Evening star., 1926-05-08
Without Opposition, Measure
Is to Be Taken Up a
Week From Monday.
LEADERS MAKING FINAL
TEST OF COST FIGURES
Farm Relief, Rivers and Harbors
Coal, Veterans and Judges
Legislation Scheduled.

The LehlbaCh revised llbefaliZed
civil service retirement bill is to he
taken up Il week from Monday, House
leaders agreed today, and will un
doubtedly be passed by an overwhelnl-
ing majority, as there is no known
opposition.
This was learned today following a
conference between House Leader
Tilson and Speaker Longworth, who
are in agreement that this measure
should be disposed of at the earliest
possible date.
This Is all predicated on the fact that
the costu nder the revised measure.
on which a favorable report was made
to the House yesterday by the civil
service committee, is as stated in
Mr.. Lehlbach's report. The House
leaders are taking for granted that
these figures are correct. House
Leader Tilson and Senator Smoot
were in conference today on these
shows that under this new bill the
cost to the Government will actually
he reduced $29,33 annually.
Cost of New Plan Less.
Under existing law the total cost
Of maintenance of the retirement sys
tenn assuming the liabilities of the
Government to be amortiZed in a pc
riod of 30 years in equal annuity pay
ments, is 4,SS per cent Of the pay roll.
or $50. .529 49t. of which the Govern
ment pays 2.3S per cent, or $17,S15.-
$50 Under the bill which is to be
acted upon in the House a week from
Monday The total cost is 5.S7 per cent
of the pay roll, or $43.9S5. $50, of
which the Government pays 2.37 per
cent, or $17,7S6,59S. Mr. Lehlbach re-
ported that the increase In retirement
benefits to the employees will be ST.
456.092 annually. It is these figures
that are being checked up in the con-
ference today.
Mr.. Tilson insisted that retirement
legislation is nothing but old-age insur
ance, and that even If the Government
does contribute a percentage of the
premium cost. that should be consid
cred a part of the salary OF the EN-
ploye.
Other Bills Scheduled.
In his statement today MIR. Tilson
said that the program for the House
for the balance of this session will
probably include agricultural relief
legislation, a rivers and harbol-s bill.
coal legislation, liberalization of the
civil service retirement law along the
lines Of the Lehlbach bill, the Judges
salary bill. the bill creating additional
Federal judges and minor amend.
ments to the World War veterans act
on the basis Of the bill sponsored by
Representative johnson of South
Dakota.
THE House is now at work on
agricultural relief and there is hope
that a bill will be agreed upon which
will be economically sound and at the
same time give as much relief as can
be given by legislative action.
johnson Bill Modified.
"The Johnson bill for World War
veterans has been modified so as to
cost, as is claimed, only fraction
Of the cost of the original bill.
I'VE have been working hard on
the problem of fitting our expendi-
lures to our pocketbook, and as we
enter what I hope to be the final
month of the session, I see the pros
pect of favorably considering, in
modified form, most of the matters
which have received popular atten-
ton. Every one will not be satisfied
with the notifications made, but l
believe the several bills will be as
liberal as possible without commit
ting the Government to more than 1t
can afford, under the new tax law.
Some meritorious proposals cannot
be- considered at all, even in modified
form, and the supporters Of such
proposals will undoubtedly be disap-
pointed, but feel confident that the
country as a whole will approve Of
the efforts of the House to keep ex-
penditures within the limit of esti-
mated income"