Evening star., 1949-09-29
Federal Pay Raise
Approval in Senate
Forecast by Sponsors
By Joseph Young

" SVSSPu iVouS
Federal pay raise sponsors to-
day predicted Senate approval of
pay raise reclassification legisla-
ton for the Governments 885, 900
classified employees, following the
Houses action late yesterday in
voting an average $113 pay boost
for Federal and District classified
workers.
Senate action on the reclassi-
f1cation pay bill is scheduled after
that chamber completes action on
the top executive pay bill.
After swallowing one compro-
mise last night, administration
leaders hoped to push the top
bracket measure through the Sen
ate today without retreating fur
ther.
The Senate. by a 39-to-16 vote,
last night tentatively approved the
compromise, whereby the proposed
top bracket raises were trimmed
down considerably, but still pend
ing are 16 economy amendments.
Amendments Defeat Forecast.
Senate Majority Leader Lucas
predicted that these amendments
would be beaten, although he said
he might accept one amendment
that would direct President Tru-
man to submit a balanced budget
to Congress next January for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1851.
More than 100000 classified
Federal employees here would bene-
At under the bin voted late yes
terday by the House. BY an over
whelming voice vote, the House
approved an average pay boost Of
$113 q year for classified Govern
ment workers. CA table showing
the individual increases was pub
lished in The Stars Federal Spot
light column on Tuesday,
The only real fight came on an
amendment offered by Represen-
tative Rees. Republican, of Kan
sas that would have established a
Federal pay ceiling of $4,000. in
stead of the $4,000 ceiling pro-
vision contained in the bill. The
Rees amendment was narrowly
defeated by a vote of "a to 90,
Other Provisions of Bill.
Besides revising the Govern
nent's classification structure and
providing an average $113 pay in
crease. the House bill also pro-
yided for:
= l. An average pay boost of $110
for employees in the crafts, pro-
tective and custodial service.
2. Allowing classified employees
10 appeal their job classifications
10 the Civil Service Commission.
= 8. Grants longevity increases to
Government employees in the first
10 grades. These employees would
be allowed three additional with
'm-grade promotions over the top
Of their respective grades, one
after every three years.
New Job Standards.
:, 4. Establishment of new stand
ards for the Civil Service Com
mission to follow In classifying
Federal jobs.
, Transfer Of clerica1-mechan-
1cal workers in the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing here to the
Treasury wage board to fix their
salaries.
s. Exemption Of the Atomic
Energy Commission. Productions
Credit Corp, the Federal Inter-
mediate Credit Banks, the Pana-
ma Canal Railway and Panama
teachers, f1remen and policemen
from the bill.
The House bill also would allow
the present Government efficiency
rating system to remain intact.
Chairman Murray of the House
Civil Service Committee told the
House the Civil Service Commits
sion has promised to submit pro-
posals for changing the system to
Congress next year.
In contrast to the easy sailing
that the general pay reclassifica-
ton measure had in the House
the Governments top executive
bill had a rough time in the
Senate.
Long Senate Session.
At a session that lasted until
one minute before midnight, the
Senate tentatively approved the
compromised bill prepared by 80
Senator'S.
The measure raises the salaries
OF cabinet officers from $4,000 to
$22,500. instead of the $25. 1000
proposed; and provides $4,000
salaries for the Governments
other top executives. instead of
the $4,000. $4,000, and $4,000
salaries that had been proposed
by the administration. The only
original salary proposals that re-
mained intact were $4,000 to
$4,000 salaries for five White
House assistants. Seven other