Evening star., 1942-12-11
President Urges
Quick Action on
Overtime Pay
Tells Congress He
Wants Control If
They Delay
STORY on Poge A-D
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.

~ AkoAtANEns
President Roosevelt suggested
today that Congress give him
temporary authority to deal
with problems of wage and SAL
ary rates, hours of work and
overtime compensation" for Gov
ernment workers unless Congress
is able to solve those problems
itself within the next few
days"
Mr., Roosevelt made public at his
press conference letters to Vice
President Wallace and Speaker Ray
burn, declaring that the Govern
ment has permitted pay and over
time conditions to develop that are
grossly unfair"
At the same time he announced
appointment of special committee
of three to work out a uniform
Nationwide policy to govern re-
quests for occupational draft de-
ferments Of Federal employees.
Personnel of Committee.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the committee.
consisting of Paul Bellamy, Cleveland
editor, as chairman, and Ordway
Tead, member of the New York City
Board of Higher Education, and Eric
Johnston, president of the United
States Chamber of Commerce, should
be able to complete its work within
month or SO.
The problem of pay and overtime
for Federal workers, the President
told his press conference. has been
kicking around Congress for a long
time without anything having been
done about it.
Wednesday the Senate Civil Serv-
ice Committee pigeonholed a meas
ure to grant 20 per cent pay in
crease to Federal employees making
S2.l00 or less year, with a Is per
cent raise for those making between
S2l00 and $4,000. 1t would have
set up a fiat 48-hour Government
work week.
AS substitute for the pay-raise
proposal the committee agreed to
support legislation to pay time and
one-half to employees working more
than 40 hours a week. but Chair
man BuloW expressed doubt the
measure could be passed before Con-
gress adiourns,
Proposed Third Extension.
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
| ginia then said he would offer a
resolution for a third temporary
extension of the legislation which
expired November 80.
After hearing Mr.. Roosevelts let
ter, congressional leaders, declining
to be quoted, said they doubted If
any legislation other than some
thing like the Byrd proposal could
be pushed through.
The President said his letter to the
House and Senate presiding officers
asked that something be done about
1t, although he is not sure that even
this Will get action. In any event,
he added, the executive branch has
done the best it could to correct
| inJustices and action now is up to
Congress.
He asserted in his letter that the
grossly unfair conditions consti-
tute "one of the major causes of
needlessly high personnel turnover"
IN Government service, and are
impeding the successful prosecution
of the war effort
Il realize that the enactment OF
an adequate solution to the problem
presents difficulties" the President
wrote. Il am not welded to any
particular formula for it's solution.
Declares Problem is Urgent.
But I feel the problem is so
urgent that unless the Congress is
able to arrive at solution within
the next few days, legislation should
be enacted that would delegate to
the Chief Executive authority to
deal with problems of wage, and
salary rates, hours of work. and
(See ROOSEVELT IT pace oYl