Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27
A RETIREMENT FUND
Prominent Feature ofthe Proposed
Weather Bureau Reorganization.
I, -
DEDUCTIONS FROM fHE SALARIES
Provisions for Appointment, Pro-
motion and Dismissal
A BILL OF WIDE SCOPE

- - -
A legislative measure which is deemed to
be of considerable Importance to employees
of the executive departments at Washing
ton is now pending before the House. This
is the bill Oh. r. 1885, to reorganize the
weather bureau, which the House commit
tee on agriculture authorized. last Wednes-
day. to be favorably reported as stated in
The Star at the time.
Chairman Wadsworth has been working
on the bill since then. by direction of the
committee, perfecting its verbiage. He has
completed this task and the bill is now on
the House calendar. ready to be called up
for consideration in order.
While the provisions of this bill apply
only to the weather bureau, the measure is
considered important from the fact that it
will test the sense of Congress upon the
question of providing a retirement fund in
bureau of an executive department of
the government. Such proposition has
been before House committee heretofore
but never coupled with the official indorse-
ment. which this bill carries.
The sections of the bill creating the re-
tirement fund, as amended by direction of
the committee, provide as follows:
A Retirement Fund.
Sec. s. That beginning the LIST day of
July, 1900, there shall be withheld each
month from the salaries of the employees of
the weather bureau, drawing salaries of
$3.50 per annum and upward texcept that
retired officers and enlisted men of the
army and navy shall not be assessed or re-
ceive retirement pay under the provisions
of this acO, 3 per centum or so much there
of as the retirement board hereinafter de-
scribed may determine to be necessary for
Snanifad
withheld to be deposited in the treasury of
the United States to the credit of the
weather bureau retirement fund as
special deposit, which, with the approval
of the chairman of the retirement board.
shall be subject to requsition by the dis
bursting officer of the weather bureau, and
for which the official bond of the latter
shall be liable. to be expended by him for
the benefit of the employees who shall be
retired upon the plan and under the pro-
visions of this act.
Provided, That on all moneys so with
held from the salaries of such employees the
government shall pay no interest: that on
and after the list day of July, 1860, en-
ployes in the weather bureau SERVE who are
subject to the provisions of this act shall be
retired from such service and paid an
nuity equal to a per centum hereinafter
named: Provided, That such retirement
shall be made under and subject to the
following conditions:
Par, /. Employees now or hereafter in
the weather bureau who have been en-
ployed in the said bureau for period OF
ten years or more, including service in the
Signal Corps, United States army. prior to
July l. 1891. and who are disabled for the
performance of their duties, as determined
by the retirement board hereinafter named,
may be retired, and, when so retired shall
be paid annuity equal to 80 per centum
Of the average annual pay that they may
have received during the last five years
previous to their retirement.
Par . Employees who have been en-
Ix..,1 for in6 of
twenty years. and those who have been
employed thirty years and who are dis
abed for the performance of their duties:
may be retired. and. when SO retired, shall
be paid an annuity equal to 40 per centum
and 80 per centum. respectively, of the
average annual pay they may have received
during the last five years previous to their
retirement. stiiI
Par. B. Employees who have reached the
age of sixty years and have been employed
thirty years may be retired. and when re-
tired shall be paid 90 per centum or the
average annual pay they may have received
during the last five years previous 10 their
retirement.
Par. l. Employees who have reached the
age of sixty-five years and who have been
employed thirty years shall be compulso-
rly retired and shall be paid IS per cent
Of the average annual pay they may have
received during the last five years previous
to their retirement: and any person who
shall attain the age Of sixty-five years
vice shall be retired and receive annually
one-thirtieth of the 10 per cent of salary
for each year of his service:
PRO rided, That in all cases where en-
ployes shall voluntarily leave the govern
ment service or be removed therefrom for
cause they shall forfeit to the retirement
fund the amount of salary withheld under
the provisions of this act. but IL those who
voluntarily have retired thereafter re-enter
said service they shall be entitled to the
benefit of the time they may have served
prior to the time of leaving such service:
..And be it further provided. That all re-
tired employees and officials shall be subject
to the orders of the chief of the weather
bureau Tor emergency or temporary assign
ments to duty for periods not to exceed
sixty days i'll any one calendar year without
additional compensation.
Par. 3. That any employee who has con-
tributed as herein provided to the weather
bureau retirement fund hereby authorized
who shall die before retirement shall have
paid to the person reYiously designated bv
him, but no other person, Is per cent of
the amount of salary withheld during his
term Of office and deposited in said fund
The Retirement board.
The bill creates a retirement board, to
consist of the chief of the weather bureau
and two employees of the bureau, to be
selected by the Secretary of Agriculture
and all retirements. both compulsory and
voluntary, shall be made upon the recon-
proval of the Secretary of Agriculture:
Provided. That in no case shall retire.
ment be made unless the current revenues
of the retirement fund be sufficient to bear
the additional expense. 1t is also provided
THAT for the first ten years after this act
goes into effect there shall be withheld
from the annuity paid to retired employees
of the weather bureau monthly sum equal
to the amount withheld for the month i'm
mediateiy preceding retirement: and such
sum shall be retained in the weather bu-
reau retirement fund and paid out as other
moneys In said fund are authorized to be
expended: Provided, That the length of
service of all persons who may enter the
weather bureau on or after the date on
which this act goes into effect shah, for
the purpose of retirement, be computed
from the date of their first assessment for
the weather bureau retirement fund"
Filling Vacancies.
The bill also makes some changes in the
method of selecting employees for the SER
vice The civil service. commission shall
conduct all examinations for original an
pofntment and the chIsf of fhe weather bu-
reau shall originate and conduct examina-
lions for promotions.