Science Past from the issue of March 10, 1962

KENNEDY URGES BETTER PAY — President John F. Kennedy’s proposal to raise the pay scale for top Government employees should help stem the flow of scientists and engineers now leaving public service for much higher pay in industry…. The top Government salary under most scales is $18,500 a year. Many top positions are not filled because prospective employees would not consider less than $25,000. A comparison of salaries of Government employees and industry employees is remarkable, if not appalling. GS-16 workers, for example, receive between $15,200 and $16,200 while equivalent workers in industry receive at least $20,000 with a median of $25,900.