Evening star., 1926-03-21
Retirement Amendment Delay.

Retirement Amendment Delay.
Suspicion has been expressed that
the delay in furnishing Congress with
actuarial information upon which will
he based the proposed amendment to
the civil retirement act is intentional
for the purpose of preventing action
at the present session. This however.
is not to be credited. 1t is not con-
cefvable that any agency of the Gov
ernment would deliberately seek to
check. retard or postpone. much less
prevent the enactment of proper
measure liberalizing the terms of civil
retirement. Yet the feeling has been
entertained and is manifest in fire.
auent comment.
Many months have passed since this
question was definitely brought to the
point of consideration in anticipation
Of the present session of Congress. 1t
is, indeed. hold over" from the last
Congress. There has been abundant
time for the preparation Of actuarial
reports. and now that the present ses.
sion is drawing to a close-ad journ-
ment by the first of June is prob
able-keen anxiety is felt lest this
year pass without action.
This is not matter that can be
lightly postponed from session to ses-
sion or from Congress to Congress. 1t
ie of the most vital Importance to
.F 10 -ho
struggling to maintain themselves on
the pittances that have been doled out
to them under the present law of re-
tirement.
When the retirement law was passed
1t was frequently said, "Oh. well. IL it
is not perfect now it can be corrected:
1t can be amended to meet conditions
az they develop and as experience
proves 1t necessary" 1t has been
very definitely demonstrated that the
law as 1t stands is a most grievous
hardship upon veterans of the Govern
ment employ who are forced into re-
tirement at a maximum of $50
month, many of them for less. 1t
required no keen provision to see that
this would be the case, but so urgent
was 1t that the law he put on the
statute books that this maximum sti-
pend was accepted in order to secure
the principle Of civil retirement.
The retirement system lis based upon
the contributions Of the employees. The
Government has financed the system
In its initial stage, carrying the an
nuitants in advance Of the accumula-
ton of sufficient funds through deduc-
tions from the pay envelopes. There
Is now a large surplus which, 1t is
argued, must be maintained in order
to underwrite the Withdrawals from
active duty of employees who resign
before they reach retirement age-the
lucky ones who can get out of the
Government service while they are
still in sturdy health and of years to
engage in remunerative employment
elsewhere. Those who must remain
because they have already passed the
point Of occupation in private employ
ment or who have no special Qualifi-
cations enabling them to find a market
for their services hold fast to their
Government positions. bleak though
the prospect may be.
1t Is a tragic thought that many of
these people are actually in their
hearts hoping they may die before
they reach the age of retirement. Yet
AAf fe MI tAA anf ha
cause they want to die in harness"
from pride of performance, but be-
cause they fear the privation, the
penury Of retirement under the pres.
ent system.
This is a situation the Government
must acknowledge and must act
promptly to cure. Why should this
precious time be lost for the sake OF a
few abstruse computations on expecta-
tons of life and the like? Every day
these elder clerks are getting nearer
the danger line. Every day those al
ready retired are getting deeper in the
slough of despond as they fail to make
botf, ends meet. Nobody knows the
tragedies that are being daily enacted
In this city in consequence of the
parsimony of the original act and the
prccrastination in correction.
The poignancy Of this situation
should, and doubtless does, appeal to
those in Congress who, quite willing
to proceed with corrective legislation,
are yet held up by the lack of statis-
tics. Perhaps they can conscientiousiy
proceed to put the measure through
its first stages as at least an evidence
Of GOOD faith and a comforting guar
antee to those who are waiting with
painful anxiety for succor.