Evening star., 1933-12-06
Roosevelt Proposes Restora.
tion on U. S. Salaries
"S0on as Possible"
new BILL MAY INCLUDE
FUNDS TO RENEW RATES
Cost of Living Increase Cited by
Woodrum in Supporting
Immediate Action.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

ton bills to be reported to the next
Congress due to contain funds sufficient
to restore the salary of Government
employees to the basic rates provided by
the classification act as soon as the
President believes it may be done, it
became known today that President
Roosevelt proposes to have per cent
of the Is per cent cut given back as
soon as possible.
This was learned after a discussion
of the subject today by the subcom-
mittee on the independent Offices ap-
preparation bill. hearings on which will
be completed Friday. The bill will be
marked up Monday, ready to be re-
ported to the House as soon as it or
ganizes for the new session.
Members of the subcommittee learned
informally of the Presidents support Of
the per cent plan.
Chairman Woodrum of the subcom-
mittee said today that he and several
other members of the subcommittee be-
lieve the full Is per cent cut should be
restored as soon as possible He said
that personally he believes that part of
it should be restored at once and not
wait until the beginning of the new
fiscal year on July l.
Cost of Living Up.
THE cost of living has increased, u
said Representative Woodrum. and ]
believe that the Government employees
should get part of their salary reduc-
tion back Immediately. The purpose
of the recovery program is to advance
commodity prices l believe that the
Presidents program is going to succeed
and by restoring to the Government
employees their full purchasing power 1t
will speed up the entire recovery pro-
gram"
Other members of the subcommittee,
including Representatives Granf1eld of
Massachusetts, and Boylan of New York,
are in favor of restoring the entire Is
per cent cut as soon as possible.
Chairman Woodrum said he believed
the bill should carry sufficient funds
so the President would not be ham,
pered when in his judgment he thought
it proper to restore to the Government
workers as large q percentage as pos
sible of the reduction which they have
taken.
Representative Granfield said that
under the national recovery legislation
the President has urged private indus
try to restore salaries and thus increase
purchasing power to meet higher COM
modify prices and to speed up recov-
cry generally. Not only to be consist.
ent with this recommendation to in
duStry but to set an example of con-
f1dence that the recovery program is
succeeding. Mr.. Granfield said the Gov
ernment should 60 the full distance in
restoring the entire Is per cent salary
cut.
Cochran Supporter.
Support for pay restoration also was
voiced today by Chairman Cochran OF
the House Committee on Expenditures
which passes upon Government en-
ployes.
whatever the President recon.
mends, will support" said Represent
ative Cochran. TT is almost certain
that whatever recommendation the
President makes will be followed in re-
gard to salary cuts of employees. since
he holds the executive veto power"
Chairman Cochran also explained his
position in regard to the dropping OF
married persons from the Government
pay roll when both husband and wife
have been employed by the Govern
ment. He declared emphatically that
he is still in favor of the law and will
do nothing to upset it.
That law is going to retained" he
said emphatically. land If there is any
danger that it would be upset by any
amendment, would fight the amend
ment."
Cochran, however, does favor excep-
tions for persons who are receiving very
small salaries from the Goernment
For example, where husband and
wife might be cooks on the same boat
or where an enlisted man in the Army
or Navy has a wife working as char
woman or for salary less than 81 200
Elimination of the pay cut at an early
date was urged today by Senator Cope
land, Democrat, Of New York, who has
just returned to washington. The New
York Senator believes the level of COM
modify prices has advanced sufficiently
to justify such action.