Evening star., 1934-02-05
Leaders Seek to Iron Out
Difficulties Over Vet
erans' Allowances.
NAVAL subcommittee
SPEEDS WORK ON BILL
Interior Department Measure Also
May Be Pushed Ahead of
Offices Bill.

Events at the Capitol today gave
credence to reports that Senate lead
ers may postpone work on the inde-
pendent offices bill this week while
they seek to iron out differences that
have developed in the Appropriations
Committee over liberalizing war vet
erans' allowances and further modifi-
cation of economies affecting Govern
ment personnel.
The subcommittee in charge of the
independent Offices bill, which has in
1t the plan for gradual restoration of
the Government pay cut, has not met
since 1t was instructed by the full
committee Friday to take the bill
back for consideration Of amendments
to restore some of the benefits with
drawn from war veterans by the
economy law.
subcommittee Working.
On the other hand, two other sub
committees of the Appropriations
Committee were called into session
today to work on the Naval and the
Interior Departments appropriation
bills.
Senator James F. Byrnes, Democrat
Of South Carolina, chairman of the
Naval Subcommittee and also an ac-
tive member of the Independent Of
| fees Subcommittee, announced at
noon that the naval group would be
IN session all day in an effort to have
that bill ready for the full committee
tomorrow. He also said he expected
to have the naval supply bill reported
| to the Senate ahead of the independ-
ent Offices bill because there are no
controversies in that bill"
The subcommittee on the Interior
bill began executive hearings today
and II was not clear whether the plan
is to bring that measure also before
the Senate ahead of the independent
Offices bill.
Other Bills Can Be Passed.
Although salaries and other person.
mel policies for the entire Government
service are to be determined in the
independent Offices bill, it has been
explained that the other departmental
supply bills can be passed first. be-
cause the independent Offices bill will
COIIdll1 u general provision making
available such sums as may be neces-
sary to provide for whatever salary
plan Is adopted in that bill. AS the
bill stands, the Appropriations Com
mittee has approved the plan Of re-
storing S per cent of the pay cut as
OF February and at least another 5
per cent on July /, leaving it to the
President to determine whether price
levels at that time will justify return
OF the last per cent The commit
tee also has adopted an amendment
to permit resumption of automatic
promotions in those branches Of the
service where pay was increased auto
matically by reason of special law
prior to the economy act
After going this far last Friday, the
committee, by l2-to-10 vote, held that
war veterans amendments were in
order and sent the bill back to sub
committee for decision as to how far
to go in restoring veterans allow
ances In making these amendments
germaine. the full committee reversed
a prior decision Of the subcommittee,
which had decided, to 4, that the
veterans proposals were not in order
| VA o11 dppI ldIlUIl DILL.
Action Not Expected This Week.
Although no time has been fixed
for meeting of the independent Of
fees subcommittee, it may be called
together within the new few days.
Even if that should be done, how
ever, 1t Is not likely that the bill would
be ready for Senate action before the
end Of this week or early next week.
1t was suggested in some quarters
that administration forces in the Sem
| ate may go ahead with some of the
| other appropriation bills for a few
| days while they ascertain the extent
of sentiment for the various amend
ments which are being offered by
members Of the Senate to restore vet
erans' allowances and to do away
with some OF the economy restrictions
on Government employees aside from
salary cuts.
The impression prevails that the
administration will accept the gradual
pay-restoration program approved last
week by the committee. but several
Senator's, including McCarran. Demo-
crat, of Nevada, and Dickinson, Re-
publican, of Iowa, are still planning
to advocate a further amendment to
restore all of the Is per cent cut on
July l before the bill leaves the
Senate.
Dickinson Has Amendments.
Senator Dickinson also has an
amendment to repeal half q dozen
other economy provisions, including
the ban against administrative salary
increases, which in normal times
would accompany the promotion from
one salary grade to another by reason
OF change in position. Restoration
OF these administrative promotions Is
being urged by the American Fedora
ton Of Government Employees, through
its president. e. Claude Babcock.
Senator Byrnes explained today in
response to inquiries that whatever
salary-restoration program is finally
adopted by Congress would apply the
same treatment to employees in the
new emergency agencies as In the reg.
ular departments. The present policy
is to make the net amount received
IN the emergency agencies correspond
to the salaries for similar jobs in the
regular branches Of the Government.