Evening star., 1943-02-06
Roosevelt Wins
Delay in Attack
0nPayCei|ing
Objects to Rider on
National Debt Limit
Increase Measure

The House Ways and Means
Committee today delayed action
for a week on a proposal to null
lily President Roosevelt's $25, 900
net limitation on individual
earned income, after the Chief
Executive asked an opportunity
to submit his views.
The President expressed hope that
Congress would not amend pend
ing measure to boost the statutory
debt limit from $l25 900 600, 900 to
$40 900 ,OO0, 900.
The plan to nullify the salary or
der had been advanced as a pro-
posed rider to the debt limit bill.
In a letter to Chairman Doughton
the President wrote:
"You have written me that there
is a proposal before the Ways and
Means Committee to amend the
public debt bill by adding a pro-
vision which in effect would nullify
the executive order issued by me
under the act of October 2, 1912.
limiting salaries to $4,000 net after
taxes. You ask whether I care to
submit any views with reference to
this proposal.
1T Is my earnest hope that the
public debt bill can be passed with
out the addition of amendments not
related to the subject matter of the
bill. I believe it is OF Importance
that this should be done. However,
should the committee think other
wise. I will later, in response to
your invitation, submit my views
as to the merits of the proposal"
Representative Gearhart, Repub-
lican, of California. one of the lead
ers In the fight to wipe out the ex-
ecutive order. said after today's brief
executive session that Were closer
together than ever before"
Representative Disney, Democrat
Of Oklahoma. described the drive
against the limitation as "a revolt
against government by directive. .
The entire Republican side Of the
committee was aligned behind the
move. Mr.. Disney and Represen-
tahve QeArhart, Republican, of
California. predicted sl{ncient addi-
ti0nal Democratic votes could be
musterod III the 25-member COM
mittee to write an outright repealer
intO the measure which would raise
the national public debt ceiling
from l$l25, ,00o, ,000, 900 to $2l0, ,000, 900, :
600.
Should the rider be attached, Mr..
Roosevelt would then have to choose
between abrogation of the salary
limitation or veto Of the new debt
authorization.
At q caucus Of Republican COM
mittee members yesterday in prepa-
ration for the showdown, Mr.. Gear
hart reported that Colin F. STAN,
chief Of the Joint Congressional
Stan on Internal Revenue, had told
him the Treasury would lose $11O,-
600 600 annually tn taxes If the
salary ceiling remained effective.
Called Un-American.
Mr.. Gearhart charged that the
President had disregarded the in
tent of Congress in ordering the
salary limitation, emphasizing that
the legislative body specifically re-
jected last year a proposal to put a
$25 900 ceiling on wartime salaries.
This thing is un-American," he
declared. 1T is culled from the
Communist party platform of 1928
and flies In the face of American
enterprise. It is an affront to
Congress"
The Californian introduced a bill
to repeal the language in the anti
imitation law, enacted last October
on which he said Mr.. Roosevelt
based authority for the salary order
This reads: The President may
''' adjust wages or salaries to
the extent he finds necessary in
any cause to correct gross in
equities and also aid in the effective
prosecution of the war;
Mr.. Gearhart's repeater proposal
stymied Ways and Means Commit
tee action on the debt limit legis-
lation last week. 1t was understood
that at that time Mr.. Doughton
moved for postponement of action
when 1t appeared the repeater, with
all Republicans and some Demo-
Gratis for 1t, would carry.