Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-22
Urge Passage of Less Lib
eraI Plan in Hope of Getting
Relief This Session.
CONFEREES POSTPONE
SESSION CALLED TODAi
Measure Would Bring Some Ad-
vantages and Workers Hope to
Improve Situation Later.

In the hope of breaking the dead
lock between the two branches of
Congress, the executive committee of
the joint conference on requirements
of civil service employees has decided
that it would be better for the sake
Of old Government workers to accept
the House bill with slight modifca-
tions than have all legisla ton die with
the adjournment of Congress.
The meeting of the conferees sched-
uled for this afternoon was called
off and at the same time it became
known that the Senate conferees
are approaching the problem from a
new angle. namely. of bringing the
ratio of cost as between the Govern
ment and the employe to a better
level, aside from the question OF
what figure is adopted as the maxi
mum annuity.
The Senate conferees were repre-
sented as being of the opinion that
actual figures fixed for the annuity
could be worked out without diff
Guilty if the House managers would
agree TO have the Government bear
a more proportionate share of the
cost.
Would Let Maximum Stand
One proposal now being considered
is that the maximum be left at 81 900,
as insisted upon by the House, but
with the contribution of the employe
cut down from 312 per cent, as pro-
posed by the House, to 314 per cent.
Senator Stanfield. who was in charge
of the legislation in the Senate, indi-
Gated today that the Senate conferees
are more concerned at the present
time in obtaining d more reasonable
ratio of cost between the Govern
ment and the employe than in secur
ing any particular figure as the max
imum annuity. He made II clear that
the Senate leaders do not look upon
the House bill as any liberalization OF
the retirement law with a 312 per cent
contribution. which has been esti-
mated would reduce the liability of
the Government by S29 900 year.
Although no time has been fixed
for the meeting of the conferees, 1t
is probable that those in charge OF the
matter on both sides will confer in
formally tomorrow TO see if any prog
ress has been made.
It was by no means certain this
morning that the action OF the en-
ployes executive committee would re-
suit in the Senate managers yielding.
but this latest development served 10
revive the hope that an agreement
will he reached.
Robert II. Alcorn, chairman OF the
employees joint conference. stated to-
day that the action of the executive
committee does not mean that the
employees regard the House bill as
proper solution of the retirement
cntI Iaoc hnnV1
ally known all along that the House
bill. which provides for only $1,000
maximum annuity as against the
$1,000 maximum voted by the Senate.
was not satisfactory TO the Federal
workers.
He emphasized the point, however,
that the decision of the executive COM
mittee was based on a feeling that
the serious situation in which the old
employees find themselves in trying TO
live on the present maximum OF S720
wear makes it imperative that some
legislation. even though inadequate.
be obtained at this session.
Steps already have been taken in
the House by the introduction of a
resolution to create a commission to
study all phases of the retirement
question with view to subsequent ad-
justm0nt in the law. Apparently this
representing consider
ably more than 100000 Federal en-
ployes throughout the country, pre-
fers to have the House bill enacted
at this time and to trust to the future
to have retirement legislation perfect
ed to the point that the employees be-
lieve would be fair and reasonable.
Concessions to BE Asked.
1t was intimated this morning that
the House conferees would be asked
to make some slight concession in
other features of the bill in return for
an agreement on the $1,000 annuity.
but the nature of these notifications
was not made known.
1t has been reported since the con.
ferences began that the Senate con-
ferees were holding out against the
House bill because they felt there was
n principle involved as result of the
that the House would not
approve anything higher than the bill
which passed that body. The Senate
last week offered to compro-
mise on maximum figure of S1.140 a
year, and for few days there appear
ed to be chance of reaching a settle
ment somewhere between the two ex-
tremes. At the last meeting on Sat
uIudN, HONeNGI, lIl6 TWO groups were
unable to agree. and statements made
following the session indicated that
each side was still holding out.
Although the maximum at present
is S720 a year. this is given only
to those who served 80 years and
had a reasonably high salary. The
average annuity under existing law
is only S546. and if the House maxi
mum of $1,000 is accepted the av-
erage would be raised to $60S. The
employees at present contribute 21a
per cent of their salary toward the
retirement fund which under the
House bill would be raised to 312
per cent. This increase in the con-
tribution means that the employees
practically take care of the higher
since it has been estimated
that under the House bill the annual
liability of the Government would be
$29 900 less than at present.
The Senate bill. with a S1,2UO maxi
mum and a per cent contribution,
would increase the liability Of tho
to the extent of about
s6 900 900 a year. This wide differ
ence in cost is due largely to the
optional feature Of the Senate bill.
which would allow employees to retire
several years before the
age of compulsory retirement. The
House bill does not change the pres
snt age limit of 20 for a clerk and So
and So for certain other groups. These