Evening star., 1941-11-03
Police and Fire
Pay Bill Hits
Delay in House
Fear Of Jeopordizing
Measure to Enlarge
Force Is Cause


The House District Committee to-
day delayed seeking action on bill
providing q substantial salary in
crease for police and firemen fol-
fear it might jeopardize Senate ap-
proval of a measure now before il
appropriating funds for appoint
ment OF 100 additional members OF
the police force.
The pay raise bill has been on
the House calendar since June 10
and a move had been initiated to
have it called up for consideration
today.
Delay on the salary measure was
urged by Representative McGehee,
Democrat. of Mississippi.
Time Thought Not Ripe.
there's a chance now of getting
more men for the police force" he
declared. IF the pay bill is called
up in the House at this time. the
Senate may not act on the one to
enlarge the size of the police force,
and there will be a chance that
both will be lost. In my opinion
1t would be very unwise to attempt
to take up the salary bill now"
Representatives Mcmillan of South
Carolina and Hebert of Louisiana,
both Democrats, agreed with Mr..
McGehee.
"The time is not ripe to take up
the pay BILL" said Mr.. Mcmillan.
II reached that conclusion this
morning after talking with a num-
Der Of House members"
Il am looking at this situation
from the psychological side de-
clared Mr. Hebert. Il am satisfied
that if the measure had been called
up when it was reported to the
House in June it would have been
overwhelmingly defeated
Sauthoff Opposes.
Representative Sauthoff, Progress
sive, of Wisconsin, was the only
committee member who opposed q
delay and he too was the only one
who voted against motion by Mr.
McGehee that no effort be made tc
have it called up in the House today
Il have feeling now that no one
can tell how long the present ses-
sion of Congress will last" he said
I'VE may be here for the balance OF
the year. Personally, I don't know
Why these men should be punished
It has been II years since anything
has been done for them. Their pres
ent salary is not extravagant. and
the cost of living has increased tre-
mendously, which has placed an ad-
ditional burden on them. We know
what happens to the District when
something else comes up in Congress
1T is showed to the background.p
Representative Bates. Republican,
of Massachusetts, told the committee
he was in favor of enlarging the
police force before giving the men
a pay increase He declared, how
ever, he is satisfied that police and
firemen here are underpaid in COM
parison with those in other large
cities.
Kelly Outlines New Steps.
The bill eventually would increase
the basic pay of police and firemen
about $500 a year. The commits
sioners have estimated the higher
salary scale would add about $500 900
q year to municipal operating ex-
penses.
Maj Edward J. Kelly, superin-
tendent of police, had been invited
to the meeting to discuss the pay
increase bill, but he did not do SO
when Representative McGehee said
such a discussion might place him
ION the spot
Instead, the new police chief gave
q brief outline of the steps he has
taken since he took command of the
department August Is to increase its
efficiency and effectiveness.
A study of conditions in the De-
tective Bureau-described during the
police investigation by House sub
committee last summer as the
weakest link" in the department
Maj Kelly said, convinced him the
"modus operandi' there had been
allowed to "go down to its lowest
ebb."
Each Man Investigated.
II am making a careful investi-
cation of each man in the bureau to
find out his qualifications" Maj.
Kelly said. When I took over COM
mand Of the department I didn't
know much about several of the
men assigned there in the last sew
eral years. But the men recently
promoted are good men"
Maj. Kelly explained the depart
n1ent recently had been cleaning
up some very good cases." and told
Of steps he had taken to establish
. stronger bond Of cooperation with
police departments in other juris-
dictions.
"Since I've taken over" he de-
elared, Il have established the policy
that the humblest constable from
any small community shall be giver
100 per cent cooperation.
Traffic Training Ordered.
Maj. Kelly also told of program
he had developed for giving police
men special training in traffic con.
troll as well as their other official DO.
lice duties. The latter part of thi.
month. probably November 25, hi
said, the Washington Police Acad
emy would open and eventually
every man on the force would b,
required to attend it for q month
training.
without pinning any bouquet
on myself" he concluded, "the Polio,
Department since August IS ha
been running along smoothly ant
efficiently"
The committee returned to sub
committee for further hearings ,
bill authorizing the Alley Dwelling
Authority to borrow money from
public or private sources to carry OF
its slum clearance program ant
other activities.
Mai. Shonohon Named
Attqche at London
Mai. Paul E. Shanahan was as