Evening star., 1942-05-24
Conferees Vote
.S42aMonthP PAY
For Servicemen
Rankin Plans Fight to
Restore $50 Figure
Approved by House
By ]. A. OIEARY.

Senate and House conferees
agreed yesterday on s42-a-
month minimum pay for men
entering the armed services, re-
jecting proposals to set the fig
ure at $50.
There were immediate indications
that there will be a fight in the
House to restore the higher figure.
Representative Rankin, Democrat.
of Mississippi, author of the $50
proposal, served notice he will insist
on his amendment. and believes it
would be sustained if the Senate had
a chance to vote on it.
The s42 level applies only to buck
privates and apprentice seamen who
now receive s2l month.
Although both branches must act
on the conference report before the
bill goes to the President, the real
test will come in the House, which
will act first, probably Tuesday or
Wednesday. If advocates of the $50
minimum fail to persuade the House
to reject the conference agreement,
the Senate, already on record for
the $42 rate, may be expected to
ratify the agreement without a con-
test.
Even if the House turns the agree
ment down, the Senate could send
the issue back to conference for
further study without voting directly
on the $50 proposal.
Rankin Cites House Vote.
Representative Rankin said his
amendment passed the House by a
majority of 332 to %, or more than
II to one, and believe it would pass
the Senate by a proportionate ma
jority. I doubt if there would be
a vote against it in the Senate. and
1 am sure the American people
would approve it unanimously.
so far as any allotments to be
provided in future legislation are
concerned, that is entirely a sep
arate matter, as is the proposition OF
war risk insurance. Neither one of
them could possibly be a proper
substitute for this raise in pay to
which the men in the service are en-
titled"
The pay bill also still provides
Tor 20 per cent increase for mill
tary service outside the continental
United States.
In accepting the S42 pay level, the
conferees are understood to have
considered the fact that in a separ-
ate bill to authorize family allow
ances to men with dependents a
Senate subcommittee has recon-
mended that the Government paw
half of the s6.37 monthly premium
on a $4,000 war risk insurance
policy. This would be equivalent to
adding approximately So more to
the service mans pay.
Bill Awaits Action Tuesday.
The revised family allowance bill,
of which this war risk insurance is
one feature, is awaiting action by
the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee at special meeting Tuesday
morning.
For first class privates and second
class seamen the conferees also
agreed yesterday on the Senate
increase from s36 to s4S, instead of
the House rate of s54.
The House and Senate already
were in agreement on the increases
for other levels up to master SER
geant and petty officer, as follows:
Corporal and first class seaman,
from $54 to $66 month.
Sergeant and third class petty
officer, $50 to S78.
Staff Sergeant and petty officer,
second class, from $72 to S96.
First, or technical sergeant, and
petty officer first class, from s84
to STA.
Acting chief petty officer in the
Navy or Coast Guard. 500 to s126.
(See SOLDIER PAY, Page A-sJ