Evening star., 1933-02-04
Ocean Mail Contracts, Tax
Refunds and Building Fund
Debated Today.
FEDERAL PAY PROVISION
May COME UP MONDAY
Bingham Will Ask for Reconsid.
Grafton of Vote on 5 Per
Cent Saving.

Representative Wilmington, DEM
ocrat, of Mississippi, today failed in
his effort to have adopted an amend
ment to the s16,588,0OO legislative
supply bill to reduce salaries of SEN
ators, Representatives and all Gov
ernment employees II per cent in ad-
dition to the existing slash Of 81s
per cent.
Although the Senate will try to reach
the general economy provisions OF tht
Treasury-Post Office supply bill today
there are at least three more amend.
ments relating directly to the Treasury
and Post Office Departments to be dis
posed of first
The pending question is the Nickel
lar motion to cut in half the So, 500, ,00C
allotment for ocean mail contracts, and
vote may be reached OH that early
in the afternoon. Senator McKellar
also has amendments to offer establish
ing a new method of reviewing Federal
tax refunds. and also to reduce the
lump sum in the bill for continuing the
public building program. If these
amendments lead to much debate the
general economy section, which seeks to
continue the 8ls per cent payless fur
lcugh for another year, plus a new cut
of Ia per cent throughout the Gov
arnDoanf Sarvica vr-i1 until
late Monday or Tuesday.
Night Session.
Senator Cddie. Republican, of Nevada
in charge of the Treasury-Post Office
measure, kept the Senate in session
until 10 o'clock last night in an effort
to speed up the bill. The evening ses-
sion was taken up with debate on the
ocean mail contracts, but a final vote
went over until today.
After the McKellar amendments are
disposed of, Senator Bingham. Re
publican, of Connecticut, will call up
his motion to reconsider the vote by
which the Senate two days ago au-
thorized the Treasury and Post Office
Departments to save S per cent Of the
amounts to be appropriated for next
year with the Costigan proviso that
of further wage cuts and furloughs.
Bingham is one of those who fear
the Costigan proviso will make it neces-
sary for department heads to dismiss
employees outright, whereas they might
impose furloughs without discharging
them If it were not for the Costigan
amendment
Costigan, however, is Of the opinion
that dismissals would occur only to a
minor extent. and that, as to IS per
cent Of the Federal employees. his ban
against further pay cuts would prove
a beneficial safeguard. He will oppose
the Bingham reconsideration of his
amendment.
Two Departments Concerned.
This S per cent saving plan by the
departments below reductions already
being made by Congress, sponsored by
Senator Bratton, Democrat of New
Mexico, applys only to the Treasury
and Post Office Departments in its
present form. But when the general
economy section is taken up next week
he will offer similar amendment in
general terms that would apply the
plan to all departments. Senator Costi-
gan has announced he will offer his
prohibition against pay cuts to that
general amendment also
The Costigan ban on pay cuts. pro-
hibits pay cuts as a means Of carrying
out this proposed S per cent saving,
and does not apply to the provisions
in the general economy section con-
tinuing the 81s per cent furlough plus
a new cut of 12s per cent throughout
the service. 1t is expected, however,
that strong opposition will develop in
the Senate against approving this new
123 per cent cut when that section OF
the bill is reached