Evening star., 1948-05-13


cation with the AFGE membership
from now until convention time
This would be a great handicap to
overcome. However, Mr.. Burns sup
porters intend to establish their
own facilities to keep In contact
with the membership and present
his case.
Those backing Mr.. Burns charge
the council is composed OF "reac-
tionaries who seek to block union
progress" This is disputed BY
council members, who assert Mr.
Burns has failed as an adminls-
traitor and the union consequently
has suffered in loss OF membership
and dwindling finances.
STILL OPEN That 100000.
year information chief job at the
new Economic Cooperation Ad'
ministrati ton is still wide open.
Insiders say ECA Chief Pau
Hoffman hasn't made up his mind
vet about whom he will select fol
the important job. Meanwhile
many candidates are pulling strings
around town in an attempt to gain
the inside track for the position.
MORE FIRlNGS-The Civil
Service Commission has ordered
the firings by July ! OF war-service
chemists in Federal agencies here
who have not obtained permanen,
status.
Involved in the order are the fol.
lowing positions: Analytical chem.
lists and organic chemists In grades
P-2 and P-3, and biochemists 1r
grade P-2.
The order is part of the commits.
sion's program to convert the Gov
ernment to a permanent hiring
basis, by June 80, 1949. Additional
dismissal orders involving jobs ir
which war-service employees have
failed to GET status are expected
soon.
MATERNITY LEAVE-A last
minute attempt to get action this
year on the maternity leave legis-
lation failed the other day in the
Senate Civil Service Committee.
Chairman LANCER of the commit
tee proposed quick committee ap-
proval of the measure, which would
give so days leave with pay to ex-
pectant mothers in the Federal
service. IN ,t.gi a., II
But an objection was made by
Senator williams, Republican, OF
Delaware, who asked that the bill
be revised. Senator Williams OBJ
iected to the idea OF giving ex-
pectant mothers their regular SICK
and annual leaves, as we'll as an ad-
ditional so days maternity leave.
II Senator williams proposals
were adopted it would make the
measure virtually meaningless. Inc
committee finally decided to defer
the bill for further consideration, :,
which in plain English means IL s
heen killed. SO far as this session
Of Congress is concerned.
ALL-OUT FIGHT-Senator Flan-
ders, Republican, of Vermont, CO.
sponsor OF the Senate pay raise bill
that contains the provision to in
crease substantially the salaries OF
top- flight Government ofncials,
plans an about fight to win those
pay boosts.
Commenting on our story yester.
day that House leaders appear cool
to the idea of lifting the $4,000
Federal pay ceiling and giving
these oficials substantial pay BOOSTS
senator Flanders declared:
"It's outrageous that Congress
should hamstring the functions OF
the executive branch OF our GOV.
ernment by refusing to pay decent
salaries for top administrative JOBS;
"You can't expect to secure gooo
administration until you pay sal.
aries that will attract top-nignt
men. The present $4,000 saiary
ceiling is totally unrealistic wnen
compared to salaries being paio lot
comparable Jobs in private 1noustry'
congress will be blind, indeed.
if 1t fails to improve the callber OF
Government administration by pay
ing decent, realistic salaries"
Senator Flanders also reminded
III, penuhlican COLLEAGUES that they
expect to occupy the executive
branch of the Government next
January. And If they want to get
the ablest men available to MI the
top Federal jobs, 1t would be well
to revise the Federal pay scale up
ward, Senator Flanders pointed out.
Senator Flanders plans to confer
with Chairman Taft Of the Senate
Policy Committee and House Speak
er Martin to ask that these top
bracket pay boosts be kept In the
bill, along with the pay raises for
the Governments rank-and-fil
employees. And he feels he has a
chance to convince them OF the
logic of his proposals.
r r
BACKING-Incidentally. the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee has
zone on record asking that Federal
salaries be raised.
In reporting out the Agriculture
DEPARTMENTS 194S appropriations
measure, the committee rejected the
House-approved rider that would
have permitted Agriculture to pay
$4,000 a year salaries to 10 top
employees.
The committee said 1t was In favor
Of lifting the $4,000 pay ceiling
but that It believed that 1t should
be done for all agencies in one gen
eral bill rather than just for . sin
gle department.
CAPITAL RoUNDUP-The heavy
pressure Of other work has post
poned the meeting Of Senator TAFT
and Speaker Martin on Federal pay
raise legislation. However, both
men promise that Government pay
raises will be granted by Congress
before It goes home next month
and plan toomeet On the situation
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