Evening star., 1925-03-07
STERLING THANKED
BY u. S. WORKERS
Bureau Mechanical Division
Presents Testimonial for
Aid in Retirement Fight.

A committee representing the
mechanical trades of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing today pre-
sented Senator Sterling, proponent of
retirement legislation, with a large
framed engrossed resolution express
ing keen appreciation of his efforts
in behalf of civil service employees
and large basket of flowers. The
presentation was made by Chairman
Edward r. Williams of the committee
in Senator Sterling's office in the Sem
ate Office Building.
The formalities were impressive
despite their brevity. Mr. Williams
told Senator Sterling that the en-
ployes of the engineering and ma
chine divisions of the bureau had de-
cided to take action to give public
demonstration of their appreciation
for his work in behalf of the retire
ment legislation at meeting Tuesday.
The resolutions adopted at that
meeting put the mechanical division
employees on record as viewing with
deep regret and great loss the re-
tirement from public life of our
friend, Thomas Sterling" and accord
ingly resolving that IAN expression
of our feelings, suitably engrossed,
be presented to him that he may
know to some small degree our sin
cere regrets at his departure and the
everlasting gratitude for his earnest
and painstaking efforts in our behalf
as joint author of the Sterling Lehi-
bach civil service retirement bill"
LehIbach Also Thanked.
The committee consisted of Edward
J. Leahy. Jesse D. Smith, Charles c.
Brumm, Edward r. Williams, James
T.. Eckloff and Elton O. Pillow.
m M or tatalV altar the a ion
Mr.. Williams turned to Representa-
tive Lehlbach, who had made few
appropriate remarks, and extended
to him also words of appreciation
for his work in behalf of Civil Serv-
ice employees. He also rendered Rep
resentative Lehlbach data accumu
lated in the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing regarding retirement.
While engaged in the preliminary
canvassing work on the presentation
matter, he said, information had been
passed TO him indicating the con-
census Of opinion among employees in
mechanical trades at the bureau as
shown the following digest:
Favor 81. 200 Maximum.
The increase of the annuity from
$720 TO a possible maximum of $1,000
a year will not induce any large num-
rate themselves from the service
when they reach the optional ages
When they do take advantage of the
optional retirement provision OF the
proposed act there will be in every
case, the strongest possible reason
why they should do so. If they do
wish 10 retire, IL is very certain proof
that they are not Longer able to
render efficient service; and the very
standpoint of the employer is to per-
nit his employees, when no longer able
to render efficient service in the in
terest of economy to separate them
selves from the service.
IF the mechanics in the civil serv-
ice should take advantage OF the op-
tional retirement provision of the
proposed bill you will find positive
proof that those men. in nearly every
instance, recognize themselves that
for some reason they are not longer
able to render the same standard and
measure OF service that they have
been rendering during the 30-year
period.
When men have worked for 80
full years and have thus established
tho habits of a lifetime for work
under the regular requirements OF
the civil service they are not likely
voluntarily to become idlers.
The truth is that those who are
efficient and are capable of doing
good work do not want to retire, as
they would not want to take ad-
of the proposed optional re-
tirement period fixed In the present
law, but IL they do, and if
they should. It is the highest possible
degree of proof that in the interest
of economy to the Government they
should be permitted to retire"