Evening star., 1950-04-13
Democrats Argument
Delayed BiffIe Report
Listing Senator'S Aides
BY fhe Associoied Press

"a ANPSA y 4AcC4AS IAIC A4OAlCc
not the salaries-of office en-
ployes of the 96 Senators has
finally been made public
The 770-page volume details ex-
penditures of slightly more than
$40 million by the lawmakers for
the fiscal year which ended last
June 30.
Leslie L. Biff1e, secretary of the
Senate, who signed the report
told a reporter that he abandoned
his former plan of listing every
Senate employe by name and sal
ary for each month because il
would have been too bulky.
But Mr.. Biffle's report gives the
public a chance to see the names
listed on each Senator's payrolls.
1t also listed the total amount
paid these Office stats for each
three-month period.
Argument Caused Delay.
During the two years that Re-
publicans controlled the Senate in
f946 and 1947 the secretary's re-
port omitted both names and sal
aries of the employees in each Sen
ator's Office.
All payrolls of the ABS House
members are available to the pub
lie each month. including names
and salaries.
1t was learned that an argu-
ment among Democratic leaders
caused delay in issuing the pres
ent Senate report. Normally it is
printed and made public in jan
.uary each year for the previous
fiscal year.
OCO Thompson, veteran Sen
ate disbursing clerk who handles
it's funds and keeps its records.
said he spent months preparing
and revising the present report.
The report also listed names OF
all employees of Senate commit
tees but Jumped their salaries.
Top Salaries Listed.
only salaries listed with names
were those of top Senate officials,
such as Secretary Biffie and Ser
geant- Joseph c. Duke,
who are paid $4,000 a year each,
and the hundreds of such Capitol
employees as doorkeepers, telephone
operators, messengers, pages and
policemen.
The lump sum salary reports by
quarters showed most Senators
staff payrolls varied between So 900
and $4,000 a month.
A check showed that IS of the
Senators or former Senators en-
ployed persons of the same last
name on their stats for the pc
riod April l through June 80 of
last year, The employment of rela-
tives, called nepotism. is not
against the law and in some in
stances those with the identical
names may not be relatives. Nor
is there any indication that rela-
tive does not do as good a job as
a non-relative.
The Is: Baldwin, Republican
of Connecticut, who has resigned;
Chavez, Democrat, of New Mexico;
Gillette, Democrat, of Iowa: Nc
Clellan, Democrat, of Arkansas;
Mcclellan, Democrat, of Tennes-
see; Miller. Democrat, of Idaho
who has died; Murray, Democrat
of Montana; O'Conor, Democrat
of Maryland: Sparkman. Demo
crat, of Alabama; Stennis. Demo-
crat. of Mississippi; Taylor, Demo-
crat. of Idaho; Vandenberg. Re-
publican, of Michigan: Watkins,
Republican. of Utah; Williams, Re-
publican, of Delaware, and Bark
ley, Democrat, of Kentucky. who
has since become Vice President.
Senators Decide Salaries.
Each Senator is allowed to de-
eide how he will spend the avail
able money on his Office force, with
some EXCEPTIONS He can pay one
top helper or administrative as
sistant up to $10,846 year. a sec
ond person or secretary $9,617 and
the next highest $7.721.
Or he may take available funds
and split them up among a larger
number of clerks, secretaries and
assistants.
Senators from the most popu1-
Gus States get the largest allow
ances for Office assistants.
Senator Ives, Republican. oi
New York. topped the pay list
for the April-June period last yeal
with $15,330 for IA persons. Sena-
tor Downey. Democrat. of Cali
fornia, was second with $15,195
for 13 persons; Senator Myers
Democrat, of Pennsylvania, was
next with $15.125 for 13. while
Senator Knowland. Republican
Of California, ranked fourth with
$1S,096 paid to Is office helpers.
Frear Had Smallest Staff.
Senators Lucas and Douglas
Democrats of Illinois, were JUS
below $4,000 with Is and IA per-
sons on their staffs.
Senator Frear. Democrat Of
Delaware. had the smallest pay.
roll $5,580 and the smallest stat
IS persons on the list.
Senator's from States with les;
than 100000 population have &
minimum basic salary allowance
of $35,400 a year. From 3 to
million persons the Office allow.
ance is $4,000; from to 10 mil,
lion persons 42.420, and above
100000 $43,920.
Actually the salary limit is mucf
higher and varies among Sena
tors. Basic pay does not includ,
some six pay raises voted by Con.
gress with lower -salaried clerk!
getting bigger increases.