Evening star., 1925-02-01
PLEADS FOR ACTION
ON RETIRING LAW
Woodrum Says Failure of
More Liberal Statute Will
Be Due to Party Leaders.

Strong plea in behalf of the pend
ing legislation for liberalizing the
Civil Service retirement act at this
session Of Congress was made in the
House late yesterday by Represe nta-
tive Clifton A. WoOdrum of Nirgi MIA,
when the appropriation for the Civil
Service Commission was under dis
cussion. He emphasized that action
has been long delayed. through pro-
crastination, on a measure that vi
tally affects the lives of some three
or four hundred thousand employees
of the Government.
In challenging the Republican lead
ers that they alone will be held re-
sponsible for failure to pass this re-
lief measure at this session, Repre-
sentative Woodrum said:
In the beginning of the 6Sth ses-
sion of Congress the civil service
committee, of which l am a member
under the very able and efficient
leadership Of the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr Lehlbach). started a
series Of hearings on a. retirement
bill We got the benefit of very
elaborate ana comprehensive reports
from actuaries, and heard many wit
nesses, and reported out March "A the
bill Fl. r. %202. the purpose OF which
is to liberalize the Federal retirement
'
its chairman-and I will say that the
committee rendered unanimous report
on the biil-went to the rules committee
OF this House and asked to be permitted
to bring the legislation on the floor
of the House.
''At that time the attention of the
House was being directed to the Me
Nary -Haugen bill. a jam of legis
lation was looming on the horizon
IA ,ir Ha
civil service committee has been
standing on the doorstep of the rules
committee since the bill was reported
out 10 months ago asking for its con-
sideration
Letter TO Chairman.
Now. Mr.. Chairman, on the 26th OF
January the distingu shed Secretary
of the Interior wrote letter to the
chairman of the Senate committee on
civil service, in which he made this
statement:
Il am authorized to state that the
memebrs of the Presidents Cabinet
favor an increase in annuities for
the Government employees and hope
that Congress at the present session
will come to an early decision on the
retired Federal salaries by increas-
ing their annuities under the present
law.
- I agree heartily in that opinion of
the Presidents Cobinet and which. of
course, has the sanction of the Presi-
dent. The letter of the Secretary of
the Interior was speaking for the
Cabinet of President Coolidge.
Again on January IS the Secretary
of Labor wrote a letter to the Secre
tary of the Interior and concluded
it in this way:
Afr
you think. in all fairness, we should
combine 10 insist that Congress raise
the retirement amount 50 that the
Government will be able to pay these
retired employees out of the employees
own money an amount at least equal
in purchasing power to the sums
named in the bill?'
Reported 10 Months Ago.
The situation is peculiar one
The bill was reported to the House
10 months ago. The Committee on
Civil Service unanimously reported
IT. Every man on the committee
favored it and wants it enacted into
law. The distinguished chairman of
the committee has done everything
here to get it before the House. In
a few weeks we will adjourn and the
legislation will not be enacted into
law
These increased annuities are to be
paid out of their own money The
employees have made a fund of over $50
600, 900 plus, and Congress is not called
upon to appropriate a nickel They
simply ask you that they take it out of
their own money. The President is for
it, the Cabinet is for it, and it is being
opposed by no one. Yet, it looks to
me like the country and these employees
are being led 10 believe that the
administration wants the legislation
passed, but Congress will not do it.
Gentlemen, the responsibility might as
well go where it belongs. Whenever
the Rules Committee of the House.
composed of eight Republicans and four
Democrats, under the leadership of the
gentleman from New York, will allow
us TO come on the floor with this bill
and give you gentlemen an opportunity
70 pass upon it. predict there will be no
substantial objection to it. 1 believe
II can be passed in an afternoon, and
X the President and his Cabinet are
honestly, sincerely in favor of liberal
izing the retirement law 50 that this
vast army of workers can be taken care
of out of their own funds. then I ask
them to knock at the doors Of the Rules
Committee and speak the magic word
that will give US an opportunity to bring
the legislation here for your considera-
ton The country might as we'll know
that it is within the power of admin
stration leaders, and they alone, to give
the House a chance to do the thing
that the Presidents Cabinet so eloquent
lV nrnCla inns iS cd