The Washington herald., 1920-05-12
THOMAS SCORES
RETIRING BILL
Asserts Civil Service En-
ployes Aim to Quit and
Enter Business.
OPPOSES PENSION PLAN
Charges Rod Of Implied
Menace Held Over Heads
OF Congressman.
OPPOSES PENSION PLAN

An attack upon the conference
report on the Sterling-Lehlbach civl
service retirement bill was made In
the Senate yesterday by Senator
Thomas of Colorado, who declared
that he knew of number OF civil
service employees who were expect
ing to retire under the law and tnen
engage in some other business while
drawing pension from the govern
ment.
we are told that the service is
imperiled," said Thomas. by the
large number of employees who are
leaving on account of the small pay.
and vet we are encouraging them to
leave by paying them to do L
intend to submit a resolution call
ing on the Senate to decline to as
sent to this conference report.
DepIores Changing Limit.
"It is most unfortunate that the
report reduces the age of retirement.
Under its provisions many EN-
ployes are authorized to retire AT
the ages of So and 65, thereby de-
priyinE the government of some OF
the most productive and efncient
years of their lives. when many Will
be in full possession of mental ana
physical vigor.
Il am reliably informed that
many men now in government serV-
ice intend to take immediate ad-
vantage of the retirement proVls-
stons to enter private employment
at prevailing rates Of compensation
and at the same time draw $7OO TO
$3.50 a year from the government
treasury. Such a course ! consider
infensible and ineXcusable. the
l. IL n q ~ n-
stitution.
The civil service is organized,
thanks to the liberality and encour-
agement of the present administra-
ton. Its rank and file act as
unit and are verifying the appre-
tensions of those who opposed the
civil service system over thirty
years ago. They possess political
power and hold the rod of an i'm
piled merace over the head of every
member of Congress. l am in favor
of retirement, but under reasonable
and just age Limitations.
What would be thought of q
private corporation which retired
its men and women in the prime OF
, their powers? 1t might be regard
ed as philanthropy. but it would
certainly demoralize the working
force"
FavOrS 30 Years as Limit.
Il don't know" replied Senator
Sterling. of South Dakota one OF
the authors of the measure, ANY
valid objection to 20 years as the
age of retirement. This is the limit
fixed generally by the conference
report for governmsnt employees
The House confereeS insisted on :
distinction between these genera
employees and city and rural mai
carriers, postoffice clerks and me
chanics. For these employees II
made the retirement age 65 years
with So years for railway postal
clerks. I think 1t quite fair thai
rural carriers. for instance, who
: must travel a route more thar
thirty miles in length every day in
all sorts of weather should be re-
tired before the stress of theil
duties wears them out"
There are many farmers in my
state" replied Thomas, who are
past 20 and still do the heavy labor
a farmer must do, and they hav,
no retirement"
Senator Sterling declared that il
had long been a reproach to thi!
government, that alone among th'
great nations of the world 1t haC
made no provision for the retire
ment of it's government servants
He pointed out the letter carriers
and other employees whose retire
ment age was fixed at less than n