Evening star., 1926-06-20
RETIREMENT BILL
STILL IN DEADLOCK
Only Hope Lies in Continued
Discussion of Figures
This Week.

After nearly two hours of DELHI
Grafton yesterday afternoon, the
Senate and House conferees on re-
tirement legislation for Government
employees parted with the announce
ment that they were Sill unable 10
agree and indicating that they had
made practically no progress toward
a settlement.
The point OF contention since the
conference began has been the max
imum annuity and the amount the
erfploye should contribute, the House
standing firmly for 81 900 maximum
with the employe contributing 3i2
per cent Of his salary, and the Senate
contending for a $1,000 maximum on
a per cent contribution.
Evidently No Break.
A few days ago the Senate group
is understood to have offered To
compromise on a maximum annuity
OF $1.140 and following that session
the conferees called on Government
statisticians for some additional cost
figures. This led to optimistic pre-
dictions that a settlement was being
worked out, but following yesterdays
meeting there appeared 10 be no
prospect of agreeing on any annuity
higher than that contained in the
House bill. At the same time. 1t
was definitely asserted by one Senate
conferee that the Senate group VIII
not accept the House bill.
While the cOnferees may get to-
gether again Tuesday. the chances
for an agreement were admittedly
gloomy last night. With Congress
talking of adjournment within 10 days,
the danger of all retirement legisla-
tion being lost in conference becomes
greater with each unsuccessful meet
| ing of the two groups.
| Robert II. Alcorn, representing
| the joint conference on retirement Of
! civil service employees, last night
| characterized the present situation as
most unfortunate, but added that he
! has not given up air hope for set
| tlement.
Before the conferees met yesterday
| Representatives Lehlbach of New
Jersey and Smith of Idaho, two Of the
/ House Conferees, visited the White
| House. following which the President
was represented as standing firmly
| by the House administration measure.
Study of Question Proposed.
| A new suggestion from the House
4
| the President. is that Congress agree
| TO the House bill at this session and
! create a commission 10 make care
/ full study of the entire question of
retirement with view TO later
notifications.
! 1t is understood the Senate con
| ferees take the position that there is
| a question of principle involved in the
| issue aside from the difference of
! 49O0 N, I,a wi, iv,f -
| two bills. They are reported to hold
! the view that in conference each side
should reCede somewhat in perfectinE
| legislation.
| The only statement forthcoming
/ from the House group following the
! session Yesterday was that we did
| not reach An agreement and adjourn
| ed subject to the call of the chair
From the Senate conferees il was
| learned that another meeting probably
would he held Tuesday. This means
that while there is apparently a dead
| lock AT the present moment. the con
/ ferees have not reached the point of
! definitely ending the conferences.
Figures Available Tomorrow
| Just what propositions will he ad-
| VanCed this week is not known. 1t
| was stated last night that at the
meeting yesterday the conferees had
| some rough estimates of new cost
| figures. but that they had not re-
| ceived the complete data requested
| from the Government aCtuaries
| Thursday. All of the figures as 10
proposed compromises are expected
| to be available TO the conferees to-
morrow. bat the developments of
yesterday did not indicate that the
| proposal To strike a maximum annu-
tv between the two extremes is maxi
| ing much headway.
| The only bright spot in the situ-
alton last night appeared to lie In
| the fact that further discussion is
| contemplated this week.