Evening star., 1948-08-03
D. Pay Raise
Loan Bill Hit by
Cain in Senate
Proposal Would Set
Precedent Harmful to
Workers, Foe Says
By Harold B. Roqers

Senator Cain, Republican, o.
Washington, today attacked as "un'
deserving of favorable considera.
ton" the bill introduced yesterday
by Senator Johnston, Democrat, o.
South Carolina, for Federal loar
to finance pay raises for District
Government employees.
The measure was introduced late
yesterday by Senator Johnston or
behalf Of himself, Senator Morse
Republican, of Oregon and Senator
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida.
Senator Cain, after brief pre-.
liminary statement charging thai
the principle of financing pay raises
by borrowing should not be adopted
introduced for the record the state
ment he issued to be adopted, in
troduced for the record the state
ment he issued to the press last
Saturday attacking the proposal.
Would Establish Precedent.
Such a loan, bearing no interest
and to be repaid at some future
date to be determined by Congress
the Washington State Senator de-
clared, would establish a precedent
which would be harmful not only
to the District Government but to
Its employees.
His statement Saturday had been
directed at a bill introduced in the
House by Chairman Dirksen OF the
House District Committee, where 1t
still is pending.
Senator Johnston, in introducing
the bill expressed hope that Con-
gress will not call upon the District
to pay back this money. The bill
has been assigned to the Senate Dis
trict Committee and is to be re-
ferred to the Subcommittee on Fis-
cal Affairs. of which Senator Cain
Is chairman.
Proposes $500 Teacher Raise.
The Johnston measure would
grant to school teachers a $500 pay
raise and to all other city workers
$3.50 a year. This compares with q
5000 increase for teachers and $33(
for other city employees. provided ir
the House measure.
In a speech on the floor, Senator
Johnston pointed out the $3.50 in
crease would go to city workers II
the classified service, officers ane
members of the Metropolitan Police
United States park police, White
House police and the Fire Depart
ment.
THE cost" he told his colleagues
"is to be paid by lending to the Dis
trlct $5,800,000 to be paid back a
such time and in such manner a.
the Congress may hereafter direct.
Would Forgive Loan.
II hope" he added, that tht
Congress will not call upon the DIS.
trict to pay back this money, be-
cause of the fact that in my opinion
that amount and more should bt
paid to the District to help beal
the expense of the District.
If the District should be callec
upon to pay it back, sincerely hope
that the Congress will wait until W.
receive the money from the British
loan and then call upon the Distric,
of Columbia for repayment"
Opposing any borrowing by the
District to pay for salary increases
Senator Cain said he plans to in
troduce into the Congressional Rec
ord today his complete statement
issued Saturday, attacking the
DirkSen bill.
Dirksen Appeals to Cain.
Mr.. Dirksen personally appealed
10 Senator Cain yesterday to help
eliminate the discri m n o
against city workers. They were
denied the $3.50 one-year pay raise
during the closing hours of the last
session of Congress, when Senator
Johnston blocked, by filibuster
the House-passed District revenue
bill. Still on the Senate calendar
this bill would levy 2 per cent
sales tax, combined with high
level income tax exempting all sal
aries under $4,000.
Senator Johnston declared today
he would continue to block the sales
tax. If it is called up on the floor
he said he will move to substitute
his new Federal loan bill.
Whether this parliamentary pro-
ceoure could be carried out success
fully, however, remained uncertain
Some Capitol Hill attaches pointed
out that all legislation on appro-
priations must originate in the
House and must be acted on flrst
by that chamber, before it can come
up in the Senate.
Mr.. Dirkscn said he IS willing
to push for enactment OF his loan
bill in the House. Mr.. Dlrksec had
postponed a meeting of his Dis
trict Committee on the bill origin
ally scheduled for yesterday morning
Strongly Opposed by Bates.
Among those strongly opposed te
the Eirksen proposal is Repre-
sentative Bates, Republican, o1
Massachusetts,, chairman of the
House District Subcommittee or
Fiscal Affairs. Mr.. Bates, who was
out of tbs city yesterday, is expected
to return today and mag confer
with Nj. Dirksen on the problem
H., like Senator Cain, has insisted
that no pay raises be granted with
out tax revenues to meet the cost.
The discrimination against city
workers has been recognized no
only By Congressional District lead
ers on both sides of the Capitol bu
has been carried to Republican
leaders o. 10th chambers.
No definite promises, however
have been mnde 10 either MIR. Dirk
sen or Senator Cain as to favorable
action, it was indicated today.
In fact. House Majority Leade
Halieck today expressed doubt th'
Dirksen measure could be brough
up on the floor, if reported out b,
the District Committee. because o
the policy laid down to consider onl
emergency legislation. He did no
close the door, however, on th
Federal loan measure.
Taft Kept Informed.
rl,airy,ap Taft of the Senate Pol