More Pay, Less Work

The 79th Congress was in the home stretch, and it could hardly wait for adjournment. But to the surprise of many, it still could lay a foundation for a more efficient legislative plant. It passed the congressional reorganization bill, sent it to the President.

In the tired House, Oklahoma's young, progressive A. S. Mike Monroney, Democrat, teamed with Illinois' Republican Everett Dirksen to push the bill which had been fought through the Senate by Wisconsin's Robert La Follette Jr. In last week's maneuvers they lost the provisions for legislative policy committees for both minority and majority parties, and for an executive-legislative council. The reason: Speaker Sam Rayburn wanted to keep the four-man Democratic policy committee which meets with the President every Monday morning.

Also lost in the House was a provision to give each member of Congress an $8,000-a-year administrative assistant. Many Representatives feared they might be ousted by their assistants.

Eye on Taxes. To get better men into Congress, the House voted, as the Senate had, a $5,000-a-year raise (to $15,000) --but with a difference. Only $12,500 of it will be salary, the rest an expense allowance and thus free of taxation. Saving to a married member with two dependents living on his salary: $926 a year.

As the bill went to the President it was still short many a provision advocated by outsiders, e.g., curbs on the Senate's unlimited debate and on the strangling seniority system, and a hobble on the House Rules Committee. But it was a long step forward. Its key provisions: P: Reduce the crazy-quilt of standing committees from 48 to 19 in the House, from 33 to 15 in the Senate. P: Limit most Senators to service on two committees, most Representatives to one. P:Registration of lobbyists, requiring them to file detailed accounts.

This week, a scant majority of Congressmen remained in Washington. They were exhausted and waspish--from the heat and eight years of overwork.* When they or their successors return in January, they will get more pay for less work--but work of better quality.

*Since January 1939, Congress had been in session 94% of the time, against a previous average of 47%.

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