Evening star., 1932-02-14
INQUIRY ASSURED
BEFORE PAY CUTS
Report Adverse on Borah
Bills; Senator to Ask De-
CiSion on Mileage.

A thorough investigation of the ques-
ton Of Government salaries by sub
committee headed by Senator Brook
hart, Republican, of Iowa, will be made
before any action Is taken on the Borah
proposal to reduce all Federal salaries
of $4,000 or more, but in the meantime
Senator Borah, Republican, Of Idaho,
will seek decision In the Senate on
one Of his other measures, which seeks
to abolish the mileage allowances Of
members Of Congress.
When the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee met early yesterday to consider
the several Borah bills, it voted to re-
port adversely on both the mileage
elimination measure and the bill which
sought to make 20 per cent cut in
the salaries Of members of Congress.
the Vice President, the Speaker and the
cabinet
At the same time the committee, pre-
sided over by Chairman Dale of YER
mont. created the subcommittee COM
posed of Senators Brookhart, Kean.
Republican, of New Jersey, and Mckee
lar, Democrat, of Tennessee, to conduct
q general investigation of the salary
reduction question, including the Borah
BILL which contemplates a graduated
scale Of percentage cuts in all salaries
Of $4,000 or more.
General Reduction Bill.
Senator Borah was not much con-
cerned yesterday afternoon over the
committees adverse report on his bill
applying specifically to Congress and
the cabinet, pointing out that his gen.
eral reduction bill would reach all Fed
eral officials who receive $4,000 or more
a year.
Doo,~l;or %bo ody.reo ,o,or,;tfaa "a
port on the abolition of mileage, the
Idaho Senator made it clear he would
continue his efforts to secure action
on that measure, and in support Of the
bill he cited the effect of the mileage
law from Idaho to Washington and
back.
Senator Borah said it costs not more
than $3.50 to make the round tdip. The
amount which IS allowed for that trip,
he said is about S1,068. He pointed
out that the mileage law was enacted
in 1866, at a time when members had
to use boats and various other means
of travel to and from sessions Of
Congress
Referring to the task ahead Of the
new subcommittee on the question of
salary reductions generally, Senator
Brookhart Of Iowa said last night:
I'VE are going TO make very care
full Investigation to get accurate
knowledge on the subject"
Senator Brookhart also announced
that while this study is being made of
pending reduction proposals, he will
make inquiry to find out whether any
injuStices were done in the carrying
out Of the Welch salary increase law
of four years ago and the Brookhart
increase law enacted year or so later
The Brookhart law was intended to
grant an increase of one additional
salary step to those who receive the
smallest increases under the prior
enactment.
Brookhart Wants Inquiry.
Senator Brookhart did not 60 into de-
tails, but indicated he had received
information concerning the operation
of these salary increase measures that
he wants to look into. The Iowa Senator
has taken q leading part In all legisla-
ton of interest to Government employees
in recent years, and, like Chairman
Dale of the Civil Service Committee, is
opposed to reducing Federal salaries at
this time.
The principal one of the Borah bills,
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column A.