The Washington times., 1921-06-30
j. S. WORKERSF|LE
BRIEF TO INCREASE
Retired BENEFITS
Many Ex-Bureau Clerks Are in
Actual Want From In
adequacy, Is Charge.

Increased annuities for retired Fed
filed yesterday with the House Com
mittee on Civil Service reform by the
Association OF Retired Federal EN-
ployes. headed by the president. Jacob
w. Starr. After a twenty-one year
hght for the retirement act which
vent Into effect year ago. Starr In
now seeking Congressional permis-
sion to let Federal employees pay in
creased annuities to its retired groups
out of the fund collected from the
employees themselves.
IL the increases asked by the asso-
citation are granted, the brief points
out. the Government will be able to
retain many of It's best employees,
which up to the present has not been
possible.
Under the act OF May. 1920. annui-
ties range from $50 per month, the
maximum amount given those who
had served thirty years or more, and
whose average salary for the ten
years next preceding their retirement
was $1.200 or more per year, down to
$15 per month TO those who had
served fifteen years and whose aver
age salary for the preceding ten
years was 5000 or less per annum.
MANY ARE SUFFERING.
Information reaching the associa-
ton shows that many of those retired
after years of faithful service are
actually suffering because of the in
adequacy of the annuities which
utterly fail to provide them food and
shelter and leave them wholly with
out the means necessary for the medi-
cal attention which in their advanced
years they so often require.
Contributions of "a per cent re-
quired to be withheld from the paw
of the employees and carried to the
credit of the civil Service retire
ment and disability fund" have al
ready amounted to s13,715.29s. There
has been paid out for annuities 81
+S1 ,255, leaving a ba<ance yet avail
able of 11,234.O45
The association asks that some por-
tion of the balance referred be mad,.
available for payment of the in
creases provided for in said bills.
viz: 100 per cent to those of class
II, DO per cent. to those of class K,
so per cent to those Of class ID, 10
per cent to those of class c, 65 pe-
cent to those of class B and 60 per
cent to those of class A
Tbese increases, the association
points out, may be made without
| any increase In the percentage 10
be withheld from the employe. or
and should the time come when II
| any expense on the part of the Gov
might be necessary, the association
| ernment for quite a number OF year
expresses faith that the people will
unhesftatingly suffer the slight ad-
ditional tax that might be required
to afford the needed relief to those
who for so many years In the ca
pacity of public servants performed
well their duty to the Nation.
CITES SERVICE SCALE.
The brief declares the retired gov
ernment workers cannot understand
why they should be retired with an
nuities of from SIS to $50 per month
cut of fund furnished in large
measure by themselves, while those
in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps
are very properly retired at the
age OF sixty-two and sixty-four and
are allowed three-fourths of the
rate of pay received by them at the
time of retirement. and without any
contributions by themselves"
Establishment OF a court OF appeals
for Government workers, was also
advocated before the Civil Service
Committee yesterday by Congressman
Martin b. Madden of Illinois
Mr.. Madden charged that depart
ment heads now has too much power.
He favored vesting the Civil Service
Commission with the power TO inves-
tigste all disciplinary cases and
granting the commission the author
ity TO issue subpoenaes and compel
testimony.
1T should have the power to hale
any official of the Government before
A. or 70 rNauirs tha nr,.suotio- -