The Indianapolis times., 1932-04-23
MANY RELATIVES
OF LAWMAKERS
PAID BY u. S.
Senators and Representa- l.
tiveS Keep Much of Clerk
Hire Cash lin Family
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press stan Correspondent
Copyright. 1892. by United pressl

tcopvripht. 1892. BY United Press
WASHINGTON, April 23.-Con-
gress is getting off fairly easy in the
agitation for government economy
because nobody, not even President
Hoover, can investigate that distin-
guished body of the peoples repre-
Gentatives.
But If congress should ever break
down and tell all, as Senator Elmer
Thomas Dem, Okla) has done 10
The United Press, the result would
be informative, If nothing more.
1t would show-not graft, heaven
forbid-but senators and congress-
men putting their wives, daugh-
ters, sons, brothers, brothers-in-
law, nieces and stepchildren on the
congressional pay roll as secretaries
and clerks.
1t would show that many of these
favored relatives actually work.
1t would show that others do not,
except on pay day.
One senator from a farm belt
state would be revealed bringing in
a niece who, with six months
business college training, was placed
on his Office pay roll last summer at
a salary higher than was paid TO
veteran stenographers in the same
Office.
Representative John E. Rankin
(Dem., Miss), chairman of the
World war veterans committee of
the house, would be shown main
tanning as secretary Of that commit
tee capable young man, who until
recently was also serving as a news
paper correspondent in Jackson,
Miss. He came back to Washing
ton few days ago.
Even the genial Senator Pat Har-
rison (Dem., Miss0, whose satirical
speech about the Love Life of
Bull Frog" described in a govern
ment pamphlet has provided the
one bright spot in the economy de-
bate, maintained q daughter on the
pay roll last summer, but she has
since been dropped.
Last summer congress was in
ACGCogs ilClC VOC IlO GtSNlOII 1OI
nine months. Many senators locked
their offices and had their mail
forwarded. Business was at a
minimum.
Yet Senator Park Trammell
(Dem., fla, whose business never
is heavy, maintained his four clerks,
two of them. Trammells, one
brother, on the office pay roll. This
is not to single him out. He Travelled
IN numerous company
Each senator is allowed four Of
flee employees at fixed salaries
ranging from 81 800 up to $4,000
year. Most often the relatives get
the higher salaries and Washing
ton girl is hired to carry the heavier
load of work. If it isn't relative,
then it is a political heeler from
back home who is apt to get the
big money.
Many, during the slack season,
put members of the family on the
pay roll and keep only one working
clerk to watch the office and for
ward mail.
Senator Thomas had his wife on
the pay roll as his secretary until
Nov. 30 last. She drew the highest
salary, $4,000 a year.
''She worked, though she wasn't
slave and didn't punch a time
clock" Thomas explained. Il realize
it looked bad to have Mrs. Thomas
on the pay roll as my secretary, but
it was done only as a matter of
necessity"
He explained that he had used
part of Mrs. Thomas salary to sup
plement salaries Of two of his other
clerks when his quarters we're small,
and they were compelled to carry
much heavier load.
When he obtained larger offices
last fall, he said, Mrs. Thomas was
taken off the pay roll and another
clerk was added in her place, The
senator says he now has two extra
temporary employees, who are cost
ing him about $50 a week out of his
own pocket.
Speaker John N. Garners wife
has been his secretary for years and
she has given the government full
and overflowing value for every dol
lar she has drawn.