Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-10

.usTIcr FOR POSTAL EMPLOYEES.

has stuck to his job in spite of the
treatment he mas received, seems to
be in sight as far as pensions are con-
cerned, at least. The civil service re-
tlrement bill has at last been agreed
upon in conference between the two
houses of congress, having been pass
ed by both the senate and House
although I'm a different form. The con-
ference committee will soon report and
it is expected the measure VIII become
a law Before ongress adjourns.
The bill provides that each civil ser
vice employe shall contribute from his
salary throughout the term of his m
ployment two and one-half per cent
of his salary toward retirement in MS
old age. and 1t provides that when the
time for retirement comes his retire
ment shall be the basis upon a GER
tain percentage of his salary during
the last ten years, proportionate to his
length OF service: that a person VINO
has been in the service for thirty years
or more shall be entitled TO an annuity
of sixty per cent. of his salary and a
person who has been in the service of
Tho government from twenty-seven to
thirty years gets a smaller percentage
OF his salary, but there is a maximum
of 1920 for the %annulties and a mini
mum of $3.50.
While this pension scheme is vel
coined by the postal employe 1t will be
noted that a certain amount VIII be
taken out of the employees salary to
help make up this retirement fund.
With the salary already grossly In
sufficient for the man TO live on. to re-
duce this stipend at this time, even II
II is for the purpose of storing up a
surplus for old age. will be a great
hardship.
Even IL there were no pension fund
to be built up, a raise In salary Is
necessary for postal employees If they
are going to be able to exist. Many
now are u6DtllutlN vi ht9tN 49,
exc out a living. There should be a
raise In pay TO the postal employees
under present conditions; If a certain
sum is to be taken out of their pay
every month for the pensions, the
raise is all the more necessary and III
should be sufficient to meet this
monthly assessment and more besides
or else the employe, as far as present
living is concerned. will be no better
off than he is now.
Discussing this feature of the In
crease in pay for postal employees the
Newark Evening News says:
.'The maximum earnings of trained
ana exnerienced employees still stand at
from ffty-hve to f%fty-nine cents an
hour. depending upon the number OF
DAVIS in the month, whereas tenn
porary help and substitutes receive
sixty cents an hour. They receive no
extra rate for overtime. and no diff
ferential on night work.
1.-THE postal act of February 2S'
1919, created a joint commission OF
congress. authorized Ito investigate the
salaries of postmasters and employees
of the postal service with a view OF
Reconsideration and readjustment OF
such salaries on an equitable basis
And this commission was directed ito
report by bin or otherwise, as soon as
practicable, the result Of its investiga-
ton and wha Reconsideration and re
adjustment of compensation should bt
made" The commission began IT.
hearings in April, thirteen months ago
II has finished it's hearings, but 1t ha'
not made its report. What 1t WI
recommend is unknown. News dis
patches tell merely that the chairman
hopes to make a commission repor
within two weeks, and that some in
creases. it is hoped. will be recon
mended.
sIn the mean time the Sterling
Lehlbach civil service retirement bill
has been passed by both houses an
has been agreed 10 in conference.
passed by the senat the bill woui'
pension civil servan after tfteei
years of service and on attaining III
age of seventy years. Representative
Lehlbach has urged that the age hm'
be reduced to sixty-ive years for cit
and rural letter carriers and for post
office clerks and mechanics. and I
sixty-two years for railway mail clerks
and these changes have been aceepte'
by the senate conferees.
1T is now too late in the session t
assure full and final consideration o
the expected report of the joint con
gressional commission, for the hsca
year begins July l. and the postal ap
preparations must be prepared befor
that date. The postal employees ar
asking for provisional increases base
upon the increase of the cost of hvint
- the letter carriers put 1t. they ar
not seeking an increase in wages-tha
Is in real wages as distinguished fror
nancy wa0es-but are simply seekIn