Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-17
SENATORS ADOPT
RETIREMENT BILL;
GOES TO OpRES|DENT
Marks elimination of Efforts
to Have Congress Act
Upon Plan.

The Senate today adopted the con-
ference report on the civil service re
tirement bill. The House has alread!
acted favorably on the conference re
port. The bill now goes to the Presi
dent for his approval.
The action taken by the Senate to-
DAY marks the elimination of the
efforts to have Congress act faVorabiy
on a plan providing for the retirement
and pension of Superannuated clH1
employees of the government which
has extended over period of many
years.
What Bill Provides.
The bill which is known as the
Sterling Lehlbach bill. provides for
the retirement of employees in the
classified civil service of the govern
ment and employees of the District OF
Columbia at age of seventy. 1t is pro-
Vided however. that mechanics. city
and rural letter carriers and post Of
flee clerks shall be eligible for retire
ment at sixty-five years of age. and
railway postal clerks at sixty-two,
provided they shall have rendered at
least fifteen years service.
The provisions of the act include
superintendents of United States ma
tional cemeteries. employees of the su-
perintendent of the United States Cap
itol building and grounds. the Library
of Congress and the Botanic Garden
excepting persons appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Sem
ate, and may he extended by eXecu-
tive order upon recomme of
the Civil Service Commission to in
clude any emp1oye or group of en-
ployeS in the civil service not classi
fled at the time of the passage of the
act.
1t shall include also all regular
annual employees os the municipal
government of the District including
those receiving per diem compensa-
rion paid out of general appropria-
tions. but whose services are con-
tinuous. including public school en-
ployes except school officers and
teachers. who are cared for under
separate act. and excepting members
of the police and fire department, who
are also cared for separately.
Determine Annuity.
In order to determine the amount
Of annuity which the retired employees
shall receive. the bill establishes
classification and rates. according to
the length of service and the aver
age annual basic salary. In no case
shall the annuity exceed S720 or be
less than S1So.
An employe must have served for at
least fifteen years to receive an an
nuity upon retirement. The bill pro-
vides that any employe who shall
have served for at least fifteen years.
who before reaching the age of re-
tirement becomes totally disabled for
useful ard efficient service by rea-
son of disease or injury. not due to
vicious habits or willfuI misconduct 5
shall he eligible to retirement with
annuity.
The employees are required to con-
tribute monthly 2l2 per cent of their
Of the sa pension fund a IN Rs Se efeae,en federal
government is to make up the balance
required to meet the annuities. The
contributions are to be deducted by
the disbursing officer
In the case of an employe who
Leaves the service before becoming
eligible for retirement on an annuity
the total amount of deduction Of
salary. with accrued interest shall
upon application be returned to the
employe. In the event of the death
of an employe before he shall have
reached the age of retirement the
total amount of deduction, with ac-
legal representatives of the empIoye.
and if he shall die without having re-
ceived in annuities an amount equal
the total amount of the deduction
from his or her salary. together with
interest thereupon at 4 per cent per
annum compounded. the excess of the
accumulated deductions shall be paid
to his or her legal representatives.
Ihe annultIeS granted under the
terms of the bill are due and payable
monthly. The commissioner of pen
sions is to have the administration of
the act. though the Secretary of the
Treasury is to handle the deduction
and invest the money contributed by
the employees.
The sum OF 100000 is authorized to
be appropriated for salaries and for
clerical and other services in connec-
tion with the carrying out of the pro-
visions of the act. Ninety days after
the approval of the act the employes
covered in its provisions shall be
eIig ible for ret tjrcrn,ut