Evening star., 1943-04-05
HousePasses
New Federal
Pay Raise Bill
Measure Continues
Wartime Increases
Until June, 1945
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The House this afternoon
passed and sent to the Senate the
bill continuing, with slight
changes, the temporary wartime
pay increases for Government
employees until June 80, l945.
The roll call was 224 to 1O7. Ac.
ton was obtained on a motion b.
Chairman Ramspeck of the Civi
Service Committee to suspend the
rules, which required a two thirds
vote.
A preliminary standing vote failed
to muster the required margin, but
after the roll had been called
Speaker Rayburn announced the re.
quired two-thirds had voted in the
affirmative.
For approximately 100000 en-
| ployes whose work week can be
measured on an hourly basis, the
| bill continues after April 30 the
2l.6 per cent increase they have
been getting since December for a
20 per cent longer week.
Sets $1,000 as Basis.
For those whose time cannot be
measured in hours-chieflv in the
legislative and judicial branches
the new bill grants fat Is per
cent increase, instead of 10 per cent
these employees have been getting
under the temporary law.
Under the House bill all increases
whether OF
age-Would be figured only on the
! first $4,000 OF salary. The House
! Dill also retains the clause in the
temporary act preventing any in
crease that would run a salary
above $4,000. Thus person getting
$4,000 a wear before last December
| could get an increase of not more
than 5000
II the December law had con-
| tinued unchanged for a year the
cost would have been 1858 900 600
| Chairman Ramspeck estimated the
slight changes made today add only
S4,000.000 to that total.
Senate to Consider Changes.
| When the bill reaches the Senate
later this week, however. Two fur
ther changes will be considered. One
provides that employees in the low
| brackets shall receive a minimum
! increase Of $500, year in cases
where the percentage increases
would not equal that amount. An
other would eliminate the $4,000
ceiling, so that supervisory officials
could get some increase. but COM
puted only on the first $4,000 of
! salary.
A roll-call vote on the measure
was forced by combination of
| Democrats and Republicans who
objected to suspending the rules tc
expedite its passage. The prelimi-
nary standing vote was 1873 to 92
but this was less than tWo-thirds in
the affirmative and the record vote
was ordered
Mr.. Ramspeck told the House that
some of the members who spoke
/ against this bill voted two weeks ago
to give postal employees IS per cent
raise.
| Mr.. Ramspeck explained that
while the bill refers to time -and-a-
half for work above 40 hours. the
extra pay for the additional eight
hours now being worked is COM
puted on the basis of a 36O-day in
stead of 26oday work year.
keefe Voices Opposition.
In reality, therefore. the bill
merely provides a little more than
straight time for overtime. 1t means,
he said. that employees in most de-
partments will continue after April
80 to get Zig per cent increase
for 20 per cent more work.
Representative Keefe. Republican
OF Wisconsin took leading part in
objecting to suspension of the rules
He said he was not opposed to proper
increases for Federal employees, but
was against procedure that pre-
vented the House from offering
amendments. He said the Civil
Service Committee could have OBJ
tanned special rule in the regular
way in less than week.
Representative Cox. Democrat. Of
Georgia agreed with Mr. Keefe
Representative Tarver. Democrat
OF Georgia opposed the bill as vel
as the procedure, and said he was
proud he was one of four House
members who voted against the
+ postal pay increase.
Representative WEIGH. Republican
OF California came to the defense OF
the measure, pointing out that more
than Al per cent of all Government
workers get less than $500. while
more than 81 per cent are below the
$4,000 level. and pay 10 per cent OF
! that in income taxes.
Pim|ico Meet E,