Evening star., 1943-03-13
Salary Top Repeater
Swept Into Senate as
Debt Limit Rider
Mild Fight Expected
In Upper House on
Challenge to President
By The Associated Press

sition to what some legislator
termed government by decree
today swept into the Senate
measure which nullifies Presi
dent Roosevelt'S $25, ,000- after
taxes limitation on salaries an
fatty challenges the administra
tlon's executive authority.
The repeater" rode from tn
House as a rider to administration
sponsored legislation to boost tn
national debt limit to $4,000 900,
010-a step Of pressing importanc
because mounting war expenses ar
pushing the Governments borrow
ing authority close to its statutor,
top.
But the debt limit played secon,
fiddle to the salary ceiling in tn
two days of House debate-hottes
OF the Seventh eighth Congress
which saw the combination bill
finally passed Yesterday by roll cal
vote announced as 268 to 13l.
Mild Senate Fight Seen.
Immediate Senate reaction indi
Gated little more than mild fgh
in contrast to the long House con
troversy. Some observers saw bet
ter than $3.50 chance that tn.
measure-rider and all-would re-
ceive quick approval
The rider, in nullifying the Presi
dents order. would set up a min
imum" salary ceiling plan of it
own. Drafted by Representative,
Disney, Democrat. of Oklahoma ane
described by him as a step on tht
part Of Congress to halt govern
ment by decree" it would:
Prevent placing ceiling on sala
ries in excess of $25 900, after taxes
at any level below those of Decem.
ber 7, 194l, the date of the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, and,
Permit salaries below the s25, 900
after taxes, level on that date tt
rise to that figure before they coulc
oe pegged.
Thus. an executive who was earn.
ing Sl50,000 in salary annually al
the time of the Pearl Harbor attack
would be permitted to receive tha,
amount yearly now.
And, one who was being paid
$4,000 annually on that date could
be raised up to SGT ,200-or s25, ,00O
after taxes-before his earned in
come could be pegged.
Backs Rider "In Principle"
Chairman George of the Senate
Finance Committee which has
charge of the legislation now, said
that it would be returned to COM
mittee for consideration of the Dis
ney rider, with which, he declared,
he agreed "in principle"
Undoubtedly" he added, there
Is no authority anywhere in law Tor
limitation of salaries on a guam
tative basis"
Senator Radcliffe, Democrat, of
Maryland expressed belief that there
was mo sentiment in the Senate
Finance Committee" for the $25,00O
limitation, while Senator Walsh
Democrat, of Massachusetts said he
was convinced that the House action
would be upheld.
The coalition which carried the
rider through the House was made
up chiefly of the Republican minor
:ty, with a strong following from the
Democratic side of the aisle,
The House action leaves un-
changed the other general wartime
wage controls.
Counter Proposals.
The greater part Of the discussion
centered around counter proposals
by Representatives Smith, Demo
crat, of Virginia; Wolcott, Republi.
can, of Michigan, and Gearhart, Re-
publican. Of California and an at.
tempt by Representative Cooper
Democrat, Of Tennessee to eliminate
the Disney rider altogether.
Mr.. Smiths proposal was similar
to that of Mr.. Disneys, but it woulc
nave pegged salaries under as vel
as over S25,000 net at prewar levels
1t was defeated by a standing vote
Of 173 to so,
Mr.. Gearhart's proposition woulc
have empowered the President tt
peg salaries at their level on any
date between January /, 1912, ane
September Is. 1912. 1t was rejected
100 to l26. A similar proposal by
Mr.. Wolcott was turned down, 49,
to l46.
The real test came on Mr.. Coop
We icL 81 {
to l45. He had argued that it wa;
unfair to the President to encum.
ber the debt limit measure with tht
salary limitation on the ground tha
It would force the Chief Executive
to veto the whole measure to ge
at that provision.
Note of Caution Sounded.
Majority Leader Mccormack like
wise cautioned against jeopardizin,
enactment of the debt limit bill-"al
important war measure "-Whil
other opponents argued that it woult
raise the Senate blood pressure
and result in delays while the deb
limit was approaching its presen
legal limit Of S125 900 100000.
Mr. Mccormack took issue Will
Representative Otter, Republican
Of Pennsylvania. who had declare,
that the S25000 limitation was com
munistic' and reminded the Repub
licans that their 1912 party platform
had carried a recommendation tha
the President be given power in tim
OF war 10 stabilize the prices O
services"
Supporters Of the Disney rider
however. shouted that the President
order was unauthorized by Law
called it American. main
tanned II violated the intent Of Con
gress and, answering protests tha
i would create new wartime mil
lonaires,' said that nothing shoul
be done to curb American initiative