Evening star., 1925-02-25
The Annuity Increase.

the bill to amend the Federal civil
service retirement act that measure is
in position for enactment at this ses-
sion provided a special rule can be Sc
cured for Its consideration in the
House under Limitation Of debate. 1t
should be In the "unobjected" class. 1t
should command unanimously favora-
BILE attention and require no special
rule to insure it's passage. But unfor.
tunately there is a disposition to ques-
ton and debate not only the details
but the basic proposal Of a higher rate
of compensation for Federal an
nuitants.
Yesterdays action in the Senate is
the elimination, to that stage of par
tial enactment, Of a long-continued ef-
fort to correct the inequity Of the orig
inal legislation, which put at too low
point the scale Of pay for retired
Government employees. Though the
original act was passed in May, 1920,
after the close Of the war, it was
framed some years prior, and the re-
tirement pay provisions had been writ
ten on the basis virtually Of pre-war
conditions. In the rewriting Of the act
insufficient consideration was given to
the extraordinary increase in the cost
of living. In none Of the amendments
subsequently adopted to the substan-
tive law has this factor been duly
~
was drafted. 1t increases the maxi
mum retirement pay from 1920 to
$1,000 a year.
A considerable amount Of money has
been accumulated in the Treasury by
virtue of the deductions from the pay
Of Government employees under the re-
tirement act. This is not, strictly
speaking, to be regarded as available
for increased annuities for those al
ready retired, who contributed but a
small percentage to the fund. 1t Is vir-
tually a foundation fund for the care
of future annuitants. 1t will not, how
ever, suffice for the present and the
future annuitants, and Government
contributions will be needed. The pres
ent bill, in addition to increasing the
scale Of the annuities, provides an in
crease Of l per cent in the deductions
from the pay of employees on the
active roll, raising it from 21a to
31a per cent. This is an unfortunate
addition to the burden upon the Gov
ernment workers. It would have been
perhaps more equitable had the bill
now under consideration increased the
annuities at the expense Of the Gov
ernment rather than of those still in
service.
The first consideration is due to
those who, having been involuntarily
separated from active duty, are now
subsisting upon meager allowances,
mere pittances indeed, inadequate to
their needs and subjecting them to
privations and humiliating dependence
upon others, and even upon charity
for sustenance. There is no disposition
to object to the method If by that
means alone they can be granted q
larger allowance in annuity. Yet the
hope remains that in subsequent re-
visions Of the retirement act way
will be found to establish an equitable
equilibrium just to both the annuitants
and to the members Of the active force
from whom come the bulk Of the
funds.
The retirement act is an imperfect
instrument requiring correction and
adjustment as time develops its in
equalities. This present bill, for which
early enactment Is now to be sought
by its Jealous friends in Congress. is
to be regarded as one Of the necessary
steps to this end.