Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-06-10
eEnIarges
Fund for Clerks
OF Members
81, 500 Increase Voted
SCI, zoe. 900 to Run
Congress Approved
By Chris Mothisen

The House searched its soul yes,
terday and decided its member
should have an additional 81 .50t
in clerk hire funds.
On a voice vote 1t agreed u
minor Senate amendments anc
completed congressional action or
a bill authorizing the increase
Presidential approval is not re.
quired.
There was as much talk about
the matter. however. as there hac
been earlier in the day on the
S62 200 900 appropriation bill Il
run Congress and associatet
agencies during the fiscal year be,
ginning July !. This measure alss
was approved on a voice vote anc
sent to the Senate.
The House spent most of thu
day. in fact, discussing Capitol Hill
housekeeping money. There were
some oblique chidings OF the Sen.
ate. 1t was suggested the blame
for talk OF congressional extrava.
gance in providing for member.
lay with the Senate. although the
House was forced TO share it.
Hoffman Leads Economy Block.
The economy begins at home
school of thought on the clerk
hire proposal was led by Repre-
sentative Hoffman. Republican, O,
Michigan. Last week he and Rep.
resentative Church. Republican
OF Illinois blocked final approval
OF the measure, sent from the
Senate with changes. Previously
1t had been passed by the House
under unanimous consent pro-
cedure.
The bill was defended yesterday
by Chairman Mary T. Norton OF
the House Administration Com
If a member doesn't need an
additional clerk. he certainly
doesn't have to appoint one" she
Representative Brown. Repub-
lican, of Ohio pointed out MANY
had to work their Office
STATS long hours to handle their
constituents mail.
THE American people ought to
realize and appreciate the kind
Of people that are representing
them and the hard work of the
he commented.
Representative Shafer. Repub-
lican. Of Michigan suggested the
amount involved was mot very
much more than they appropriate
for mineral water over In the
Senate"
Specifically. the bill would give
each House member approximately
81 500 more in salary for Office
help. which could be paid to one
person or divided among several,
In addition. each member would
get a $500 annual allowance for
official kilograms and long dis
lance telephone calls. At present
official kilograms are reimbursable
from House contingent funds
without limit.
Mrs. Norton said. however. that
Fhoro hof hooy, aogae ~ n $1,000
oer's sending as much as $1,000
worth Of kilograms in a single
Time to Ask Questions.
The legislative branch appropri-
alton bill. as approved. included
all budget items for the Senate.
the $4,000, 900 to begin
construction of a new Senate
Office Building. This item had
been stricken by the House Appro-
priations Committee.
But Representative Keefe. Re-
publican. of Wisconsin made
plain he didn't think the commit
lee had gone far enough In exam
ing the Senate items. The figures
many of the prerequi-
sites for the Senate which had
brought criticism of the entire
Congress. although House men,
,ers didn't get the extras" Mr..
xeefe declared.
Noting that interchamber cour-
,esy additionally had led to
prompt approval of Senate items
by the House. Representative
Keefe said:
Il. for one. think it's about
time that We began to ask
questions and laid our cards on
the table"
Although he didn't. Mr.. Keefe
said he was considering seriously
introducing an amendment To
strike out all Senate items and
then let the Senate write back
in "the items that 1t feels are
to the housekeeping
of the Senate"
This courtesy idea was fine. Mr.
Keefe said-so long as each cham
Der took responsibility for its own
costs.
There was a sly colloquy between
Representatives Rees Of Kansas
and Stefan of Nebraska, Republi-
cans. Mr.. Rees asked Ii any
funds for free shoeshines and
haircuts for members of Congress
had been included in the bill.
Not for members of the House. :
Mr.. Stefan replied.
Mr.. Rees also wanted to know
about refrigerators for Offices
mineral water and increased
amounts to pay administrative
assistants.
Gives Same Reply.
To each. Mr.. Stefan gave the
same reply, with emphasis on
House"
The House refused to provide
any money for the joint Senate
House watchdog" committee on
the foreign aid program The APP
Committee had de-
aied the $344, 900 budget request
or committee expenses The
house turned down on standing
n-&. - F.n A. "a 8t~a xx%nfRny. ~