Evening star., 1920-01-01
RETIREMENT BILLS
PASSAGE FORECAST
May Go Through Within
Three Weeks, Senator
Sterling Tells Conference.

Absolute assurance that the Ster-
ling -Lehibach bill for the retirement
of employees in the classified civil
service would not only be brought up
but passed by both houses of Con-
sress within the next three weeks
was the New Year greetings extended
to government employees throughout
the United States by Senator Thomas
Sterling of South Dakota, in an ad-
dress last night before a business
meeting of the joint conference on
retirement held in the assembly room
of the American Federation of Labor
building
The great numbers scattered
throughout this vast domain affected
by this proposed law makes it a great
subject said Senator Sterling. and
II IS to the reproach of the United
states of America that we have not
before this had civil service re-
tlrement law
Party Platforms Quoted.
He then read extracts from the
republican and democratic platforms
or 19l2 and 1916, in which both of
the great national parties had ad
Nocated an equitable retirement law
providing for the retirement of su-
perannuated and disabled employees.
senator Sterling admitted that de-
lay In the past had been caused some
what hv the lack of unanimitv on
lhe part of government employees
as to which was the more feasible.
the partially or wholly contributory
plan, but said that at present the
former was considered by all con-
cerned to be the more satisfactory,
and added that as public sentiment
was ripe for a retirement law he
could see absolutely nothing now to
prevent the bill. of which he is one
of the sponsors, from becoming a
law,
Explains Partial Plan.
He explained in detail the many ad
vantages to be derived by employees
accepting the partially contributory
plan. which requires the employees to
contribute certain percentage and
the government the balance. over the
wholly contributory arrangement.
whereby the government contributes
all, laying particular stress on the
fact that in the former scheme all
suggestion of charity was eliminated
en- ely--as is often the case with
the ordinary pension-thereby giving
the beneficiary vested interest in
a perfectly proper business transac-
ton
After reading letters from several
la Dor organizations offering their as
sistance. and from the railway post
office deputation of Canada, assuring
MIN t0dC the government tIlpioy
of Canada were heartily in favor OF
the partially contributory plan. and
referring to an article, Federal Em-
ployes Union Would Drop 1nefh-
cient,'" which appeared in Tuesdays
Star, Senator Sterling concluded his
address by saying: Il am thoroughly
convinced that never before In the
history of Congress has a better. more
just and equitable bill been present
ed than the civil service retirement
bill, which aims to reward for faithful
service the men and women who have
given their best in the employ OF
Uncle Sam 1t is a bill that has less
actual criticism. less pointing out OF
defects than any l have ever seen,
and so far as the Senate is concerned,
| can feel it in the air that the Sterl-
ing-LehIbach bill will be passed as II
is now written"
Alcorn Believes Bill Will Pass.
Robert H. AIcorn, chairman OF the
Joint conference committee on retlre-
ment. presided at the meeting, ana
expressed the opinion that the Dill
was sure to pass both houses OF Con-
gress within the next month.
II know of no bill before congress
that has more merit than the Sterl-
ing-Lehlbach bill" said Mr. Alcorn
ut is a genuine business project, and
I cannot but believe that Congress
will treat it as such. However. the
fact must not be overlooked OF tne
great benefits to be derived by the
faithful employees of the govern
ment."