Evening star., 1925-01-26
CABINET FOR RAISE
IN ANNU|T|ES PAID
RETIRED WORKERS
Secretary Work Speaks for
Associates in Behalf of
1900 Beneficiaries.

Speaking for the entire membership
of the Presidents cabinet, Secretary
of the Interior Work urged increased
annuities for the more than IL 900
retired Government employees in a let
ter today to Senator Robert n. Stan
field, chairman of the Senate commit
tee on civil service. The Interior Sec
retary urged legislation at the pres
what he described as actual distress
existing in many cases" of underpaid
Federal annuitants.
The average annual rate paid an
nuitants under the present law is
$4,000, with about one-third of the
annuitants receiving a maximum of
1920. Mr.. Work said, while nearly
another third receive less than S432.
The letter said the. number of an
nuitants was S10,54S, the figure given
for the close of the last fiscal year
June 80 last. AS the number of Fed
eral annuitants increases at the rate
of about 1000 a year, the number is
probably In excess of 1000 now, ac-
cording to the Interior Department.
Benefit Seen to U. s.
Secretary Works letter points out
that the effect of an increase in an
nuities would operate to the benefit
of the Government by lessening the
pressure for retention in the service
of employees who have reached the
retirement age, but whose resources
do not permit them to face the future
on the present slender retirement pay
with equanimity."
The letter follows:
Il am authorized to state that the
members of the Presidents cabinet
favor increased annuities for retired
Government employees, and hope that
Congress at the present session will
come to the assistance of the thou
sands of retired Federal workers by
increasing their annuities under the
retirement law.
The average annual rate paid an
nuitants under the present law is
$4,000. About one-third of the total
of 10,54S annuitants receive a maxi
mum of $720; almost another third
receive less than S432, which the low
est annuity now being paid is $3060
per annum.
Created From Salaries.
The retirement fund from which
these annuities are paid has been
created by deductions withheld from
the salaries of the employees them
selves for this purpose. 1t Is their
has not been called upon to appropri-
ate for the support of the retirement
fund, and the time when such pa
ternalistic assistance will become
necessary by reason of the deplet ton
of the fund is not yet in sight.
Before the passage of the present
law 1t was estimated that 10 years
would elapse before additions to the
retirement fund by Government ap-
preparation would become necessary
The board of actuaries now report
that this estimate was too conserva-
tive and announce that the fund will
survive, as at present maintained,
for a longer period.
The actual time when Federal as
sistance will be. required, however,
cannot be determined from available
| records. but that the seIf-sustain-
ing period under the present plan
will be considera bly, prolonged over
the original estimate cannot be
doubted upon an examination of the
condition of the fund after almost
FIVE years operation.
The amount placed in the fund
during the first fiscal year G92D was
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