Two in One

To increase the salaries of postal employes and to require the publication of campaign contributions--two objects, apparently diverse--were incorporated by the Senate into one bill. The Senate then approved the combined measure by vote of 73 to 3. The history of the union is brief: A proposal to increase the salaries of post office clerks, carriers and miscellaneous employes was introduced early in the Congressional session. It required some $150,000,000 a year extra expenditure. The bill had large support, but the sum was considered incompatible with government economy. The pay increases were accordingly scaled down until the cost of the bill was about $60,000,000 a year. Then on the floor of the Senate, Mr. Borah proposed an amendment. He argued that in the past it had been political practice, in spite of law to the contrary, to levy on postal officials for contributions to campaign funds--and in this way the employes failed to get the full advantage of their pay and the Government paid part of campaign expenses. So he proposed that all committees, persons, parties, taking active part in an election, be obliged to publish, every ten days during the campaign, lists of all contributions received, giving the amount offered and the name, address and office, if any, of the donor; further that all campaign deficits be published and monthly lists of those who contributed to make up such deficits be given after each election. As penalty for failure in these duties he attached a $5,000 fine, one year in prison, or both. This proposition was such that none of the unco-good Senators could oppose it. Senator Robinson, Democratic Floor Leader, assisted in framing it. Senator Edge, sponsor of the bill, thought the publicity clause had no place in a postal salary measure. So he refrained from voting on the amendment. The vote showed 55 Senators in favor of the Borah amendment, and none opposed. In the passage of the completed measure, the vote was almost as unanimous--73 to 3. Senator Borah, however, was one of the three voting in the negative, in verbal protest against spending $60,000,000 more. No one was deceived in the real intent and purpose of the Borah amendment. Its relation to postal salaries is purely formal and entirely secondary. Its purpose is to keep tab on both parties during the coming campaign. A few days later the House passed a similar bill. The salary increases proposed in the House bill were slightly greater and made the necessary expenditure about $64,000,000 a year. However, the House bill did not carry a provision for publicity of campaign contributions. It was necessary to send the two bills into joint conference to arrive at a uniform proposal.