Evening star., 1942-01-26


uncounted billions asked by the
President for the prosecution of the
war. 1t wildly applauded the Roose-
velt and Churchill speeches. 1t has
given the President all the personal
power he asked. And much fervent
oratory has come from Senators
and Representatives personally
stressing the necessity of sacrifices
upon the part of the people. But,
have they themselves set an example
in this business of sacrifice? Have
they given any evidence Of willing
ness to relinquish any personal per-
quisites in the national interest?
Extra Clerk Hire Criticized.
Let the record answer the ques-
tions. On December IL the Senate,
by a vote OF So to 80, inserted in an
appropriation bill provision giving
each Senator an additional s4,500-a-
year clerk. This was done despite
pleas of various Senators that 1t was
shameless and inexcusable thing
to do at this time and under these
circumstances. The House, SEEM
inely more self-respecting on this
proposal, needed the protest and
refused to concur, thus killing this
sneaky little scheme.
On January 10, the Senate, by a
vote of AZ to "a, passed bill already
passed by the House, extending the
benefits of the Federal civil service
retirement system to all members
Of Congress. 1t is, of course, un-
precedented. Persons elected to
Federal Office have never been re-
garded as entitled to retirement
benefits Heretofore, they have ap-
piled solely to appointed jobholders
and the primary purpose was to
provide some sort of pension for the
small Federal clerks whose pay is
poor and who reach the age of TO
after long service.
For members of Congress now to
legislate themselves into the retire
ment system is a piece Of unadul-
terated selfishness. 1t was done
over strong protests from Senator
Byrd of Virginia, Senator Norris of
! Nebraska and others who pointed
out that this, in effect. was an act
by the Senate to pension Senators:
that it would be bad at any time,
but with the Nation at war and
the whole Federal credit system un-
der terrific strain, it is an indefensi-
BILE action.
"a Are Overridden.
Nevertheless it was taken. The
"a protesting Senators were over
ridden by the majority and unless
the President vetoes the bill. which
is not likely, members of Congress
are in" OF course, it is small stuff,
but it leaves very bad taste in the
mouth, particularly, when 1t is noted
that in the majority that voted for
the additional clerk as well as for
the pension proposal, were the Sem
ators who over the radio and on
the Senate floor are most passion
ately patriotic, belligerent and in
sistent upon the necessity of sacri-
flee.
To these two purely selfish acts
must be coupled the larger facts
that in the face of unmistakable in
f1ation perils Congress has fiddled
and fooled with the vital price-con-
troll law for six months, that it has
weakly and wickedly yielded to
pressure from the farm lobby; that
it utterly lacked the force to enact
anti-strike legislation; that it era
venly lodged the wage regulation is
sue; that the House recently passed,
under lobby pressure, two fantas-
tically extravagant veteran pension
proposals and a Senate committee
is now considering them.
| When all this is added up 1t makes