Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-11
OPPOSITION BLOCKS
RETIREMENT BILL
Senate Delays Final Action
on Conference
y
Report.

Unexpected opposition to the adop-
tion of the conference report on the
civil service retirement bill develop
ed. in the Senate today and prevented
nnal action on the measure.
While the report was not voted upon.
; 1t is believed that it eventually will
he adopted and the bill sent to the
President. il is likely that the de-
bate would have been continued on
the conference report had not Sena-
tor McCumher given notice that he
: was going to speak on the resolution
establishing peace between the United
States and GERMANY
After the debate on the civil serv
vice retirement report had continued
for nearly an hour Senator Lodge
, moved that the peace resolution be
laid before the Senate, saying that he
had given notice several days ago ne
would call it up today. His motion
was adopted on division and the
civil service retirement bill was laid
aside for the time being.
Senator Thomas Attacks Report.
When the conference report on the
bill was taken up in the Senate on
motion OF Senator Sterling. Senator
Thomas Immediately attacked the re-
port because the age of retirement
fixed by the Senate at seventy had
been changed in confrnce SO that let
ter carriers and mechanics could be
retired at sixty-five and railway mail
employees al sixty-two. while the gem
eral run of government employees
would he retired at seventy.
II regret that the retirement age
was changed in conference. said SEN
ator Thomas. II strongly urge that
the bill be recommitted with instruc-
tions that the Senate conferees insist
upon the seventy-year retirement age
Employees of the government at sixty
two and sixty-fve should he most
valuable because of their experience.
1t does not seem to me that it is wise
to pay $500 or $500 annuities to these
employees and then let them go out
into private employment. in full com
mand of their faculties. to work for
other people. ! am informed that
number of them are learnin to take
advantage of this provision and do
just this thing. I think it is inde-
fensible and inexcusable. ! do not
think this government should become
an eleemosynary institution.
Crfticises Conference Report.
Senator Smoot also criticised the
conference report. 1t was his amend
ment adopted by the Senate which
fixed the age of retirement at seventy
years.
The Senate conferees. Senator Cum
Minis OF Iowa said. had been entirely
loyal in their support of the Smoot
amendment.
II am opposed to the bill and the
principle on which it is based. con-
tinued Senator Cummins. who was
one os the Senate conferees. but il
the employees of the government are
10 be retired on a pension l can un-
derstand that there are certain classes
OF them who should be retired at an
age earlier than seventy. as. for in
stance. the city letter carriers. | think
they should be retired at sixty-fve."
Senator Smoot declared that under
the provisions of the bill any em-
ployes who are physically or mentally
incapac citated for work at an age
earlier than seventy can be retired
with pension. For that reason. he
said. there was no justificatlon In
changing the age of retirement
"Why should post Office clerk be
retired at sixty-fve years OF age any
more than a clerk in any other de-
partment?" asked Senator Smoot. Il
can see some reason why railway
mail clerks might be retired at an
earlier age, but even those or COW
cred under the relief provision of
the bill"
Senator Sterling insisted that the
postal clerks are entitled to retire.
ment at sixty-fve. since they are
compelled to perform much night
work and work Of an entirely differ
ent class from that of clerks in other
executive departments.