Evening star., 1955-05-16
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Fight on Likely
Pay Bill Veto
Eisenhower Moy
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Senate Democratic leaders to-
day were reported ready to make
the first attempt to override a
veto by President Eisenhower If,
as expected, he disapproves the
postal pay increase bill.
The showdown could come in
the Senate tomorrow if a veto
is announced today.
Senator Monroney, Democrat,
of Oklahoma, a member of the
Post Office and Civil Service
Committee which handled the
bill, said he fully expected an
effort to override the President
. in the event of a veto.
Having come this far down
the road in an effort to get a
substantial pay raise for the
postal workers." he said, I'VE
would not balk at going the last
mile"
Knowland Expects Veto
Meanwhile, Senate Republican
Leader Knowland said he ex-
pected Mr.. Eisenhower to veto
the measure. The Californian
said he thought the President
would act on the bill early this
week.
Senator Knowland said he was
certain the Senate would sustain
the veto. Overriding Presiden-
tial veto requires two-thirds
majority vote of Congress and
the Senator predicted the vote
to override would fall far short
of such a majority.
If a veto is sustained, Senator
Knowland said that I'VE will
have to start all over again" on
a bill providing a 7.6 per cent
postal pay bill. House and Sem
ate Republicans also are plan
ming action on 6 per cent pay
raise bill for classified employees.
Democrats in Command
Mr.. Eisenhower has vetoed
several dozen bills in his two
years and four months in Office,
but nearly all have been of
minor nature.
No real effort was made to
overthrow his decision on any Of
these measures. Congress was
under Republican control in the
first two years of his adniinistra-
ton. but Democrats now hold the
edge.
Last August, Mr.. Eisenhower
let die a bill carrying a 5 per
cent pay increase for the half
million postal employees and also
the million classified civil service
workers. Congress. already ad-
journed, had no opportunity to
pass on this.
Senate Democratic leaders
were cautious about pre0icting
whether they could muster
enough votes to override postal
pay veto. They said it would
depend on how many G. o. P.
Senators would go along with
the 8.8 per cent measure.
The Senate passed that COM
promise bill 66-11 and the House
1886. Both majorities were
far more than enough to over
ride. But many lawmakers said
this was no indication of how
the vote would go when the issue
Is to sustain an action Of the
President.
Senate Test Comes First
The Senate would have to act
on a veto first. If 1t backed up
the President, the House would
not vote.
Senator Carlson, Republican,
of Kansas, senior Republican on
the Post Office and Civil Service
Committee. predicted a veto
would be sustained.
Senator Monroney said if a
veto should be sustained, Con-
gress probably would move
quickly to give the postal work
ers a 7.6 per cent pay raise.
Senator Carlson said he would
have such a bill ready for intro
duction Immediately after the
rollcall on the veto message.
Several Senators said the best
indication of what would hap
pen was a 52-41 vote by which
an effort to put over the 7.6 per
cent bill was defeated. The un-
successful attempt was made on
March Is to substitute that plan
for 10 per cent raise, which
the Senate then went ahead and
passed. The House later ap-
proved a lower rate, and the
compromise followed.
On the crucial test, 43 Senate
Democrats and nine Republicans
voted for an increase of 10 per
cent, the figure originally sought
by the postal unions. But 38
Republicans and three Demo-
Gratis voted for the President. If
he could hold the bulk of these
on a veto showdown, he would
win.
Ma Nkic AfAlT