Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-03
Compromise Or Else

Tempering initial citation over the
Senate's fortnight approval of higher
postal rates, including temporary Ave
cent rate for first class mail, is the
realization that the postage bill has been
tied to highly controversial postal pay
measure. 1t is true that the administra-
ton has urged that postal fees be in
creased along with postal salarieS-but
the pay raise proposed by the Senate is
far greater than President Eisenhower
had suggested. There is serious doubt
that the, President will accept a postal
pay boost double that which he had
recommended.
The President and Postmaster Gen.
eral Summerf1eld justifiably have been
concerned over the ever-mounting postal
deficit, now climbing toward the billion
dollar mark. That is why they have
insisted on higher postage coincident
with higher pay. The Senate-approved
bill would increase postal revenues more
than $700 million year. But the pay
hikes for postal workers and for CLASH
ned employees voted by the Senate would
more than Offset the increase in rev.
enueS.
Furthermore, the Senate pay plan
would discriminate unfairly In favor Of
postal employees as against classified
personnel in other departments Of the
Government. Whereas million CLASH
fed workers would receive an increase
Of about rs per cent, postal employees
would get an average of 12.5 per cent.
During the debate in the Senate, admin
stration spokesman indicated that the
President might go along reluctantly
with an 8.5 per cent raise for both postal
and classified employees. They expressed
belief, however, that he would not accept
any higher raises for either group-and
that he strongly believes that no favorit-
ism should be shown either group.
1t is clear, therefore, that the pay
issue will have to be resolved in con-
ference, if it is resolved at all. The
House already had voted for pay in
creaSeS for postal and classified en-
ployes so high that presidential veto
has been predicted. It should be easier
to resolve in conference the differences
between postal rates than those arising
over pay proposals. The House has APP
proved rate increases substantially the
same as those approved by the Senate
except that the Senate wisely has in
dorsed three-year f1ve-cent charge for
first class mail, as compared with the
four-cent fee proposed by the House.
The f1ve-cent rate would apply only to
out-of-town letters. After three years
a four-cent fee would be charged for
all first class mail, as the House has
recommended The additional revenue
from the f1ve-cent rate would be used to
improve postal services.
Congress should face the rate and
pay problems with a determination to
reach a compromise that will not meet
with presidential veto. The Sem
ate's approval, at long last, of a reason
able postal rate increase provides a
supreme opportunity for Congress and
the President to deal effectively with the
enormous postal deficit. And, stimuli
taneouSly, the opportunity is at hand to
adjust Government pay to level that
will help to stabilize Federal employ
ment and promote governmental efflci-
ency. The chance to achieve these things
should not be lost through petty bicker-
Ing and politics.