Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-01
HOUSE DECREASES
RETIREMENT AGE
|NPASS|NG BILL
so, 81 and IS Years Speci-
ed for Annunities by
Amendments.

The civil service retirement bill. which
win benefit approximately 100000 gov
eminent employees in the classified serv-
ice. including District employees. those
in the Panama Canal Zona and all over
the United States. was passed by the
House yesterday. 273 to 80. 1t already
has passed the Senate. but number OF
amendments were made by the House.
principally in reducing the age OF retire.
ment. and these differences will be set
tied in conference.
AS passed by the House. the general
retirement age is sixty-hve lnsteao OF
eeventy years. as approved by the Sen.
ate The House also set the age at
sixty years for railway mail clerks ana
sixty-two years for mechanics. city and
rural letter carriers and post office
clerks.
President to Get Bill Soon.
There are strong indications that the
measure will soon go TO the PRESIDENT
for his signature. after which II does
not become operative for ninety GAYS
but is retroactive to include all those
who were employees of tn. government
on September 80. 1919.
The House yesterday refused. by a
vote of 81 to 6. to recommit the Dill
on motion of Representative Blanton.
d0mOCTdt, VI itAtS, lol ehc PoA
of excluding from its benefits any en-
ploye in any way affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor
Two principal amendments adopted
by the House yesterday We're:
One by Representative Dickinson or
Iowa. which provides that no person
within the District of Columbia who
retires during the coming fiscal year
shall be replaced by additional en-
ployes.
The other was by Representative
Luce, republican. of Massachusetts,.
and provides that in case of death
Of q beneficiary. where the contribu-
tary amount deducted from salary
does not exceed S10o such sum may
be paid by the commissioner of pen
sions to the person who in his 1udg-
ment Is entitled to receive it, pro-
yided a demand has not been received
from a duly qualified executor or ad-
ministrator within three months.
Reject Proposal Raising Payments.
were rejected. One OF these, was Of
fered by Representative Black. demo-
crat, of Texas. which would have in
creased the amount to be deducted
from the salaries of employees from
2h per cent to per cent. A similar
amendment offered in the Senate was
likewise rejected.
As the measure now stands. with the
approval of both houses. the federal
employees will contribute about 50 per
cent and the federal government will
make up the other 65 per cent of the
retirement fund.
The act will be administered by the
commissioner of pensions. under the
supervision of the Secretary of the
Interior The retirement annuities
based on length of service are gradu-
ated-the maximum being s12O and
the minimum $50. Besides reaching
the retirement age the employe to
share in the benefits of this measure
must have been fifteen years in the
service Of Uncle Sam. To receive the
maximum annuity an employee must
have been at least thirty years in
service at a salary of not less than
$1,000 Those whose salaries are less
than $1,000 will receive an annuity OF
so per cent of their salaries.