Evening star., 1926-04-04
RETIREMENT BILL
CHAMPIONS PLAN
FIGHT TO FINISH
Lehlbach Hopes to Win o. K.
of Coolidge and Leaders
This Week.

with Chairman IehlbdCh of the
House Civil Service committee expect
ing to complete his report on the
liberalized retirement bill tomorrow
and with the Senate subcommittee
meeting tomorrow TO take action on
the measure, this legislation of first
importance to 3SS 900 Federal en-
ployes is forced upon the attention of
Administration leaders in charge of
the legislative program. From now
on till the time Congress adjourns.
tentatively figured to he between May
10 and May %. it will be a constant
fight to get this measure acted upon.
Early this week Chairman Lehlbach
and other members of the House COM
mittee will confer with President
Coolidge. Budget Director Lord, and
with House leaders in an effort to
convince them that they have been
mistaken or misinformed as to the
alleged excessive costs of the pro-
posed liberalization of the retirement
system. Among those who will see
the President is Representative Glib
son, Republican of Vermont a life
long friend of the Coolidge family
whose counsel the President values.
Lehlbach Versed i'm Law.
There is no man better qualified to
discuss in detail the principles of re-
tirement legislation. the provisions of
the lieberalizing bills and the real
true cost to the Government Tor more
properly. the assumed obligations of
the GoVernment) than Mr.. Lehlbach.
These men, who are best informed
on all phases of the question. express
confidence that they can convince the
party leaders that the Government
can well afford at this time to act fa-
Norably upon this meaSure-in the in
tereSts of true economy and increased
efficiency in Uncle Sans workshop.
These same Republican members.
VINO have spent years in an intensive
study of the retirement problem. will
argue that Congress should dispose of
the question now III a way that will
close the controversy for a long ne
riod to come. This can only be done
they say, by passing a rea sonabIy fail,
retirement law, such as they claim is
the Dill to be reported tomorrow. They
want TO see definite and conclusive
action taken at this session of Con.
SfesS so as to forestall continued Of
forts that certainly will be made in
behalf of the Government workers If
satisfactory retirement law is not
passed now.
Suggestions to Be Made.
OF course. some members are 90
ing to come forward with various st1p.
gestions, but it is believed they will
let the measure pass These nro.
posals are being advanced for the
sole purpose, it is said, of driving as
hard a bargain as possible with the
superannuated Government employe
who is too old in specialized service
to go elsewhere and get job.
The fight will be made in boil,
houses of Congress by those who
want to see justice done to the clerks
and at the same time a business
like solution of this phase of the
employment problem for the Govern
ment
The measure on which the House
committee has agreed provides for
the main essentials for which the
joint conference on retirement of civil
service employees has been working
namely:
~ An increase in the maximum
annuity from $720, under the pres
ent law, to $1,000, with proportion
ate increases all along the line.
(2) Acceptance of the figure 40
as a divisor in computing annuities,
instead of As. The salary of an en-
ploye for the last 10 years of his en-
ployment by the number of years of
service and then divided by 40 to
compute the annuity This change
to the 40 divisor is of great impor-
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