Evening star., 1946-05-05
Personnel Cut
Battle Delays
Federal Pay Bill
Congress Conferees
Expected to Seek
Further Instructions
By Joseph YOUNG

Progress on the Federal pay bill
appeared stalemated last. night as
conferees on the legislation admit
ted they were in wide disagreement
over its provisions.
Following another unsuccessful at
tempt to agree on a bill yesterday,
the conferees scheduled another
meeting for 2:30 pm. Tuesday. but
the members weren't too optimistic
on the prospect of reaching an agree
ment at that time
In the event no accord is reached
Tuesday, it is considered likely that
the conferees will return to the
House and Senate for further in
structions before resuming sessions.
Personnel Cut Problem.
The main stumbling block is the
conferees' inability to agree on the
type of reduction-in in force amend
ment to adopt as part of the bill in
an attempt to reduce substantially
Federal personnel. Many suggestions
have been made, but they have been
vetoed by other members, or have
been deemed unavoidable by the
General Accounting Office.
Although the wage increase pro-
visions of the bill have been dis
cussed only informally, it is believed
that once the reduction in force
provision is agreed on, the amount
of pay increases for Government
workers will be speedily settled.
Sentiment at this time appears to
favor a bill similar to the Houses
fiat S400 wage increase measure,
rather than the Senate's overall
II per cent wage increase bill.
However, even this isn't settled
as proponents of a strong reduc-
tion-in-force provision, with teeth
in it," are demanding that their
amendment be adopted before they
will vote for liberal wage increases.
Byrd Leading Group.
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia is reported leading this fac
ton, abetted by Senator Hicken-
looper, Republican, of Iowa and
Representative Rees, Republican, of
Kansas. Those favoring liberal paw
Increases for Federal workers, with
less severe personnel cut amend
ment, include Chairmen Downey
and Randolph of the House and
Senate Civil Service Committees,
respectively; Senator LANCER, Re-
publican. of North Dakota and
Representative Jackson, Democrat,
OF Washington, sponsor of the pay
bill.
The faction led by Senator Byrd
has favored placing a blanket per-
sonnel ceiling on all Federal en-
ployment. Although no specific fig
ure has been offered, a 100000
Federal personnel payroll by July /,
l946 has been mentioned At present
there are approximately 100000
Government workers.
This proposal has been opposed
by the Downey-Randolph- Jackson
faction which contends it would be
more equitable to place a personnel
ceiling on individual agencies. rather
than an arbitrary figure for the en-
tire Federal payroll.
Must Vote as Units.
The fact that the conferees must
vote as separate House and Senate
units, rather than have their indi-
vidual votes tailed, is hampering
agreement since the Senate unit is
evenly divided on the controversy.
The House unit favors the Downey-,
Randolph-Jackson stand. However,
the Senate group is deadlocked with
Senators Byrd and Hickenlooper
aligned against Senators Downey
and LANCER. Until the Senate unit
agrees on its plan, agreement can
not be reached.
Yesterdays meeting was the fifth
unsuccessful attempt by the con-
ferees to draft the final version Of
the pay bill. which has been before
Congress for more than six months.