Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-22
Drive Pressed
ToAverf Veto
OF Pay Raise J
Buckers Will Fly
TO Denver in Effort
To Sway Eisenhower
By Joseph Young

Politically-SenSitive members
Of Congress are marshalling
forces this week to persuade
President Eisenhower that he
should sign into law the 5 per
cent pay raise legislation for
Government classified and postal
workers.
Despite the Presidents dis
taste for the bill~enacted in the
closing minutes of the congress
sional session Friday, many Re-
publican members disclosed yes
terday they will exert their in
f1uence to get Gen. Eisenhower to
go along with the measure. Some
will even go to Denver to try to
influence the President.
The President and his admin
istrative leaders insisted upon
provisions in the bill for a $240
million postal rate increase and
postal Redistribution authority
for the Postmaster General. Con-
gress included neither.
Senate Majority adler
Knowland and Civil Service
Commission Chairman Philip
Young have predicted that a
veto will follow.
Pressure Being Applied.
But prominent Republicans in
Congress who face stiff election
battles this fall said they will
write. telegraph and visit Gen.
Eisenhower at his summer White
House in Denver In their drive
to get his approval of the leg
iSlation.
Chairman Carlson of the SEN
ate Civil Service Committee said
he believes the President, after
considering all aspects Of the sit
uation. will sign the bill. POST
master General Summerfield, on
the other hand, is expected to
use his influence to get a veto.
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican. of Virginia, is one of
the House members planning to
fly to Denver in the campaign
for approval.
Political Aspects Stressed.
Also. o group of Republicans
are asking House Speaker Mar
tin to urge the President to ap.
prove the legislation.
One House member, who is q
top member of the House Civil
Service Committee. declared:
Lets not kid ourselves. There
are more than a million and a
half Government employees in
this country who live outside Of
Washington and who conse-
quently have the right to vote.
Together with their families.
they constitute a bloc of 5 or
6 million votes.
I'm addition, the opposition Of
the powerfully organized postal
employe unions would murder
some Republicans, especially
those in rural areas and small
towns where the mailman and
rural letter carrier have close
contact with the public and
know the people on their route.
We've got to win in these districts
if we are to keep control of Con-
greSs."
Eisenhower Angry.
A House member who saw the
President yesterday had this to
say:
1.-THE President is really hot
over Congress failure to give him
the rate increase he asked for.
He also is Angry over the failure
to vote postal salary reclassifica-
ton authority to the Postmaster
General.
"He was smiling when I start
ed talking to him, but when I
mentioned the pay raise the
smile disappeared quickly and
he started to frown.
If he had to act on the pay
bill today, he probably would
veto 1t. But / think he will calm
down after few days and sec
that it is best for the Republican
Party that the bill be signed into
law"
The President has 10 days to
sign or veto a bill. The 10 days
start from the time he receives
the measure.
Congressional sources said the
pay bill probably won't reach
Gen. Eisenhower until next
Wednesday. Counting 10 days
from that date, Sundays ex-
cluded, the President will have
until September 6.