Evening star., 1935-01-29


ment to the deficiency bill restor-
ing the per cent pay cut on
April /, 1t was announced this aft
ernoon.
Confidence that the House would
accept without debate the amendment
made by the Senate yesterday to the
deficiency bill restoring full basic sal
aries to Government employees on
April /, was expressed today by lead
ing House members.
The motion probably will be made
by Chairman Woodrum of the House
subcommittee which handled this ap-
preparation bill to concur in the Sen
ate amendment. There is no other
controversial amendment. The bill
is expected to reach the House early
this afternoon.
Representative SABBATH Of Illinois.
chairman of the House Steering Com
mittee. who discussed the general leg
islative program with the President
at the White House today. said later
there was strong likelihood that the
House would approve the amend
ment.
Representative SABBATH who was ac-
companied during his discussion OF
legislation at the White House by
Speaker Byrns and the members of
the subcommittee of the Steering
Committee. indicated very strongly
that he personally approved of the
restoration Of the remaining per
cent pay slash and expressed the be-
lief that the proposal would meet with
no serious obstacles in the House
Mr.. SABBATH added, however, that
Representative Buchanan Of Texas,
chairman of the House Appropriations
Committee, thinks the legislation as 1t
has been passed in the Senate is not
in order and that he may raise point
Of order when the time arrives. He
added that Mr. Buchanan contends
that the Appropriations Subcommittee
could not accept the Senate pay
amendment inasmuch as it constituted
legislative rider on an appropriation
bill. Therefore, according to Mr.. Sa-
bath, the appropriations chairman
contends that the House would have
to vote directly on the question.
No Senate Opposition.
The pay restoration amendment
went through the Senate quickly and
without a word of opposition yester-
day afternoon, as soon as Senators
McCarran, Democrat, Of Nevada, and
Byrnes, Democrat, of South Carolina.
had agreed upon the new date of
April /.
Senator McCarran, who for more
than a year has taken a leading part
in the fight to get the salaries of Gov
ernment workers back to the basic
level, originally offered his amend
ment yesterday to take effect as of
January /.
Senator ByrneS said he had no
desire to raise a point Of order, but
hoped McCarran would accept a date
eliminating the retroactive feature.
and suggested April l because it is
the beginning of a quarterly period.
Byrnes pointed out there would be
administrative difficulties in going
back to January~1. such as the send
ing of pay checks to persons no
longer working for the Government.
Says Conditions Warrant 1t.
ct has been my desire all the time
to make to the toiling masses of the
country a full restoration of their
pay" McCarran replied. Il believe
the conditions prevailing In the coun-
try today warrant full restoration of
pay. I believe the call which has
been made, and legitimately made, by
the administration upon private con-
Germs and private industry for an in
crease OF pay warrants an increase of
pay to Federal employees. Neverthe-
less, am never so content with my
position, however secure might feel
myself, that I would not yield to
fair, Legitimate and honest compro-
mise. I am willing to accept the
modification.
With no objection being raised, the
amendment was approved promptly
by unanimous consent.
Another amendment then was
agreed to. making available whatever,
additional funds may be needed by
any department or agency to comply
with the April restoration. The re-
turn OF this last per cent of the
pay cut for the three months from
April to July is estimated to amount
to $4,000, 900 for all Government en-
ployes, including those throughout the
country. 1t was not necessary, how
ever. to write any specific amount in
the bill, but merely to include general
appropriating language. It is pos
sible. for instance. that some depart
ments may have sufficient leeway in
their present appropriations for per-
sonal services to help meet the res
toration.
Amendment Changed Slightly.
The regular appropriation bills for
the fiscal year, beginning July l, are
being prepared with q view to pay
ing full pasic salaries after that date.
The effect Of the Senate's action,
therefore, would be to make the res
toration start three months earlier.
The Senate made one other minor
change in the McCarran amendment,
intended to make sure that it would
not be construed as restoring reduc-
tions which were made by Congress
two years ago in the basic salaries
Of a limited number of officials.
These officials will get back the re-
naming per cent Of the general
cut, the same as all other employees,
but not the reduction that was made
in their basic pay.
Because the other items carried in
the deficiency resolution to which the
pay amendment has been attached are
urgently needed by several special
agencies, including the Communica-
tions Commission and the Securities
Commission, prompt action by the
House Is expected.