Evening star., 1944-12-14
Only s., 900 Rise Seen
In Presidents Pay Bill
Taxes Cut Deeply Into Salary;
Deserves More, Says Writer
By David Laurence

y
Deserves More, Says Writer
By David Lawrencs
A bill to increase the salary Of the
President. of the United States from
$4,000 to 100000 year has been in
troduced by Representative vinson.
Democrat, Of Georgia, but actually it
Is bill to increase the Presidents
salary by only about 5000 q year.
This computation results from the
fact that out Of the present salary OF
$4,000 the President has left after
Federal income taxes about $27, 900,
and II his compensation Is raised ne
would net after Federal taxes only
5000 out Of the S25, 900 salary raise.
Unless the vinson bill is passed be-
fore January 20, when the next presi-
Dental term begins, 1t cannot possibly
affect Mr.. Roosevelt's salary. For the
Constitution says that the Presidents
salary cannot be increased or dimin-
ished during the term for which he is
elected.
17-Day Time Limit.
A new Congress will come into Office
next January and for a period of II
days there will be ap opportunity to
pass the legislation before the consti-
tuttonal limit takes effect. Represent
ative Vinson is confident he can get the
measure before both Houses before
January 20, for, while there will be an
increased number of Democrats in the
new Congress, the measure is really a
nonpartisan matter because 1t affects
all future Presidents irrespective of
party.
The basic question is whether
President of the United States, who has
the biggest job in the world nowadays,
should be paid at least 500, 100 . year,
out OF which he must pay Federal as
well as State income taxes amounting
to nearly three-fourths of that sum.
Many a business executive gets
salary OF 100000 and some OF them
get compensation running up to s3ooC0O
or 100000 year. Others receive siz-
able bonuses in addition to salaries
from their companies, and this is gladly
paid by most companies because the
stockholders recognize that the man at
the top is usually the directing genius
OF the enterprise and his long years of
past service are rewarded by the salary
he gets on reaching a Presidents posi-
ton. Many motion picture stars re-
ceive salaries way over the 100000
mark.
The real reason for increasing the
salary of the President of the United
States, however, is to rid him of all
financial worries while he is in public
ONCE. While it is true that the Gov
eminent pays all household expenses as
well as travelling expenses, entirely
apart from the present salary of SIS, 900.
1t is also true that virtually all the ex-
penditures are made for public purposes
Notwithstanding their appearance of
personal disbursements.
Demands on Salary.
1t is Of the utmost Importance that
America shall not be confined to a
group of rich men in the choice of a
President 1t would be a fatal turn in
public affairs If the unfortunate situa-
tion that confronted President Ulysses
Grant should be repeated and that any
future President should be forced to
borrow to pay debts while in ofIice.
The tax laws are high at present but
may not always be. Mr.. Roosevelt has
fet that in wartime salaries netting
$25,00o after taxes were adequate and
he doesn't object to the fact that his
own salary is taxed the same as any
corporation or union president. But
when taxes come down some day. the
President should have the benefit of
that reduction, and 1t will amount to
more If the raise is now granted.
Mr.. Roosevelt is known to have a
private income and ones guess is that
he spends goodly portion Of 1t for
public purposes or for items that he
would never have to meet If he were not
President of the United States The
fact that he has been spending out of
his own private income while in the
White House indicates clearly that
probably no President can get along
with $4,000 salary and meet the nu-
merous demands on him unless he is a
rich man before he is elected and has
accumulated a big capital sum.
Mr.. Vinson probably will add to his
bill an amendment providing a retire
ment salary Of ut least $4,000 a year
for ex-Presidents. This Is legislation
that has long been overdue.
tReproduetion RiEhts Reserved1