Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-14
PARTISANS BACKING
Z DIFFERENT BILLS
ON j. s. PENS|ON|NG
Workers. Conference and In
terror Department Meas
ureS Different.

The opening of hearings before a
Joint meeting of the civil service
committees of the Senate and House
today brought out the fact that the
Interior Department and the civil
service employees are advocating diff
ferent bills to liberaliZe the civil
service retirement law.
The joint conference on retirement
of civil service employees is support
ing the Stanfeld Lehlbach bill, which
provides for optional retirement at
the end of 80 years service. raises
the maximum annuity from 1920 to
$1,000, and computes the amount of
pension on the average salary for the
last years of service instead of
the present method baSinS it on the
final 10. years of service.
John S. Beach chief of the Retire
ment Bureau of the Department OF
Interior, who was the first witness at
the hearing today, said the depart
ment is more favorably inclined toward
the CARRIER Harreld bill, which also
provides for optional retirement after
! 80 years, but on condition the en-
ploye has reached 81 years of age.
This bill Mr.. Beach testified. provides
ages after Is years of service.
Comparison of Provisions.
The following is a comparison of
the method of computing the amount
of pension under both measures:
Stanfield- Lehlbach bill-The annuity
would equal the number of years of
service. not to exceed 80, multiplied
by the average annual salary for the
Ia lct five of hTIf mr.
exceed $1,000 salary.
The result of this multiplication
would be divided by 45, giving the
amount of annuity. The maximum of
pension which would be arrived at by
this method would be $1,000, whereas
existing law fixed a maximum of S720.
The CARRIER Harreld bill-The an
nuity under this bill would be COM
puted by multiplying the average sal
! airy, not to exceed 81 500, received dur
ing the last years, by the number
of years of service and dividing the
product by 40. In no case would the
annuity exceed 81. 200 per annum, nor
! 15 per cent of the average annual
! basic salary received during the last
years of service.
Mr.. Beach explained that in addi-
! tion to providing for optional retire
ment at the age of SO years after 80
Years Ol SERVICE, the
bill makes employees eligible for sup
erannuated retirement at the age of
68 after 5 years of service. There is
a proviso that letter carriers, postal
clerks, laborers and mechanics gen
orally would be eligible for such re-
tirement at the age of IS years after
ID years service, and a further pro-
viso that employees whose occupation
is hazardous or requires great physi-
cal effort shall be eligible for retire
ment at 90.
Mr. Beach testified that a great
ma jority of Government employees
would benefit to d greater extent by
baSing the annuity on the last years
of service rather than 10 years.
There was considerable discussion
between Mr.. Beach and members of
the committee over provision in the
proposed law which would require an
employe being retired for disability to
make application for his annuity with
in three months of the day of separa-
ton.
Might Broaden Restriction.
Some members of the joint commit
tee thought this was too strict a time
limit while others indicated they
thought most employees would apply
for their pension at the time they are
leaving the service.
Mr.. Beach stated that the restric-
ton might be broadened to six months
or even a year, but said there should
be some statutory limitation of the
filing of application.
He testified that under present
practice in the Pension Bureau it is
possible for an employe to file claim
to retirement pay several years after
being separated from the service, and
that even though such a claim may
not be allowed by the department, it
necessitates thorough investigation
before it can be denied.
Mr.. Beach made the statement that
this bill would be more generous for
the smaller employe than either the
present law or other proposed bills.
Before the hearing of testimony be-
gan nearly a score of members of the
House appeared either in person or
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