Evening star., 1925-03-02
Representative Woodrum AS
serts Measure Is Being
Strangled by G. O. P.
SAYS PASSAGE ASSURED
IF VOTE is PERMITTED
Majority Anxious to Pass Bill
Promised by Republicans,
Virginian Says.

While the House leaders were still
reluctant today to allow the civil
service retirement bill, which has
action, Representative woodrum of
Virginia, challenged the Republican
majority that they must keep faith
with the 100000 Government en-
ployes" to whom that party promised
relief in this Congress and are now
denying relief.
Representative Woodrum empha-
sized that II, ,0oo, 900 hands are out
stretched to the American Congress
asking the Republican party to keep
faith with them in the Federal re-
tirement act. A year ago." he re-
minded, "the civil service committee
unanimously reported out the civil
service retirement bill liberalizing the
methods of retirement for Federal
employees.
That bill was placed on the calen-
dar of this House, and the distin-
guished chairman of the committee
on rules, Mr.. Smell of New York, who
is now temporarily presiding over
this House, l am told, promised, as
did the majority leader to the chair
man of the committee on civil serv-
Ice, that an opportunity would be
given that committee to bring that
legislation before this House early in
this session of Congress. What has
happened? We have been camping on
the doorsteps of the rules committee
ever since the bill was reported here.
No opportunity will be given to
this Congress to consider the civil
service retirement act. Let me call
the attention of the House to this let
ter. and 1 shall insert it in full in the
Record:
Gives Text OF Letter.
"On January 26 there came out of
the office of the Secretary of the In
terror a deliberate prepared state
ment. as follows:
II am authorized to state for the
members of the Presidents cabinet
that they favor increased annuities
for retired Government employees and
hope that Congress- at the present
session will come to the assistance of
thousands of retired employees by in
creasing the annuity under the retire
ment law
"A month ago the Presidents cab
met, and that includes the President,
said to the American Congress that
this legislation ought to pass. 1t has
passed the Senate. The Civil Service
committee reported it out without
amendment and If the steering COM
mittee of this House would allow it
to come on the floor of the House
1t would pass here in 10 minutes.
Denies Opposition.
"I have yet to find man on the
floor who is opposed to the legisla-
ton. The newspapers tell us that this
bill is dying of neglect, but although
] admit that it is dying, l beg to diff
fer with the newspapers as to the
cause of its death. 1t is being
strangled TO death by the men who
are in honor bound to succor and
bring II to life.
Il want to say to you that 100000
Government employees will not hold
you blameless for this. Let me call
your attention to this. This legisla-
tion does not call for a present ap
preparation of a single red cent. The
Government employees have amassed a
sum, more than s37,000,000, which
they have deducted from their SAL
aries and put into a fund that this
Government now holds for them and
they simply ask you to permit their
gentlemen of the House not to treat
them in such fashion"
Vigorous and emphatic applause
punctuated Representative Wood
runs showing that big majority in
the House is anxious to put through
this legislation.