Evening star., 1924-01-21
ASKS RETIREMENT
Be MADE OPTIONAL
Plea to Congress, Based on
3O-Year Service, Made for
Federal Employees.

Strong pleas for optional retirement
of government employees on annui-
ties after thirty years of continuous
service were made today to the Joint
meeting of the Senate and House civil
service committees continuing the
hearings on proposed ame ndments TO
the existing retirement act.
NJ. c. Hargrove. purchasing Office
for the District OF Columbia, was tho
first witness heard. He was followed
! by w NJ. Collins Of the railway postal
clerks and other witnesses, including
\. p. Alifas. District a, machinists;
Representative Sykes Of Pennsylvania
and Commissioner Wales OF the Civil
Service Commission.
Mr.. Hargrove's Argument.
Urging that the law be amended SO
as to provide for optional retirement
after thirty years Of government serv-
; Ice. Mr.: Hargrove continued:
TT has been said by those who
have studied the matter closely, that
rarely does efficiency continue high
after thirty years OF continuous work
in any one line. Task k-weariness sets
in and impairS the usefulness Of the
worker, who is apt to fall into ru;s,
ness Renovation and new life is
instilled by new and younger minds.
1t is my opinion that few, eX-
Cept those who are worn or impaired
by physical defects and whose eff
ciency has grown less. would care
give up salaries of $4,000 to $4,000
TO accept an annuity of $1,000, as
few could find employment in the
commercial world.
"On the other hand, doubtless there
are some who. as Representative
Shafer of Wisconsin said before this
committee last Monday, would like
and should be accorded the privilege
OF retiring before they have one foo
in the grave. Those who have given
the best years of their life should be
accorded this privilege.
See Many Benefited.
Retirement after thirty years cf
service, irrespective of age, would
not only be a blessing to the civil
servants themselves, but q benefit u
the government by making room for
entrance Of younger and more chi
cient clerks at the lower grades. 10
work their way up as the thirty-ycar
women and men have done.
I'm advocating thirty-year retire
ment. irrespective of age, am asking
no more for the civil employe than
is accorded employees of the military
branches of the service.
III you gentlemen believe thirty
years too short, make IL thirty-five.
or even forty, but make it something
and give the employees who have
given to the service the most useful
years of their lives an opportunity
to get out before they become too
old to enjoy and make good Use of
their few years of independence.
Speaks for Railway Mail Clerks
Mr.. Collins. speaking for the rail-
way mail clerks, said that his or
ganization had indorsed the so-called
Stanfield- -Lehlbach bill. He compared
this measure with the bills advanced
by the pension bureau officials and
by the aotuaries and insisted that IL
would result in the greatest good for
the greatest number. He said he fa-
vored a fixed maximum annuity for
all the employees. without sliding
scale for the higher salaried men
and women, as provided in other bills.
Mr.. Collins declared. too, that thirty
years continuous service was sutti-
cient to permit retirement on pen
sion.
The Joint committee will continue
it's hearings at 10 o'clock tomorr1w
and hopes to conclude the taking OF
testimony before the close OF tomor-
rows hearing.