Evening star., 1943-03-06
The Political NIT
success Predicted Tor Move to NulIifv
Pfssidsnts 81, 900 SeIory Limit Order

Try Limit Order
Afice that the measure would not
be 80 used.
Oppose Shsck1ing Of Earning.
Mr.. Disney has 40 framed his
present bill that the proposed law
places q ceiling ON salaries as Of
December 7, 1941-tfe date this
country was pushed into the war
by JapAnx Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Salaries after that date are not
permitted to be raised above the
$26 900 limit. This Ia done to
prevent new crop Of "war mil
lionaires'-As far as possible, to
prevent fi1en from growing rich
out Of the war.
Congress, by It's new tax laws
on personal incomes, has some A
long way toward preventing the
amassins Of huge fortunes out of
the war. The rates on personal
incomes In excess Of $500, 900 un-
der the 1942 Revenue Act are
fixed at SO per cent, and the S per
cent Victory tax brings a ceiling
OF 80 per cent. Congress also has
provided for reneeotiation of con-
tracts to prevent excessive cor
potate profits and, In turn, per-
sonal profits.
on any increases in salary since
December I, 1941, Is to last only
for the duration Of the war. Mr..
Disney and his supporters are op-
posed to the shAckline Of earning
powers. generally speaking. Ger
tainly they do not approve of SAL
ary limitation by executive order
and without the direct authority
of Congress, even In wartime.
Fear Extension.
The executive order, too, limits
salaries only for the duration Of
the war. But there are those who
believe that the New Dealers,
having once gotten such an order
imposed, will seek to continue it
Indefinitely. They see = lot Of
politics in the present move of the
administration, an appeal for
support to the C1O, which de-
clared for the 338,00o limitation
long before the President put 1t
into effect, and to other radicals.
The executive order made no
effort to cut wages. The only cut
ordered WAS In salaries which
netted 935. 900 after the payment
of taxes. Opponents of the pfin-
ciple argue that If the President
can limit salaries today to 425,-
900, he can, If there Is sufficient
pressure, limit them tomorrow to
$l5,oO00 or 10000 or even less.
The great mass Of members OF
Congress who are determined to
annul this executive order do not
have salaries Of 926 900 net, or
even salaries approaching that
figure. They are not posing "a
supporters Of the wealthy and the
high salaried. But they are
strenuously opposed to arbitrary
leveling processes.
Resent Usufpstisn.
Further, they resent strongly
what they call usurpAtion Of pow
Or which Congress never Intended
to give the President. The Presi-
dent in . recent letter to Chair
man Douehton Of the ways and
Means Committee said Ne had
obtained an opinion on the law
from Attorney General Biddle be-
fore issuing the order-Ar opinion
upholding his power to make such
An order. But the members Of
Congress say they know better
than the Attorney General what
was the intent of Congress.
The administration Is seeking
in every way 1t can to prevent this
slap ut the President by Congress.
If the bill passes both Houses of
Congress. the President will still
have . chance to veto 1t. He may
do so, and take the chance Of hav-
ing Congress then put through a
separate measure increasing the
debt limit. Such a course, how
ever, would only tend to increase
the bitterness that already exists
between the Executive and Con-
RresS over domestic iss,,es.