CONGRESS: Emolument Pro Tem.

A Senator’s salary is $7,500 a year; the salary of a Vice President and President of the Senate, $12,000. J. R. McCarl, Controller General, ruled that since there is now no Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate succeeds to the emoluments of the Vice President. Accordingly the next President pro tempore has had his salary raised $4,500, and has the use of a Government automobile and the Vice Presidential clerical force.

This is an unusual ruling from Mr. McCarl, watchdog of the Treasury. Hitherto he has chiefly confined himself to cutting the pay of persons in the Army and Navy. Only lately he ruled that persons contracting occupational diseases in Government service could not receive compensation because they could not establish a definite date on which they received injuries. President Coolidge disapproved this ruling.

Mr. McCarl’s magnanimity to the next President pro tempore of the Senate adds new interest to the queston of who will next occupy that post. Senator A. B. Cummins of Iowa (co-parent of the railroad act) is now the possessor of that office. But Senator Cummins’ health has been none too good. It was generally understood at the conclusion of the last Congress that he would not seek again to become President pro tempore. Senator Curtis of Kansas was expected to succeed to the post. Senator Moses of New Hampshire has been mentioned. Reports from Washington declare that Senator Cummins’ health has improved during the Summer and he may desire to preside over the Senate in the next Congress.