Evening star., 1949-01-13
Senate Takes Up
Pay Raise Bill;
Limit Likely
Lucas Asks Change
To Confine Measure
To Trumon, z Others
BULLETIN

senator FlanderS, Republic
can, of Vermont, defending the
high-level pay raise bill on the
Senate floor. today said that
President Truman will send to
Congress "in the next few
days the proposed draft of a
measure for complete revision
of the 1923 Federal Employees
Classification Act.
A bill to provide pay raises for
the President, many other high
ranking executives and District
government workers came up
for action today on the Senate
floor with prospects that only
sections affecting the President,
the Vice President and the
Speaker of the House would be
approved.
The bill was called up by Senator
Lucas of Illinois, who is to become
Democratic floor leader. He offered
an amendment to strike out all the
measure except that providing for
the three top posts.
A Republican amendment to pro-
vide thai the retirement provisions
affecting the Speaker of the House
now in effect would not be changed
by the bill was offered Immediately
by Senator Wherry, Republican, Of
Nahro clio rojrnrifu loolo,.
G. 0. p. Agrees to Limitation.
Both Democratic and Republican
leaders had agreed earlier to con-
slider reducing the wide applications
Of the measure to give the raises to
the three top posts in the Govern
ment. This was done because it
would not be possible under present
law to raise the pay of the Presi-
dent or Vice President after they
take Office next Thursday.
The bill to allow the pay increases
for high-ranking Government Of
flcials and for District workers has
been topic of discussion-most of
lit favorable-for some time. On
Tuesday the bill was approved by
the Senate Civil Service Committee
by a 10 to l vote. Before today's
Senate session the Republican Pol
icy Committee agreed to allow
speedy passage.
In telling reporters of the policy
groups decision, Chairman Taft
said:
I'VE decided to raise no objections
as a party if the bill is cut down to
include only the President, Vice
President and Speaker.
"Of course our decision will not
prevent individual Senators from
making objections.
O'Conor Urges Action.
AS the debate began on the Sem
ate floor, Senator O'Conor, Demo-
crat, of Maryland explained the
entire measure and pointed out the
need for quick action, particularly
to give the raise to the President
and the Vice President. He called
also for enactment OF all pay raises
included in the original bill.
| He declared that the low pay Of
Government officials as compared
with private industry was a situa-
ton which Congress must correct
Immediately if opportunity is to be
afforded to the President to secure
the most capable executives and i'm
prove the management of our
agencies"
Congress. he declared, should "act
forthwith to correct this intolerable
situation and to increase the ef-
fiency of Governmental processes"
Regarding the District the Sena-
tor explained that Section 8 of the
bill would correct certain inequi-
ties" which resulted at the closing
of the last Congress when District
workers were deprived of $3.50 an
nual increase granted to other
Federal classified workers.
Passage Expected Today.
Senate passage of the bill is be-
lieved likely today and then it goes
to the House. Action there is some
what uncertain because House COM
mittees have not yet been set up.
Three pay raise bills have been in
troduced in the House and referred
to the Civil Service Committee, but
this committee cannot act until it
is officially established.
The possibility was discussed, to-
day, however. of calling up by unan-
imous consent for immediate action
on the House floor any Senate-ap-
proved bill.
There were reports from the
House side that an amendment
might be offered to the stripped
down Senate bill to take care of the
$3.50 raise for the Districts workers
(See PAY, Page A-4)