Evening star., 1943-02-15
Salary Limit Rider

Salary Limit Rider
The fact that one-t third of the
Democratic members of the Ways
/ and Means Committee Joined with
Republicans in the vote to nullify
the Presidents $25 900 salary limita-
ton order lends substance to the
claim that sentiment in the House is
! strongly against questionable eXer-
else of executive power, even in time
| of war.
In promulgating the order placing
| presumably believed that he was
acting within the scope of authority
conferred on him by the Constitution
/ and congressional enactments. But
the source of this authority, at best,
Is vaguely defined Certainly, the
President never was specifically en-
powered to limit or reduce salaries,
and Congress repeatedly refused to
grant requests from the executive
branch for such legislation. In view
| of this background, the action Of the
Ways and Means Committee in ap-
proving the Disney rider to the bill
fixing a higher national debt limit
may be regarded as the first step in
move by Congress to resist what
many members regard as encroach-
ment by the President on the domain
Of the National Legislature.
The rider, proposed by Represent
atiVe Disney, Republican, of Okla
homa, also provides a limitation on
salaries, but one which is less drastic
than that set out in the Presidents
order Basically, the intent of the
Disney plan is to prevent increases
in salaries arising out of the war.
Under its provisions, salaries could
not be reduced below the level pre-
vailing on December 7, 1941, the date
OF the japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor. But, to reach war-infiated
salaries, it is also provided that, as
of October 2, 1912, the date of en-
actment of the second Price Control
Act, no salary may rise above S25 900
after Federal income taxes. Whether
this form of salary limita ton will be
looked upon with favor by the mem
berS OF the HouSe-and the Senate
remains to be seen. 1t is undoubt-
edly meritoriouS, however, in the
sense that it requires the sanction
OF Congress for the arbitrary limita-
ton OF a mans earning power. This
is something new in the United
States, where the tradition of un-
limited opportunity is strongly en-
trenched and where taxation has
long been regarded as the onlv
proper limitation on the amount
that a man may earn by his indi-
Vldual efforts. 1t may we'll be that
these traditional concepts should
give way to the unorthodox demands
OF total war, and at a time when
prices and wages are being limited
by law there are persuasive reasons,
psychological and otherwise. for q
similar limitation on salaries. But II
would be foolish not to recognize the
TACT that the esta blishment of such
limitation by act of Congress would
command degree of support
throughout the country which could
not be achieved in any other wav.
1here will be regret, and properly
SO, that congressional regulation is
being sought through the instru-
mentality of legislative rider. The
practlce OF seeking to attain even q
worthy objective by attaching q rider
to legislation of a wholly different
character is not desirable, for if
tends to deprive the members of
Congress Of the right of free VOTING
expression and often clearly nulli-
neS the Presidents right of veto. Tn
ChlS instance, however. the issue
was forced by executive action
WINCH in the opinion of many legis-
IatorS, was Of even more dubious
validity than the legislative rider
technique And, from present indj-
cations, the President probably will
llno himself faced with the alterna-
i've OF accepting the rider nullifyinp
ms salary order or yetoing a bill
necessary to legal increase in the
hdVIonal debt above the present
limit of $125, 900, 100000