Evening star., 1943-04-10
Pay Bill Accord
By Conferees
Seen Next Week
Senote, in Completing
Action, Grants $500
Hike in Low Brackets
BY J. A. OLEARY,

Final agreement probably will be
reached next week between House
and Senate conferees on the war;
time increases to be paid Federal
sro District employees after April
80.
The House today sent the bill to
conference with the Senate on the
Senate amendment. Speaker Ray
burn named as House conferees
Chairman Ramspeck of the Civil
Service Committee. Representatives
Randolph of West Virginia and Nc
MILAN of South Carolina, all Demo-
Gratis, and Rees of Kansas and Kill
burn of New York, both Republicans.
Both houses have approved con-
tinuation of the 2l.e per cent in
crease In per annum pay for a 48-
hour week. on an overtime basis,
out the Senate amended the bill
before passing 1t yesterday to deal
mere literally with those in the
low-salary brackets.
Major Senate changes, awaiting
settlement in conference, are: A fiat
5000 in cases where the 21.6 per
cent overtime raise would be less
than 5000 a year.
A fiat 5000 raise in place of the
present 10 per cent increase for
those whose work cannot be meas
ured by hours, principally in the
legislative and judicial establish
mentS.
Eliminates $1,000 Ceiling.
Elimination of the ban in exist
ing law against any raises above
$4,000, which the House voted to
retain. The Senate provisions would
allow increases in salaries above
$4,000, but with the percentage fig
ured only on the first $4,000 of pay.
The House bill merely continued
the PIG per cent increase for those
on an overtime basis, without any
lump sum minimum for the low
brackets. For those not subject
to overtime, the House allowed a
fiat Is per cent instead of the
present 10 per cent.
The House bill would run until
June 80, 1945. with power reserved
in Congress to terminate it earlier.
The Senate made June 30, 1914. the
termination date, on the theory Con-
gress could again extend it if the
war is still on.
The conferees also will have be-
fore them Senate committee
amendment to deny the benefits of
the bill to any Government worker
belonging to union that discrimi-
mates on grounds of race, color or
creed.
LANCER Amendment Defeated.
Senator LANCER, Republican. OF
North Dakota was defeated on a
motion to extend this ban to wage
board mechanics in navy yards who
are paid under separate legislation
Supporting the LANCER amend
ment, Senator Mead, Democrat, o1
New York said complaints were
brought to the Civil Service Com
mittee that men have been denied
membership because of color in q
union whose members are engaged
in navy yard work. Lack of mem
bership, he said, prevents them from
advancing. Senator Brooks, Re.
publican, of Illinois also supported
the amendment.
The LANCER proposal was opposed
by Senators Russell, Democrat, OF
Georgia, and Byrd, Democrat, o1
Virginia, who argued it meant max
ing labor unions, as private organ.
izations, subject to Government con-
troll
After the LANCER amendment was
declared lost Senator Russell movec
to strike out the original commit.
tee ban, but this move failed on g
standing vote. This left the com.
mittee ban in the bill, but without
the additional language that woulc
have applied it to the Navy Yarc
Wage Board workers.
Senator Mead emphasized dur.
ing debate on the bill that con.
tinuation of the 21.6 per cent raise
for a 48-hour week for most
per annum employees amounts te
AASoAS AASAC eAAoAA oO4 dA6l4U pay 1Ol
overtime, since it is accompanied
by 20 per cent longer work week
Late Friday move was startec
to put Government personnel or
the regular time and 8 half basi.
for' overtime, as required in private
industry, but it was abandoned yes.
terday. This would have been &C.
complished by using 260-day work
year instead of the present 360-day
year in computing the pay for worl
over 40 hours. and would have
meant a 80 per cent raise insteae
of 21.6 for 48 hours. Senator Meae
explained his original bill early ir
February provided for that for.
mula, but was rejected by ma.
jority of the Civil Service Commit.
tee.
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