Evening star., 1922-03-08
10000 APPO|NTEES
T0U.S. J0BSFAC|NG
LOSS OF PENSIONS
Attorney General Rules Presi-
dental Choices Not Entitled
to Retirement.
6,40O NOW RECEIVING
ANNUITIES ILLEGALLY
Will Also Lose Money Paid Into
Fund to Date-Secretary
Fall Seeks Remedy.

Inc Attorney General has just de-
cided that none of the $4,000 presi-
Dental appointees in civil service is
entitled to the benefits of the retire.
ment act, Secretary Fall of the In
terror Department announced today.
The Secretary is charged with the
enforcement of retirement act.
At least four-fifths of the an
ruitants, or G.400 employees. who are
now receiving annuities under the
law, are receiving them illegally, Mr..
Fall stated. according to the decision
Of the Attorney General. There are
about 5000 annuitants now on the
rolls
Puts Stop to Certificates.
Secretary Fall stated that no more
certificates of retirement would be
issued to civil service employees who
hold positions by presidential order
rather than by competitive examina-
ton. A survey has shown that there
are $4,000 employees in the civil serv-
ice not by competitive examination,
but by executive order.
The $4,000 presidential appointees
not only are deprived of the right of
being retired, but will lose all the
money which they have paid into the
retirement fund to date.
Has Prepared Bill.
Secretary Fall announced that lie
has prepared a bill for Congress
looking to the remedying by legisla-
tion of this most unusual situation,
which has arisen by reason of the
decision of the Attorney General.
Secretary Fall said that while he was
intensely sorry for those hit by the
order. he could not but agree that the
Attorney General had properly con-
strued tre law.
Issuance of certificates of retire.
ment to the affected employees was
suspended March l. 1t is believed
that monthly checks to the S,400 re-
tired employees who have been ruled
to be illegally receiving annu!ties
will be cut off practically at once and
that these employees will find them
selves both out of the government
service and lacking any pension
whatever.
BOmbshell to Employees.
Secretary Fall said that he believed
legislation by Congress is the only
way to cure the situation, and that
in his opinion a presidential order
tending to correct the evil would
not be effective for those classified
prior to the time of the passage of
the retirement act.
The anpnnpnamapf Of
Fall will come as a bombshell to the
whole civil service, especially to
government employees here. While
officials of the retirement bureau of
the pension Office would make no
comment on the order today, not hav-
ing been officially advised. and not
having been furnished copies of the
decision of the Attorney General. it
is understood that the work of the
retirement division will be seriously
hampered by the decision.
Number Unknown Before.
1t was not generally understood un-
til today just how large a proportion
of government employees are in the
service by presidential order rather
than by competitive examination.
Secretary Fall declared today that
he was not in disagreement with any
body in regard to proposed changes
under plans for the reorganization of
the department. He said there had
never been the remotest thought in
his mind that il the forest service
were transferred to the Interior De-
partment there would be the slightest
effort to overthrow the policy OF con-
servation of forests on the public do
mains. He said he did not know of
a change in the forest service that he
would make, except, possibly, in the
position of director.