Evening star., 1949-04-05

e. e: { :: - =. : ":;:: 4: I: "A I
posed of.
Otheruise tssess issHs-
the unions never would have
agreed to back the top-brscSet
bill. union ofiieials assert,
A considerable number o. mem
bers in Congress are backing this
view and amendments for gen.
eral pay boosts will be offered on
the top-bracket bill. unless definite
hearing dates on general pay
raise legislation is set oy the
House and Senate Civil Service
Committees within the next few
days
The Senate Civil Service Com
mittee has appointed a suocorn-
mittee to hold hearings. but so
far no definite date has been s2t.
And Senator Long, Democrs'. Of
Louisiana. who has been appoint
ed chairman of the subcommittee,
still hasn't formally accepted the
Job,
The real explosion will occur
Thursday. when the House Civil
Service Committee meets in eHee-
utive session on the top-braeket
pay measure. II Chairman Mur-
ray doesn't agree to hold hearings
Immediately on general pay raises,
some of his colleagues viii move
TO block the top-ievel bill, unless
1t is amended TO give pay raises to
the rest OF the Governments en-
ployes.
All this unrest Is giving ad-
ministrat ton ofiicials an uneasy
time. It's no secret that they are
extremely anxious to get the high.
level pay bill enacted as soon as
possible. Their strategy to shunt
the other pay bills aside seems to
have backfired, and they now face
real trouble.
OIT-A substantial personnel
layof in the once OF Interna-
itional Trade seems in the offing.
The decrease will result from a
Stacking of of the agency's func-
tions and responsibilities.
AGRICULTURE There will
not be any personnel changes to
speak of in the Agriculture De-
partment under provisions OF the
bill reported yesterday by the
House Appropriations Committee.
Some minor personnel reductions
may have to be made In the ONCE
of the Secretary but the normal
rate OF personnel turnover may
make this unnecessary. ...---. ..
49, ~
SQUEEZE--In other matters.
however. the Agriculture Depart
ment is facing difiiculties with
which other departments and
agencies are also graphing.
The Budget Bureau has ordered
most Federal agencies 10 absorb a
goodly share Of the cost OF last
years Federal Pay Act. This has
caused a freeze on future hirings
in some agencies. personnel re-
ductions in others. as well as q
curtailment of functions.
In the case OF Agriculture De-
partment. william A. Minor, the
special assistant to Secretary OF
Agriculture Brannan. has dis
closed that the Department will
have TO lessen Its overall super
vision over the personnel policies
of its various bureaus. Also. the
Department will have to abandon
its transportation service accom-
modations for its employees who
travel on out-of-town assign
ments. Mr.. Minor told the House
Appropriations Committee.
CRITICISM-The committee
criticized Agriculture present set
up, asserting that greater consoli-
dation is needed to put the De-
partment on q more economical
and efflcient basis.
RETIREMENT--Representative
Kunkel, Republican. OF Pennsyl-
var,ia. has introduced bill to
permit Federal employees who re-
tired before April /. le4s. TO elect
to have their annuities computed
on the same basis that Federal
employees now have upon retire
ment. The Civil Service Commis-
sion will oppose the measure.
INJURY BIII-Besides Repre-
sentative Kelley. Democrat. OF
PENNSYLVANIA, the chairman, here
are the other members Of the
House Labor Subcommittee that
have been appointed TO hold hear
ings soon on the bill TO increase
substantially injury benefit pay
ments to Government employees:
Representatives Powell Of New
IL uSSnfv~tn