Evening star., 1941-05-20
Bill 10 Stagger
Pay Days Put
Before House
Senators to Hold
Hearing Following
Report on Poll

A companion bill to the Senate
for staggering the pay DAYS
of Government employees was intro
duced in the House today by Rep
resentative Hebert, Democrat, OF
Louisiana.
Consideration of the bill by a
Senate subcommittee awaits the re-
suits of poll taken by the District
Commissioners of four representa-
tive Washington groups,
Representative Hebert and Senator
Capper, Republican, of Kansas, who
introduced the bill in the Senate
last week, both emphasized that the
form the legislation would finally
take was still tentative and would
be threshed out in committee.
The bill in its present form would
provide four paydays a month with
half the Federal pay roll distributed
on the first and fifteenth of the
month and the other half on the
seventh and twenty-seCond.
Treasury Department and Budget
Bureau officials, however, are also
a procedure under which
Monday to Friday of each week
would be pay day for certain units
with the individual worker being
paid every two weeks instead Of on
the first and the fifteenth.
Merchants Favor Spread.
Most Washington businessmen
favor spreading the pay days over
the month. They maintain that if
the four pay day plan we're put in
effect, it would simply double the
number of business peaks, resulting
in twice as much overtime for en-
ployes. BY leveling out the present
pay day rushes. over perhaps 20
days. business leaders believe service
to Government employees might be
absorbed by regular workers
Treasury officials have said that
at the present time on each pay day
approximately 80 or 40 employees are
required to handle distribution. To
spread the work over the month
would permit it to be handled by
fewer persons. they point out.
Senator Capper and Representa-
tive Hebert agreed that the 20 psv
day a month plan had merit and
would be considered in discussion Of
systems to level out the spending
peaks.
Senator Capper's bill was referred
to the District Commissioners who
have asked Corporation Counsel
Richmond B. Keech TO solicit the
views of merchants and other resi-
dents
Mr.. Keech said he had written to
ask the opinions of the Washington
Board of Trade. the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association. the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations and
the Federation of Civic Associations.
Hearings Will Be Held.
The Commissioners. Mr.. Keech
declared. would be inclined to do
anything that would relieve acute
traffic congestion on pay days as
we'll as take the pressure off busi-
ness firms called on to cash noun
tains of Government checks each
pay day.
Senator Capper, intent on get
ting the legislation through this ses-
sion Of Congress. said the subcom-
mittee Of the Senate District Com
mittee considering the bill would
hold hearings as soon as a report
comes from the Commissioners. On
,Y-I,i inl7 ar,,s
Capper heads. are Senator Bllbo.
Democrat. of Mississippi and Sena-
tor Hughes. Democrat. of Delaware.
When the hearings start. Senator
Capper said. the subcommittee Will
invite suggestions from Everybody
who has an idea" Treasury De-
partment officials also will be called
on to outline what changes in tie
procedure would be necessary under
a staggered pay plan
While the interest Of Government
employees comes first, the Kansas
legislator said, the subcommittee
also wants to work out a plan that
would be helpful to Washington
businessmen.
Bankers See Capper.
Senator Capper already has been
visited by delegation OF WASH
ington bankers and said that in AL
his discussion of the bill so far he
had not heard a single unfavorable
comment.
Representative Hebert said he
would favor any plan to eliminate
the bulges and depressions in bus;
ness.
The bill I am introducing" 4
SAID, rs at least a tangible plan. 49,
better one may be developed late
but in the ultimate what we want =.
to stagger the salaries in a way tn
would be of the greatest benefit 10
the city as a whole"
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee. to which the
Hebert bill will be referred. expressed
belief that spreading of Govern
ment pay days here should result
in healthy and wholesome infu-
ence on the business of the CITY"
He emphasized, however. that off,
clals of the Treasury Department
should be contacted to determine if
the plan would interrupt or aid their
work during the present emergency.
If Treasury officials feel it will
facilitate their work" Mr.. Randolph
said, Il think the proposal should
y