Evening star., 1949-05-29
S33O City Raise
Action Is Slated
To Be Delayed
House Moy Weigh Bill
June Is for Teachers,
Police and Firemen
BY Harold B. Rogers

to congressional action this week
on city appropriations for present
emergency needs and next years
expenses.
But the prospect for early pay
ment Of the $3.50 pay raises for
$4,000 District government work.
ers was dimmed somewhat last
night by delays In necessary leg
tslation.
Chairman Mcmillan of the
House District Committee dis
closed he probably will have to
postpone until District Day. June
13. House consideration Of the
bill to give the long-delayed pay
raise to policemen. firemen. and
teachers. I
Earlier he had expected to be
able to call the measure UP for
debate on the House floor Tues
day. But because some amend
ments to the measure now appear
to be complicating the hope Of
quick House consideration. the
South Carolina Democrat proba-
bly, will hold the measure over
for about two weeks for more
lengthy debate on District Day.
Plans Retroactivity Cut.
The bill. now pending on the
calendar. would give these city
workers the $3.50 pay raise retro
active to July l last year. But
one House member already has
said he plans an amendment to
cut the retroactive feature in
half-starting the raise on Jan
uary this year. instead Of last
July.
Furthermore another amend
ment. submitted by the District
officials, Is designed to provide
pay raises for per diem workers.
This might take some time for
debate on the floor, Mr.. McMil-
Ian said.
The District Committee chair
man did not rule out the posi-
bility Of calling the bill up on
Tuesday when the House returns
from the holiday week end. but he
thought 1t most likely that the
measure would be put over for
two weeks.
Bills to give the $3.50 pay raise
to city classified workers are
pending on both House and Sen
ate calendars, but are tied In
with provisions for increasing
salaries Of high-level Federal ex-
ecutives. On the House side. the
measure still Is before the Rules
Committee. where the request for
o rule to give the measure right
of way on the House floor Is pend
ing. But the committee has not
vet granted the rule. afo
High Level Raise Opposed.
The Senate high level District
pay raise bill has been objected
to every time it comes up by
Senator LANCER. Republican. Of
North Dakota. He claims it does
not fairly treat the rank and hle
Of Federal Government workers.
Action is expected to bs taken
during the week, however, on
District appropriations pending
In both the Second Deficiency
Bill and the city's annual supply
bill.
A Senate Appropriations sub
committee has completed hearings
on the Second Deficiency Bill. and
will submit 1t to the full COM
mittee for action Tuesday morn
ing. District officials have asked
for about $l,500,00o for the city
in the. deficiency measure. but
there was no indication from COM
mittee sources as to what the
bill will contain. All details will
remain secret until made public
by the Senate Appropriations
Committee itself, when it reports
the measure to the Senate.
Three Million Sought for Sesqui.
Newest items for the Capital
requested Of the Senate in this
bill include the Presidents own
plea for $3.000.000 for the Ses-
quicentennial Commission. $48,-
800 for the District Assessor to
set up q sales tax division for
registration Of merchants rs col
lectors Of the 2 per cent sales
tax; and $26.175 for current sal
aries for the Office Of Robert F.
Cogswell, District rent admins
traitor. The rent office employees
missed their last pay day. rs funds
are completely exhausted, and
some employees have had to bor-
row funds.
Senator McCarran, Democrat,
of Nevada, asked the Senate ap-
preparations Committee to include
funds for the District Redevelop-
ment Land Agency. to proceed
with its slum clearance program
here. But, 30 far rs could be
learned last night. the District
Commissioners request to the
Bureau Of the Budget for approval
Of $1,000. 900 for the land agency
to use on the Marshall Heights
project In Northeast Washington
had not been forwarded by the
President to Congress.
Whether any slum clearance
money will be in the Second De-
ficiency bill was somewhat doubt
full.
Some items for the White House
renovation had been discussed
during hearings on the Second
Deficiency bill, after the sum of
$5.400,000 had been withdrawn
from the First Deficiency bill due
to a deadlock with House con-
ferees. Senators have insisted the
White House should be renovated,
saving the historic old walls, but
House conferees have insisted the
mansion be razed and rebuilt In
more durable marble. bronze and
steel.