Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-24
Sc Pei. Sought
AS Compromise
On Pay Increase
But White House
Indicates Goodness
As Union Hits Plan
By Joseph Young

W SoSSph tVuU9
The Republican leadership
has asked President Eisenhower
if he will support a compromise
8.6 per cent average pay raise
for postal workers, in a move to
reach quick accord on Federal
pay legislation.
Indications at the White
House were that the President
would not accept the proposal.
White House Press Secretary
James c. Hagerty refused any
comment except to say that he
believed the Presidents position
had been made very clear in his
recent letter on the subject and
in his press conference remarks
yesterday.
The implication was that Mr..
Eisenhower was standing by his
decision that any increase be-
yond 7.6 per cent would be too
much.
The S.6 per cent proposal.
made by Senator Case, Repub-
lican. of New Jersey, has won a
lot of favor among his G. o. P.
colleagues. 1t will be offered
as an amendment to the postal
pay bill, If Mr.. Eisenhower should
give his approval.
If the 8.6 per cent average
postal pay raise were approved
by the Senate, then the Senate
Republicans will support a 7
per cent increase for classified
employees.
Union Cool to Figure
Postal employee union leaders
said the Republican SO per cent
proposal was inadequate and
urged the Senate to approve q
10 per cent increase.
Both the classified and postal
pay bills before the Senate con-
tain the 10 per cent increases
approved by the Senate Civil
Service Committee.
The Republican leadership had
planned to offer amendments to
the two bills that would have
trimmed the increases to 7.6 per
cent for postal workers and 6
per cent for classified employees.
However, at a Senate Republic
can policy meeting yesterday,
called in an effort to reach party
unity on the 7.6 per cent figure,
number of G. o. P. Senators
said they felt this increase was
too small. Senator Case then
proposed the SO per cent postal
raise and this found general
favor among many of those
present.
White House Move Follows
1t was decided to put the mat
ter to the White House and ask
for the Presidents reaction.
Meanwhile, Chairman Johnston
of the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee said most of his fellow
Democrats would continue 10
fight for 10 per cent raises for
classified and postal workers as
contained in his committees bill.
The outcome will hinge on the
substitute amendments to trim
the pay amounts that will be
offered by Senator Carlson, Re-
publican, of Kansas.
Senator Carlson, who is rank
ing minority member of the Sem
ate Civil Service Committee, has
indicated he will sponsor the SO
per cent postal pay raise amend
ment if he gets the White House
nod. Otherwise, he will sponsor
the 7.6 per cent amendment for
postal workers and per cent for
classified employees.
The Senate has scheduled &C
ton on classified pay legislation
as soon as it finishes with postal
pay.
Narrow Margin a Factor
Senate Republicans favoring
the 8.6 per cent postal pay
amendment feel it might attract
a few Democratic votes and
thereby be approved. The DEM
ocratic leadership will oppose
the amendment and seek APP
prevail of the 10 per cent p in
crease instead. With the close
division in the Senate-49 DEM
ocrats and Al Republicans-the
outcome should be decided by a
narrow margin either way.
Senator Carlson declared yes
terday that, should the Repub-
lican amendments prevail. quick
accord could be reached with
the House. He said this would
insure enactment of Federal pay
raise legislation in the next few
weeks.
Otherwise, he said. it might
take months, since the House
shows no inclination to act on
postal and classified pay until
at least after the Easter recess.