otncerS, as eStab-
lished by the present law, be discontin-
ued as In the case of commissioned
officers.
$3.50 Base Pay Urged.
It is proposed that warrant officers
of the Army-eXcept those OF the Army
Mine Planter SerVice-and of the Navy.
Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive
S2,55o a year from the date OF warrant.
awith an increase at the rate OF $3.50
year for each three years of service In
exceeding 80 years.
It is proposed that warrant ofncers
Of the Army Mine Planter Service shall
receive pay according to their grade as
follows: Master, $1,000; flrst mate,
S2,500; second mate, So 100; engineer,
81 900; assistant engineer, $2,500. They
would also receive $3.50 a year increase
for each three years Of service In any
grade In any of the services, not ex-
ceeding 80 years.
Commissioned warrant officers of the
Navy. Marine Corps and Coast Guard
would receive 5000 year upon COM
mission, with an increase for officers
with s'creditable records" of $500 year
for each period of three years of COM
missioned service not to exceed II
years.
These schedules for warrant and
commissioned warrant officers" says
the board, "have been determined with
out regard to that of commissioned Of
ficers, since these officers are appointed
after years of enlisted service and are
not, under the law, eligible for promo
ton to higher grades"
Present Maximum Is $2,919.
Under the law Of 1922, now In effect,
warrant officers of the Army receive
pay and allowances ranging from q
minimum of STATS to a maximum Of
$29l9 and warrant officers OF the
Army Mine Planting Service from $2,O07
to $3,474. Congress last year granted
increases to warrant and commissioned
warrant officers of the Navy, Marine
Corps and Coast Guard. Warrant on
GERS Of the Navy and Coast Guard un-
der this law are receiving from $2055
to $2,967 and commissioned warrant Of
ficers from $2,487 to $1,000. Warrant
officers of the Marine Corps are receiv-
ing from 81 ,995 to $2,919 and commits
stoned warrant officers from $2,4S7 to
$4,000.
With respect to the increases over
the 1908 or later schedules recommend
ed for the warrant and commissioned
warrant officers of the several services.
the board says:
This Is considerably greater than the
percentage of increase recommended
for commissioned officers in the line of
promotion, but is in fact roughly COM
mensurate with the 104 per cent in
crease in the cost of living since 1908.
Furthermore, the warrant officers and
commissioned warrant officers are not,
save in exceptional circumstances, adj
vanced In grade; their career is limited,
and there should be reasonable re-
ward in pay for success therein.
Provisions for Enlisted Men.
In the case of enlisted men, the board
recommends that existing discrepancies
between the pay in the several services
be removed. 1t proposes single pay
schedule applicable to all services. The
proposed monthly base pay by grades
is as follows: First grade, $3.50; first
grade (acting appointmenO, sl20; sec
ond. 500: third, $84; fourth, S66; fifth,
S54; sixth, $50, and seventh, $2l.
Enlisted men would receive increases
on this base pay of 10 per cent upon
the completion of the first four years
of enlisted service in any Of the sew
eral services, and an additional increase
of S per cent for each four years of
service thereafter, not to exceed total
Of IS per cent.
Under the proposed schedule, the pay
range, for example, Of master cleo
trician in the Army would be from
$1,000 TO $2,25O, as compared with
$l,512 to 81 800 at present; for first
Sergeant. 81 1873 to 81 ,485, as compared
with 81 ,OO8 to 1920: for color SER
Reant, l.008 TO 81 ,260, as compared
with 1854 to 81 $50; for sergeant, 1892
to $500. as compared with $648 TO 1910:
for corporal, S648 TO $760, as compared
with $5O4 10 $500; for private. first
class $432 to $40, as compared with
$3.50 to $3.50; for private, 1882 to $277.
as compared with $3.50 to 1884 so.
"It will be noted" says the board
'that beyond equalizing the pay of en-
listed men of the Army and Marine
CORDS Of the fifth and sixth pay grades
and that Of the men of the Navy and