Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-09
SENATE GIVEN BILL
RESTORING PENSION
RIGHTS TO 10000
Proposes Amending Act to In
cIude All Persons With
Competitive Status.
SENATOR STERLING HOPES
TO OBTAIN EARLY ACTION
Measure Forwarded by Secretary
Fall-Referred to Civil
Service Committee.

For the relief Of about $4,000 per-
sens. heretofore supposed to be in
the classified civil service. of whom
6,4oo are actually receiving retire
ment annuities to which they are not
entitled under the law. according to
a ruling by the Attorney General.
Congress today was asked TO pass
legislation which will establish the
rights of these government employees
in law to receive retirement pen
sions.
Chairman Sterling of the Senate
civil service committee and Chairman
Lehlbach of the same committee in
the House today received letters
from Secretary Fall Of the Interior
Department, under whose jurisdic-
ton the administration of the retire
ment act comes. accompanied by
bill which he urged the two commit
tees to bring up for action in their
bodies.
Introduced by Sterling.
This bill was introduced today by
Senator Sterling, chairman of the
Senate civil service committee. It
provides:
That in the administration Of the
civil service retirement act, approved
May %. 1920, the expression all en-
ployes in the classified civil service
of the United States as used in sec
tion l thereof shall be construed to
include all persons no have hereto
fore or who may hereafter be given
%, z.f- =
civil service. with or without COM
petitive examination, by legislative
enactment, or under the civil service
rules promulgated by the President.
or by executive orders, covering
groups of employees with their posi-
civil service, or authorizing the ap-
pointment OF individuals to positions
within such service"
Referred TO Committee.
! The bill was referred to the COM
mittee on civil service. Senator Ster-,
! ling hopes to have ii considered 1t
an early date.
Secretary Fall in his letter pointed
out to the committee that the opinion
proximately 20 per cent of the en-
ployes of the government heretofore
regarded in the classified civil service,
or about $4,000 persons. He emphasiz-
ed also that careful estimate shows
that about so per cent of the appli-
| cants for the benefit of the retirement
act to date did not enter the classi
tion, but did enter under classifi
cation by executive order. He points
out that So per cent or approximately
2.1o0, of all those who have been con-
tinued in the service beyond the re-
| tirement age by certificstion. did not
enter through competitive examina-
tons. but through classification. and
that four-fi of all persons who
have thus far been retired under the
! provisions OF this act are not entitled
! to the annuity they are now receiv-
ing.
| 6,4OO Paid Illegally.
| Secretary Falls letter tells the two
committees that about 5000 are re-
ceiving annuity, and hence about
$500 of these are. according to the
Attorney Generals opinion. receiving
this annuity without warrant of law.
Thus largely the class intended TO
be retired under this act, Secretary
Fall explained, is now held TO be
without its scope and not entitled to
| benefits therefrom. He points out
F.! further that one of the main pur-
! poses of the act is nullified by rem
| dering it impossible to retire the
| large number of superannuated em-
ployes with annuity.
! "In this connection I have directed
| that no further annuity certificates
be issued to persons affected there,
by." Secretary Fall wrote.