Evening star., 1945-01-03
25% Pay Raise
SoughtAgainfor
A||U.5. Workers
House Receives Bill
Similar to Proposal
Offered Lost Session

A straight Is per cent permanent
pay raise for Federal and District
government employees was proposed
in one of nearly $50 bills dropped
into the legislative mill of the House
today as the new Congress opened.
The measure, introduced by Rep
resentative Clason, Republican, of
Massachusetts,, was similar to one
sponsored by him which died in the
old Congress.
1t faces continued opposition from
the Civil Service Commission, which
has termed the proposal ''unscien-
tiflc," since it calls for a fiat pay
boost instead of graded increases.
Mr.. Clason said he would press for
action on his bill regardless of op-
position.
Mr.. Clason also presented bills
to increase the maximum of accu-
mulated annual leave for Govern
ment workers from 90 to 120 days
and to change the basis for compu-
tation of overtime pay so as to make
the rate actually time and half
instead of one and one-eighth.
Bill for d. C. Bridges.
Meanwhile, bills to authorize the
District Commissioners to con-
struct twin bridges over the Po-
tomac to replace the old Highway
Bridge, one of the District contro-
versies left over from the Seventy
eighth Congress, were sent to the
Capitol by the city heads.
Requests for introduction of the
bills in the House and Senate were
filed with the Speaker and Chair
man Bilbo of the Senate District
Committee. In the Senate, the
measure is to be referred to the
District Committee, but on the
House side it is expected to go to
the Interstate and Foreign Com
merce Committee.
The estimated cost of the twin
spans is s7,000,000. The bills will be
opposed by Interior Secretary Ickes
and officials of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, who
are said to favor construction of
single span.
Police Merger Up Again.
At the same time, Representative
Heber, Democrat, of Louisiana said
he would reintroduce his bill to
merge the National Capital Park Po-
lice with the Metropolitan Police
Department for functions within
the District.
Among number of bills affecting
Government workers was one by
Representative Mason, Republican,
OF Illinois, to establish a longevity
system of pay increases for postal
employees. The stepups would amount
to $500 at the end of 80 years serv-
Ice. There would be an automatic
stepup of S100 year after the first
10 years and similar increases after
each of the four succeeding FIVE
year periods.
More Liberal Retirement Plan.
Representative Lane, Democrat, of
Massachusetts presented a bill to
liberalize the Government retire
ment system and another to give a
pay differential for nightwork to
postal custodial employees.
Sound recordings of some of the
proceedings in District Court would
be authorized under the terms of
bill presented to the House by Rep
resentative Hobbs, Democrat, of Ala
bama.
The measure had been introduced
in earlier sessions of Congress, but
was permitted to die without hear
ings or formal report from the
House Judiciary Committee.
The purpose is to make recordings
of trial court proceedings available
to the District Court of Appeals or
to the United States Supreme Court
when cases are carried there on ap-
peals.
The plan is suggested as an ex-
pertinent since it is proposed that
sound recordings be made only in
one of the courtrooms of the Dis
trict Court