Evening star., 1950-08-24
Rees Claims Defense
Tries 10 Save Face
On GI Allotment Bill
BY The Asseeiaisd Press


Representative Rees, Republi-
can. Of Kansas accused the De-
Tense Department today of try
ing to save its face" by inject
ing into a servicemen's family
allowance bill a provision he as
serted would condone alleged mall
administration by the Army
Finance Center.
Mr.. Rees, ranking Republican
on the House Civil Service Com
mittee, in a speech prepared for
House delivery. urged quick pas
sage Of the bill.
It's approval seemed assured.
The measure would set up a sys-
tenn Of family support allowances
for enlisted men.
Mr.. Rees' committee, through a
subcommittee headed by Repre-
sentative Karst, Democrat, of
Missouri, has been probing into
operations at the Army Finance
Center in st. Louis, which han
dies allotments and allowances
for servicemen in the Army and
Air Force.
Muddled Procedure Charged.
In a preliminary report last
May. this group criticized the
finance center for what it called
muddled procedures in adjusting
nearly $160 million in overpay-
ments of allowances given during
the last war.
The provision of the allowances
bill which drew Mr.. ReeS' fire
would give the Secretaries of the
Army. Navy and Air Force wide
authority in dealing with errone-
GUS payments of dependency bene-
fits made during the last war.
Mr.. Rees called this section of
the bill IAN attempt on the part
of the Armed Forces to save face"
and relieve themselves of en-
barassment from the alleged over
payments and to obtain congress
sional sanction of past derelic-
tions Of Army officials.
The Senate, before passing a
companion bill Tuesday, amended
the provision to allow the Con-
troller General, upon the recon-
mendation of the department
heads, to waive Indebtedness If
collection would work undue hard
ship. Mr.. Rees approved Of this
limitation.
He said that until his COM
mittee investigated no figures |
were available as to the total ,
amount of overpayments made on
allowance claims.
Bill Faces Clear Sailing.
The Army handled some $19 ;
billion in allotments during the Il
war. It contends some mistakes I
were inevitable and that it was I
under pressure from Congress to
rush payments through. {
"It Is no secret that our valiant
men in the Armed Forces have
almost been pushed into the sea
because of inadequate equipment
and supplies and improper train
ing" Mr.. Rees said.
May I say that it is no
wonder to me that such incom-
potency exists in the Armed
Forces when the Inspector Cen
eral testified before our COM
nittee that the type of mis-
management which was proven TOT
exist at the Army Finance Center
was typical of Army installations
and entirely satisfactory"
With exception of the adjust
ment issue. the bill faced clear
sailing in the House.
The provision under fire would
give the secretaries authority to
redetermine or waive in "hard-
ship cases" Indebtedness growing
out Of overpayments to depend
ents which had not been adjusted
prior to October /. The action
Of the secretaries would be final
and not subject to review by the
General Accounting Office.
Quarters Allowances Base.
Aside from this provision the
House allowance bill, which varies
from the Senate measure in Ger
tain particulars, was assured quick
approval.
Both House and Senate bills
use as base cash allowances
given for quarters when none are
provided by the Government.
The House bill would give an
allowance Of $45 from the Gov
ernment to an enlisted man in
the lower three grades with one
dependent. If he has two de-
pendents he would receive $40
and If more than two $85. En-
listed men in these grades do not
get a family allowance. An en-
listed man in these grades also
would have to allot $40 from his
paycheck.
An enlisted man in the higher
grades-sergeants in the Army and
comparable grades in the other
services-would receive $40 if he
has one tn two denendents apd