Evening star., 1949-01-04

titled to social security old age
benefits, since they already are
eligible for far more liberal retire.
ment annuities under the civil
service retirement system.
Federal employe groups are on
the fence regarding the forthcom-
ing FSA legislative recommends
ton. While they would like to re-
ceive the unemployment compen-
sation benefits, they are fearful
that coverage of Federal workers
under the social security system
would be the first STEP toward
taking away the very generous civil
service retirement benefits from
them.
A few employe groups, however,
say they are willing to take that
chance. They say that it is far
fetched to think that Congress
would destroy the civil service re-
tirement system. For, they say,
members of Congress themselves
come under this system and, there
fore, wouldn't be likely to weaken
or abolish it.
ESPECIALLY WITH THEM IN
There's an official Government
job description as reported by the
Personnel Administration maya
zine, the official publication of the
Society for Personnel Administra-
| ton:
Nurses uniforms are more diff
cult to press because of the many
shapes and styles
TOP PAY-It's now apparent that
top-bracket Federal salary increases
will not be enacted by Congress by
the January 20 goal set by the meas
are's Senate sponsors.
Eventual enactment of the legisla-
ton sometime this year seems in the
cards, but it probably won't occur
until later in the session.
House members especially want to
take a good look at the bill before
giving it their approval. There is
some talk of trimming the salary
increases somewhat from the rates
approved by the Flanders Senate
Civil Service Subcommittee.
The January 20 goal was set by
Senator Flanders and his CO.
sponsors because the law requires
that the Presidents salary be in
creased before he begins his full
term of office. Therefore, it wouldn't
be surprising if a separate meas
ure is introduced within the next
week to boost Mr.. Truman's COM
pensation, together with that of
Vice President-elect Barkley and
House Speaker Rayburn and press
for its immediate passage. It's en-
actment would be virtually certain
before the deadline.
Whatever happens, top-bracket
Federal pay raises for the Govern
ment's top officials appears to be
virtually certain. But they'll have
to wait at least several months In
order to get it.
COMMERCIAL substantial re-
organization will soon get under way
in the Bureau of Foreign and Do
mestic Commerce. The reorganiza-
ton was ordered by the Budget
Bureau.
The reorganization will merge the
Office of Domestic Commerce with
the Office of International Trade,
Theoretically. that's what the Bu-
reau OF Foreign and Domestic Com
merce was supposed to have been
from the start, but actually it has
only been a paper ARRANGEMENT
Untol now, the ODC and the OFT
have operated independently.
Incidentally, ODC officials say
that this column was a bit prema
ture the other day in announcing
expansion plans for its ALLEGATION
OF scarce materials program. The
ODC would like to expand, but it
cannot do so unless it gets addi-
tlonal ALLEGATION authority from
Congress.
COLD SHOCLDER-The blister
ing report of outgoing Chairman
LANCER of the Senate Civil Service
Committee regarding the racial
discrimination which he charges
exists in Government employment
will be ignored by the committee
under the Craftsmanship of Senator
Johnston, Democrat, of South Caro-
lima.
Senator LANCER. who will be the
groups ranking minority member
from now on, called for the COM
mittee to take the lead in drafting
legislation to end discrimination in
Government. Among the things he
called for were the outright dismis-
sal of Government officials found
guilty of discrimination and the re-
quirement that Federal agencies Sc
lect applicants from civil service
registers in their order on the list.
This would abolish the one-out-
three selection rights that bureaus
now have.
All this will come to naught, how
ever. The new chairman, Senator
Tohncfop o1u,oyc hoe baao o,,o 1f