Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-31
|AlNU|TA|gS T0'GET'
AVERAGE OF S30|
|N|G0VER|NNEN| AID
Many Federal Employees De-
icIare Yearly Pension Is
{ Far Too Small.

Average annuity to superannuated
government employees. retired under
the provisions of the civil service re-
tirement law will be between $50 to
$50. it was learned today. The first
a}nuity checks will be mailed to ap-
pibximately SEQ iannuitants tomorrow.
The aforementioned average an
n0ity will apply largely to the, de-
detrimental service in this city, where
mkny of the employees have served
bStweeni thirty and fifty years. 1t Is
believed that the average annuity to-
wbrkefs throughout the country will
bS less than $500.
Fire Chief Gets 5000
Those who hope for higher an
NIFTY to retired workers of the gov
e1nment today pointed to the fact
district fire department., whose re-
tfement has been,.announced. will re-
GIVE pension Of $1,000 under pro-
Weions OF the pension system, pre-
willing in the fire department.
tThis means, it is declared, that the
e<on approximately. three times as
efeat as the average annuity to, be
pkid workers retired in the depart
Mental service
Some of these latter, it is. declared,
hive half century of honorable serv-
il to their credit with Uncle Sam
a$d yet will be retired on an annuity
which can in no sense really care
Il them in their old age.
Hope for Higher Annuities.
4It is regarded likely here that a
movement will be initiated this fall
II get the annuities paid the civil
slrvice superannuates raised to a fig
ufe which will be commensurate with
t&e increased cost of living since the
rytirement legislation was begun.
EMen in the departments declare
that it was only by keeping the an
4ity figures down that the retire.
ent bill was ever enacted into legis-
l4tion- But they point out that the
l4w as adopted has it's annuity figures
sed ON times when living and costs
we're lower and that the annuities
p9ovided are pitifully inadequate.
tThe theory is, of course. that when
AMMAN has worked from thirty to fifty
wars for the government he ought to
ofrn his own home and have a tidy
sm laid away for his last days
Hetween this pleasant theory and the
cfld. hard facts of reality. it is de-
CARED. there is tremendous gap.
How to Live on $3.50 a Year.
SThe result has been that many an
nbitants. find themselves faced with
tie problem of how to live on $3.50
azyear. Other retired superannuates,
o the other hand, draw pensions on
account of war service, will receive
tleir annuity checks and in some in
Stances will receive another pension
fkom organizations with which they
are affiliated. SO that this small class
ID comparatively well taken care of.
fIt' was urged today that the average
annuity for retired superanuua ties
n he 1T
81 200 a year Such fienre would
ave an annuitant a respectable sum
to live upon in his last days even
ctunting the increased cost of living.
1.-THE highest possible annuity which
c4n be paid an annuitant under the re-
tFement law at present is $3.50, and
this is based on average compensation
rtceived in the past and length Of
rvice.
Retirement Date Explained.
officials of the pension office TODAY
corrected an opinion which seems to
Nevail in some sections of the govern
went service here as 10 when a SUPER
6nnuate is retired. They point out
that if man was born on September
6 1910, for instance. he completes his
lSst day in the service September 4.
1920. not September 5, as some seem
tp think That is. September would
be his layt day in the service and Sep
tember would find him no longer in
tbe service.
Employees of the Washington city
6ost Office today for the first time con-
tfibuted to the retirement fund, 2k
per cent of their pay, being subtracted
Ill employees, carriers and clerks, sc
Contributed, with the exception OF
perhaps three laborers, who are not in
the classified service.
4 In the case of a letter carrier earn,
Ing the present maximum rate, $I,8OG
d year, 1918 was taken out of his
monthly pay today for the retirement