Evening star., 1943-03-02
Prompt House
Action Pledged
On Po|icePay
Burton Measure
Passed in Senote
BY Close Roll Call


Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee today promised
prompt action on pay increases for
policemen, f1remen and school
teachers, which passed the Senate
late yesterday.
BY fairly close roll call votes the
Senate adopted the rates advocated
by Senator Burton, Republican, of
Ohio in his minority report in place
OF the more liberal increases in the
McCarran bills, recommended by
the committee.
The Burton proposal for police
men and firemen, which carried. 40
to 81, provides an increase in the
entrance pay from 1900 to $4,000,
an increase of $40 each year for
five years instead of the present
boost OF 500 a year; privates with
flve years of service get Immediately
$500 increase from $2,4O0 to s2,70O,
and officers up to and including
captains get $500 increase.
Boost for Teachers.
The ,3urton plan for teachers,
which went through, 38 to "a, gives
the teachers a fiat 10 per cent on
that part of salary not in excess
OF $4,000, the same as was given in
December to other civilian EMPLOYEES
whose hours cannot be counted for
overtime.
Both bills date back to December
1, 1912, but the teachers increase
would run only until April 80, while
the police-f1re raises would con-
tinue until the end of the war.
During three hours of debate
Senator McCarran pleaded for
adoption of the committee bills.
which would have given a fiat in
crease of $3.50 year to all police
men, f1remen and teachers during
the war period. There was no op-
position in the Senate to final pas
sage of some increase for the three
groups, who were not covered by the
general pay legislation of December.
The roll call votes represented only
the division of opinion as between
the Burton and McCarran rates.
Points to Living Costs.
Senator McCarran argued the
larger increases were justified by a
higher level of living costs in Wash
tngton than in comparable cities.
Senator Burton had the Commits
sionerS on his side. In a letter
dated February they expressed a
preference for the substitute rates,
finally adopted. The Ohio Senator
took the position the McCarran
rates would be out of line with what
Congress has done in the case of
Federal personnel and other civilian
employees of the District in the gen.
eral pay law, which expires April 80.
Representative Randolph said to-
day he would call a meeting of the
House committee this week to con-
slider the Senate's action. The
committee will decide then whether
hearings are necessary. Although
Chairman Randolph will urge
prompt action, it is understood he
has made no commitments as be-
tween the Burton and MeCarran
rates.
The teachers bill is limited to
April 80, on the theory that further
study will be given more compre-
hensive pay plan for them, as Is
now being done by the Civil Service
Committees for Government work
ers generally.
Raps Commissioners.
During yesterdays debate Senator
McCarran criticized the Commits
sioners sharply for their position on
the police-f1re pay bills. He said
that last year they opposed the pay
rates which they are now indorsing
in the Burton substitute. At an
other point in the debate Senator
McCarran asserted that "the Dis
trict Commissioners will be opposed
to every proposal for an increase
that comes here from men who toll,
but they will not oppose a raise in
their own setup, and mark my words
as to that"
Those who pound the sidewalks
and 60 out to answer calls in the
Fire Department they will oppose"
Senator McCarran continued, "but
they will not oppose anything that
augments. their own power Power
Is funny thing, and it is just as
funny in the District of Columbia
as elsewhere.
Senator Burton, supported by
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia, contended, however, that the
police-fire measure adopted yester-
day presented different picture
from the situation when the Com
missioners opposed it last year.
A year ago, Senator Burton ar
gued. the same rates of increase for
policemen and flremen were pro-
posed at time when raises were
not in sight for any other munich
pal employees. District officials at
that time did not want two groups
of municipal employees singled out
for increases, Senator Burton said
Since then, he said. all other mu-
nicipal employees have had an in
crease. He also pointed out this
bill is limited to the war, whereas
last years bill would have been
permanent legislation.
Senator McCarran insisted the
greatest need for an increase for
policemen, firemen and teachers ex-
lists in the lower brackets, and that
his $3.50 increase would give the
low brackets higher percentage
of raise. He cited the vacancies
existing in the Police Department
to show how men are being attract