The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-04-23
Washington Letter.
OLD AGE RETIREMENT
PROVIDED BY SENATE
Republicans Put Over Great Erform.
Do Away With 10000 Superann-
uated Clerks

Washington, AprilAOld age pen
sions for government employees are
about to become reality and at the
hands of Republican Congress.
Without roll call the measure
went through the Senate and will soon
be taken up by the House as the re-
suit of the fight led by Senator Ster-
ling of South Dakota.
The provisions are applicable to
about 100000 people in the classified
service, including those of the District
of Columbia. Senators who have
studied the measure say that when
fully in operation the system will
create a list of annuitants estimated
at 10000, and it is calculated the gov
ernment will contribute about one
half of the annuities. The other
half will be raised by an assessment
of 2 1-2 per cent on the salaries of
all persons eligible for retirement un-
der the law.
For many years efforts have been
made to enact civil service retire
ment law, but neither house of Con-
gress up to yesterday had ever in
dorsed the proposal.
Chairman Lehlbach, of New Jersey
of the House civil service committee
said he had no doubt of favorable ac-
tion in that body before the adjourn
ment of the session.
AS reported to the Senate, the bill
provided for retirement, with accom-
panying annuities for employees, af-
ter Is years of service, at the age of
65, except that mechanics, letter car
riers, and postal clerks should be ell
igible at 62 and railway postal clerks
at 60.
These ages, Senator Smoot insisted,
were too low and would entail too
heavy an expense upon the govern
ment, and it was upon his insistence
that Senator Sterling agreed to the
compromise of 70 years for all class
es of employees. Persons suffering
disability by reason of disease or in
jury in the service may be retired
under the age fixed.
The maximum annuity will be $720
and the minimum $3.50, descending
with the grade salary. Persons
who have served 80 years and drawn
81 200 or more salary will be entitled
at retirement to the $720 annuity.
Below this it grades down with les
,ening terms Of service. At 27 years
service the annuity would be $648, and
SO on down, 6 per cent taken off for
each three years reduction in the
term Of service, until the class is
reached of those who have served be-
tween Is and 18 years. These will be
entitled to $3.50 annuity during their
lives.
In order to meet the annuity pay
ments, the levy of 2 1-2 per cent on
all salaries is expected to be sufficient
for several years. At the outset
from $500 to 5000 are estimated to
retire practically in a body, taking
from th1 service a considerable accum-
ulation of superannuates. After that
retirements will be gradual, and the
number of annuitants will steadily
grow until it reaches about 10000.
Earlier, the Myers amendment, Of
which would deny to employees affili-
ating with organized labor any Of The
benefits of the law, was rejected, with
Senators Myers, Thomas and Warren
only supporting it. The headquarters
of the National Federation of Federal
Employees gave out statement on
this subject in part as follows:
"The question of affiliation of gov
ernment employees with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor was decisive
ly settled this afternoon so far as the
United States Senate is concerned
when the Myers amendment to the
Sterling-Lelhbach bill for retirment
OF civil service employees was voted
down by 43 to 3.