Evening star., 1950-12-24
Fate Of Dual Pay Bill
Is Hanging in Balance
AS Session Nears End
By Harold B. ROGERS

salary bill permitting Govern
ment workers to hold two jobs
with combined pay up to $4,000
hangs in the balance during the
few legislative hours left in the
81st Congress. which ends Janu-
ary 2.
Requested by the AdminiStra-
ton as an emergency measure to
help the defense effort. the
measure now awaits final action
in the Senate. 1t was approved
originally by the Senate last year,
amended and passed by the House
last week, and sent back to the
Senate.
Civil Service leaders in the Sem
ate have agreed to ask that body
to concur in the House amend
ments and send the bill to the
White House. But whether this
action can be wedged into the
tight remaining program of the
Senate is a question.
Davis May Offer Bill.
The expiring Congress is ex-
pected to take, no final action on
any legislation specifically affect
ing the District, except civil de-
fense funds in the pending appro-
priation bill. and possibly the
dual-pay bill for Government
workers, which involves some city
employees.
Chairman Davis of the House
District subcommittee investigat-
ing crime may introduce his COM
prehensive bill to tighten present
laws on crime before the 81st
Congress closes.
The subcommittee has been re-
vising the bill for months after
public hearings. But no action on
the measure is expected until the
82d Congress, when it will be re-
The long-pending Senate Dis
trict subcommittee investigation
into wire-tapping in the District
apparently has been wound up.
for this Congress. Chairman Nicely
of the Senate District Committee
has postponed indefinitely a COM
mittee meeting formerly slated
tentatively for next Friday. No
further action is expected this
session on the subcommittee bill
to ban wire-tapping equipment in
this city except by authorized
law-enforcement officers, with a
District Court warrant.
Would Simplify Laws.
The dual-pay bill is designed to
and consolidate existing
laws on double pay, which were
enacted on a piecemeal basis.
Their conflicting provisions have
caused great confusion" in ad-
according to Repre-
sentative Mccarthy, Democrat, of
who handled the
measure on the House floor for
the House Civil Service Com
The present statutes prevent
in some cases retired officers of
the armed forces from taking
civilian positions related to ma
tional defense. The bill would
clear the way for their participa-
tion in the new defense effort.
Furthermore it would permit
lower salary employees to take
nighttime or Saturday employ
ment in other Government
agencies.
Sponsors of the bill still have
some hope the Senate may take
a few minutes to act on the
measure, now ready for final ap-
proval.
No Action Due This Week.
The Senate meets Tuesday, will
recess to Friday, to recess again
to January 2, the last day of the
8lst Congress. Only three major
pieces of national legislation have
been slated for final action Janu-
ary 2: excess profit taxes, the $40
billion appropriation bill, and civil
defense.
Since no legislation is to be
acted on this week, under agree
ment by the Senate, the only re-
naming opportunity for dual leg
islation now seems to be on the
last day of this session.
Senator Long, Democrat, of
Louisiana, tried last Friday to get
final quick action on the measure,
but failed because of the pressure
of business on the floor. He is
expected to try again January 2.
The measure with its new $4,000
ceiling is a substitute for pending
law on dual pay for Federal and
District workers, who now can COL
lect for two lob no more than an
average of $4,000. The amount
varies now. from about $4,000 to
around $4,000 annually.
Several Groups Exempt.
Several groups are exempt,
because of the unusual, combina-
tions of their jobs. These exempt
groups now include employees of
the District Board of Education
and the District Recreation Board.
In the pending bill to replace
present law, provisions were in
cluded by House amendments to
protect employees of both the
Board of Education and the Rec
reation Board here, so they may
continue to hold two different
jobs. Teachers, for instance, work
sometimes in day and night
schools. and in summer schools
and some school employees, like
teachers, referee games for the
Recreation Board. School janitors
heat school buildings at night