Evening star., 1951-10-11
1917 Service Pay Rise
Advocated byLoyettto.
EquaIize U. 5. Scales
By John A. Giles

Defense Secretary Lovett today
asked Congress to boost the pay
of all military personnel 10 per
cent to bring their wages into
harmony with the pay scales now
paid to individuals. in industry,
business and government.
Mr.. Lovett told a House Armed
Services subcommittee that the
increase, which is limited to $500
ANNUALLY per individual. would
cost the taxpayer $81s,8 million
per year.
Funds for the projected raises
are not included in the $50 billion
military appropriation bill and
would have to be included in a
I supplemental act.
/ Post Rise Held Overdue
/ Mr.. Lovett, strongly advocating
the increase for uniformed per-
sonnel, told the legislators that
a revision of military pay two
years ago was long overdue at
that time. That act was based on
the recommendations of civilian
commission headed by Charles
r. Hook, president. of the Ameri-
can Rolling Mill Corp.
! 'It was not the plan of this
commission merely to provide
pay for members of the armed
services adequate to meet their
needs as measured by the eco
nonic situation at that time, but
rather to establish a pattern of
l pay which should not be regarded
| as fixed but should be susceptible
to percentage increases and de-
creases in accordance with general
economic trends" Mr.. LoVett de-
| clared.
Termed Fair Criterion
| He said the Defense Depart
ment wished to make it clear that
it regarded the Hook Commits
sion's pattern of pay as a fair
criterion and did not wish that
pattern upset.
He pointed to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics ard other Gov
eminent agencies reports that
there had been a 10 per cent in
crease in the cost of living.
'"The rise in cost of living has
been no less a hardship on men,
bers Of the armed forces than it
has on civilian employees of the
Government and workers in in
dustry," he said, pointing out that
Congress had given Civil Service
workers a pay boost.
Hardships Alleged.
Uniformed personnel have suf-
fered additional increased hard
ships, he said, because of the in
creased cost of transportation.
acute housing shortages at mill
tary posts and problems arising
from the dislocation of family
units and separation of depend
ents from the wage Garner due to
military service.
81 sincerely believe that an in
crease of approximately 10 per
cent is necessary at this time to
alleviate financial hardship and to
sustain morale in the light Of
increases granted to industry and
other Government employees" he
concluded
Chairman Kilday. Democrat. OF
Texas. questioned Mr.. Lovett about
the $800-a-year ceiling and the
Secretary replied that If the pro-
vision was eliminated it would cost
an additional $450,000.
The bill also would make the
pay increase retroactive to July
i and Mr.. Kilday commented he
was "traditionally allergic" to such
provisions.
Mr.. Lovett replied it was put in
the bill in the hope the pay in
crease for military personnel
would be comparable to that al
ready given civilian workers.
Assistant Secretary of Defense
Anna M. Rosenberg, Admiral Will
liam Fechteler, Chief of Naval
Operations, and Gen. Hoyt S. Van
denberg. Air Force Chief of Staff,
also were scheduled to testify.
The bill was prepared by the
Defense Department, but it re-
ceived a setback yesterday when
the Senate Armed Services Com
mittee decided to shelve it until
January. Despite this, Mr.. Kilday
said he hoped to get it through
the House before adjournment.