Evening star., 1946-12-07
Rees 10 Seek
Revision for
U. 5. Pay Sefup
Kunsun Will Ask
Congress for Study
Of Classification Aci
By Joseph Young

Representative ReeS of Kansas
who is slated to be the chairman
of the House Civil Service Com
lnittee, disclosed today he will
propose to Congress that the
Federal salary structure be re-
viSed.
Mr.. Rees, who arrived in town to at
tend the current sessions of Repub-
lican congressional leaders, said he
will ask Congress to authorize q
complete study of the Classification
Act of 1928, on which the present
Federal pay structure Is based, with
a view toward correcting inequities
In the system.
The Kansan voiced the opinion
/ that, under the present clasSifica-
ton act, many Government workers
: are underpaid, while others may be
overpaid.
Years Since Action Taken.
"It has been % years since we last
classified jobs and salaries. and that
is entirely too long," Mr.. Rees said.
There are many inequities under
the present classification act and
we will have more efficient opera
ton of Government If they are
corrected"
His stand closely parallels the
position taken several days ago by
the Executive Council of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal En-
ployes. The council urged over
hauling of the classification act. The
council asserted the salary range
between jobs wasn't broad enough,
discouraging initiative and falling
to award financially those employees
advanced to better jobs on the basis
of merit.
"It is time that we re-examine the
type of. job and see if the employees
filing thelR positions are being
overpaid ors2Hderpaid for the type
Of work they do," Mr.. Rees said.
Silent on Wage Boosts
As to wage increases for Govern
ment workers to Offset rising living
costs, Mr.. Rees would not comment
directly, but he said he believed that
Congress would not favor any such
proposal.
Many employe groups feel it would
be better in the long run to revise
the classification act, rather than to
get raises based on cost of living
increases. They believe that if raises
were granted on this basis Con-
gress would revoke the pay boosts If
the cost of living went down.
On the other hand, revision Of the
classification act would provide
permanent salary increases in many
cases, they believe.
Asked about other plans he had in
mind during the 80th Congress, Mr..
Rees said he would ask Congress to
authorize funds for an investiga-
ton of alleged subversive activities
in the Government.
But he made it clear there would
be nos witch" hunt.
1.-THE only thing I'm interested in
is finding out if we have Com
munists on the Federal payroll and
getting ridsof them IL we find that.
they do exist" he said. 'I'm not
interested in conducting 1nyeStiga-
tions like some that we have had in
the past"
Mr.. Rees said he also would in
troduce legislation calling for the
creation of a Bureau of Efficiency,
which would be responsible only to
the Congress and the function of
which would be to eliminate waste
and ineficiency in Government
agencies. The bureau would con-
duct studies and make recommenda-
tions with a view toward ending
overlapping and duplication of ac-
tivities in Federal bureaus.
A similar bill was introduced by
Mr.. Rees during the last Congress
but failed of passage. With the
Republicans now in control of Con-
gress, however, Mr.. Rees said he had
high hopes for its passage during
this session