The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-02
Civil SERVICE
Law EXPECTED
President Mckee Says He Be-
lieves Wilson Will Support
Retirement Bill.
u. S. EMPLOYEES CONVENE
Extension OF Merit System One of
Projects to Be Urged by
zoo Delegates.

Il have been assured from the highest
influential sources that we will have 4
civil-service retirement bill placed upon
Congress. and / venture the opinion that
the civil service will find President Will
son its friend in the next Congress
Andrew w. Mckee, president of the
National Association OF Civil Service
Employees, yesterday stirred the third an
nual convention of that body to cnthu-
siasm with the above statement. deliver
ed In the course OF his annual address.
Nearly all the SOC delegates assembled in
the auditorium of Elks' Hall. who rep
resented so per cent OF the 2il.Go classI-
fed employees Of the Federal government.
accepted President MCkee's statement
as meaning that Mr.. Wilson has decided
to put through the Hamill-Penrose bIll
Tor the retirement of civil service ON
ployeS. when Congress again assemblies.
President Mckee outlined the purpose
of the association as being the extension
of the merit system. preservation of In"
civil service and an equitable retirement
law and praised the provision OF the
IIamilI-PenroSe bill Mr.. Mckee cited
figures to show that the government
would he the chief bencfactor from re-
tircment law, saying
Says United states Would Gain.
Executive heads % the various de
partments recognize that If the 6.Je' EN-
ployes now eligible for retirement for
service or age should be relieved OF duty
under the plan proposed in the HamHi
bill il would not be necessary to ip-
point more than one-third Of that NUM-
Der to replace those retired
e tl,A q
Sc. 5r.OIb. BY retiring the 6,5co employees
on half nay the government would pay
out g $50 COO and have surplus of go
OOs To replace the employees retired. cy
employing one-third young. ACTIVE en-
pIoyes to do the work Of the $50 retired.
the government would have t" pay only
&. 1900 This would mean money
saving TO the government OF &LJp."c
year.
President Mckee said recent enactment
of the law combining the life saving and
revenue cutter services into the coast
guard retiring members OF the coast
guard after thirty Years service on a"
per cent Of their pay. has paved the way
for retirement Of all civil service en-
ployes. Mr. Mckee pointed out that the
principle OF retirement has been adopted
by the government and that. lie said. is
perhaps the biggest gain Yet made In
the nSht Tor civil service ieNit'H'eii''
Near Victory in senate.
Only a point OF order or the floor OF
the Senate prevented Congress from put
ting civil service employees in the War
Dcuartment upon CivIl pensions of % per
cent OF their pay at the age OF sixty
five wears in the opinion of President
Mckee. Senator Chamberlain. chairman
of tse Military Affairs Committee. favor
ably repOrted such a provision TO the
senate with the army appropriations bill,
said Mr.. Mckee. but the amendment was
knocked out because it was general legis-
latiOn
The dele gates considered the address OF
President Mckee of such vital interest
10 civil service employees that a resolu-
ton was adopted to order the address
printed and distributed to all civil service
employees in the United States.