Evening star., 1943-03-02
Federal War Paw
Bill May Go 10
Senate Friday
Hearing on liberoIized
Measure Completed
By Subcommittee
BY ]. A. FOX.

BY ]. A. FOX.
The Senate Civil Service Com
mittee will seek to report out the
liberalized war pay bill for Fed
eral employees Friday, Senator
Mead, Democrat, of New York,
acting chairman. said today, as
a subcommittee completed hear
ings on a measure to raise both
overtime rates and the fiat in
crease provided in the temporary
law for employees whose work
does not lend itself to an over
time schedule.
Senator Mead said he was not cer-
tain if the bill would retain its pres
ent form, which increases the over
time rates from 2l6 to 30 per cent
for 48-hour week in Federal and
District classified service, and makes
the fiat increase in judicial and
legislative services Is per cent in
stead of 10. 1t will, however.
square" with these principles, he
explained.
Union Leaders Testify.
The subcommittee completed It's
work after hearing several repre-
sentatives of Government employe
unions indorse the principles of the
measure, but urge liberalization over
that contemplated.
The House Civil Service Commit
tee has a similar measure under con-
sideration to replace the temporary
law expiring April 30.
Elimination of the war -pay legis-
lation provision basing overtime on
the first $1,000 Of an individuals
salary and raising the level perhaps
as high as IS 1000, was urged today by
Luther C.. Steward, president of the
National Federation Of Federal EN-
ployes.
Another witness, Charles I. Stem
gle, legislative representative of the
American Federation of Federal
Employees, who said his views re-
flected those Of William Green, pres
ident Of the American Federation of
Labor. declared that Government
base pay should be raised.
Steel Case Fermula Cited.
he pointed out tl1at the little
sttei" formula permits \ Is per cent
raise above the level Of January,
1941. in Industrial pay rates, and
that overtime is payable G. that
basis. The same treatment should
be accorded Federal workers, he
added.
Mr.. Stengle was particularly crit
ical Of the pay Of little stenog-
raphers."
Imagine expecting any one to live
decently on $1.400," he said.
Mr.. Steward, who had said that
the overtime base should be raised
to give employees in key positions"
equality with workers in private in
dustry, also favored a change in
salary schedules which have been the
same since the Classification Act
was adopted in 1923, but he said this
revision should not be undertaken
now-that the need was for immedi-
ate action on war pay.
Senator Burton, Republican, of
Ohio asked the witnesses what they
thought OF substituting a bonus,
such as was paid in the First World
War, instead of the overtime.
Veto of Bonus Held Likely.
Mr.. Steward said that would have
been all right had it been done at
first, but now, it would call for too
radical changes.
Mr.. Stengle said the President op-
poses a bonus "and If he's opposed
to a bonus he'll veto a bonus"
Arthur C. Stein, assistant secre-
tary OF the CIO United Federal
Workers, another witness, told Sen
ator Burton he believed such a
change now would produce chaos. ;"
Mr.. Stein said that the new legis-
lation should attempt to bring about
some uniformity in the various agen-
cies on compensating employees for
work over 48 hours-pow the stand
ard week.
Policies differ, both as to paying
cash and giving compensatory time
off for such extra work, he added.
Edgar G. Brown, president of the
United Government Employees. a
colored group. urged establishment
OF $500 minimum pay for custo-
dial employees. The minimum now is
$1,000.
He repeated the recommendation
made at a House pay hearing last
week that unions which discriminate
against the Negro race be denied the
benefits of the legislation.
Arrests Of Women Cited.
In the course OF his testimony Mr.,
Brown charged that several colored
girls employed at the Pentagon
Building recently were arrested and
held In Jail all night in Virginia for
taking seats in the front of bus,
in violation of the race segregation
law. All the seats in the rear were
filed at the time, he added.
Senator LANCER, Republican. of
North Dakota asked If he had re-
ported the matter to the Justice
Department. and when the witness
said he had been unable to get salts
faction there, Senator LANCER told
him to see Victor w. Rotnem of the
civil rights. section of the depart
ment, and let him know what de-
veloped. Senator Mead also said he
wanted a report on the matter.