Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-10

the groups ranking minority n
new Civil Service Commission
Chairman Harris Ellsworth.
Mr.. Ellsworth had with him q
draft Of the administration
proposed basic-major health in
surance program for Federal
workers. The csc chief wanted
to get the views Of Mr.. Murray
and Mr.. Rees before officially
sending the proposals to Con-
lgress. Senator Carlson. Repub-
lican Of Kansas. the top minority
member Of the Senate Civil
Service Committee. also was
consulted.
Mr.. Murray said that, in view
of such unsettled business as
postal rate increase legislation,
the drive Of Federal employe
groups for another pay raise and
the general economy mood Of
Congress. it would be best to wait
q little while before submitting
the health insurance proposal.
The Tennessee Democrat
strongly favors postal rate in
crease legislation, while opposing
Federal pay raises this year. His
view was that until 1t becomes
apparent as to what the out
come will be on postal rate in
crease and pay raise legislation.
it would be well to 60 slow on
the health insurance plan. In
this. Mr.. Rees concurred.
It should be stressed that Mr..
Murray nor Mr.. Rees are OPP
posed as such to health insurance
legislation. But they apparently
don't want to initiate action or
it If postal rate increases fall
through and pay raises are voted
Federal workers this year.
What connection there is be-
tween health insurance benefits
for Federal workers and an in
crease in postage rates is some
thing that has never been salts
factorily explained. But the new
csc officials do not want to
antagonize Mr.. Murray or Mr.
Rees unnecessarily and so will
hold OF the health insurance
proposal for a little while, at
least. But the administration
definitely will send its health in
surance plan to Congress this
year.
DISMAL PAY"-At least one
top Republican postal ofiicial
doesn't agree with the admins
tration on its anti-Federal pay
raise stand.
Robert Schaffer. New York
City Postmaster, says the postal
salaries are dismal" Mr..
Schaffer made the statement
as he announced his resig-
nation to return to the busi-
ness world. He praised postal
workers as the greatest group Of
employees he has ever worked
with and said they have in
creased their productivity 80 per
cent on incoming mail and 26
percent on outgoing mail during
the last three years.
Meanwhile. Government en-
lploye leaders have denounced
the administration for opposing
Federal pay raises.
Roy Hallbeck, legislative d.
rector Of the National Federation
of Post once Clerks, charged
that this Republican admins
tration is devoted to pauperizing
the Nations postal and Federal
employees"
Mr.. Hallbeck ridiculed the adj
ministration's argument that
Federal pay raises would be In
f1ationary. declaring: "Such an
excuse Is as phony as q 81
bill" The postal union officials
noted that only one small pay
raise (for classified and postal
workers. in the past six years,
and that only after two presi-
Dental vetoes Of more generous
bills, is not infiation-it is a
grave injustice to Federal work.
ers."
Vaux Owen. president Of the
National Federation Of Federal
Employees, and James Campbell.
president Of the Federation Of
Government Employees, also is-
sued statements sharply criticiz-
ing the administration. Both
pointed to continuous rounds Of
pay raises for private industry
which have been going on the
last six years without letup." A
Federal pay increase to allow
Government workers to try to
catch up with private industry