Evening star., 1931-12-31
Chairmen and Ranking Men,
bers of House Committees
to Fight Bills.
WOULD SLASH SALARIES
OF HIGH OFFICIALS FIRST
Jeffers, Lehlbach, Byrns and Others
Defend Federal Workers
Income.

More opposition to legislation to re-
duce Federal salaries developed today
from outstanding leaders of the House
and the chairmen and ranking members
of the committees which would con-
slider such legislation.
Both Representative JefferS, Demo-
crat, of Alabama, the new chairman OF
the Civil Service Committee, and Rep
reSentative LehlbaCh of New Jersey,
former chairman and now ranking
minority member, are opposed to such
proposed salary cuts and will fight the
measure in the committee, they say.
Each predicts no such measure can be
reported from the House Committee.
The threat is made to put the salary
slaShing program through as a rider on
appropriation measures. While the
House Appropriations Committee has
not yet considered this question, 1t
seems probable the committee will not
approve such program.
Stand May Be Revealed.
How the committee stands probably
will be known Monday when the first Of
the big appropriation bills is reported to
the House. This will be done following
a meeting of the full committee, at
which the question Of policy in regard
to all the appropriation bills will be
brought up.
However, strong light is thrown on
the situation by statements made public
by Chairman ByrnS and other proml-
nent members of the committee, in
Guiding most of the chairmen Of sub
committees. All are opposed to reduc-
ing Government salaries except as a
last resort and protest that the salaries
of members of Congress and high Off
cialS of the Government should first
be slashed. They point out the return
from reducing the salaries OF the great
bulk of Government workers would be
small and would not justify the hard
ship that would result. especially since
the Government workers have come
through Loyalty in contributing three
days pay to unemployment relief.
Small Chance of Passing.
Chairman ByrnS several times has
stated he is lin favor of trying every
other remedy to balance the budget be-
fore resorting to a reduction Of Gov
ernment salaries. and if that is even
tually found necessary, the salaries OF
members of Congress and the higher
officials should be reduced first before
cutting into the medium salaries as a
last resort
Unless the House Appropriations
Committee, which has the most inti-
mate and exact knowledge regarding
the range of government salaries, ap-
proves the proposal for salary slash
ing, no such measure has much chance
of passing at the present session OF
Congress.
From House Leader Rainey down
leaders of both parties and of all the
groups and blocs in the House are
avowedly opposed to reduction in sal
aries Of Government employees and will
fight hard against them.
Borah Hits High Brackets.
One proposal for Government pay
reductions being considered by Sena-
tor Borah, Republican of Idaho, is that
salaries from $4,000 to $4,000 a year
be cut 10 per cent and salaries OF $l0,-
900 or more be cut 20 per cent.
The Idaho Senator indicated today,
however, that these details are more or
less tentative and he would not have a
bill prepared on the subject until he
makes up his mind definitely what the
range of salary revision should be His
main thought Is not to apply the re-
ductions to low salaried workers. The
Senator a week ago expressed the belief
that the higher salaries in the Gov
eminent should be reduced as one step
In balancing the Federal budget.