Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
NEW RETIREMENT
LAW IS SOUGHT
Increased Annuity for U. S.
Employees to Be Urged
at Next Session.

Proposed legislation to improve the
retirement law for Government EN-
ploSes is expected to be discussed oN
the executives, ommmittee of the JOINT
conference on civil service retirement
at a meeting here early in september.
Robert H. Alcorn. chairman or the
ioint conference. expressed me nope
Yesterday that the incoming congress
would enact a retirement law along
tho lines advocated by the various
organization of employees at previous
sessions. He said the executive com
n,ittee of the conference probably
would be called together about sep
TENDER 10 TO give some thought 10
the program to be worked for at the
coming session.
Data Is Collected.
During the last Congress, resolu-
tions were pending TO provide for the
creation of a commission to make
thorough study of the whole subject
of retirement in the Government serV-
ice with view TO enacting a salts
factory law.
Mr.. Alcorn said yesterday that data
now being collected, and which will /
he available when Congress meets, |
would he sufficient, in his opinion, to
enble the legislators to take up re-
tirement legislation without the neces- |
sty of creating the proposed commits |
sion.
Senator Dale of Vermont, chairman |
Of the Senate civil service committee, |
who has been at the Capitol recently, |
declared himself in favor of a more |
adequate retirement plan for those
who devote the greater part Of their |
lives to the Government service,
although he was somewhat doubtful |
hat ba,, hat nnv,lS l1p ci1cI !
at the coming session.
Opposed to Commission.
The Senator is opposed to ating
q special commission to study the re
tsement system, taking the position
that Congress in recent years has
been delegating too much Of its power
To other agencies. He believes the
appropriate committees of the House
and Senate can make whatever
studies are needed. pointing out that
they could employ experts if neces-
Sary.
The present retirement law, enacted
as compromise in the closing hours
or the long session in July, 1926.
raised the maximum annuity from
$40 to $1,000, but it also raised the
contribution taken from the employees
salaries for the retirement fund from
Z ~ TO 31a per cent.
The employees at that time advo-
Gated a $1,000 maximum annuity. but
the House was opposed then to going
above $1,000 and the Senate leaders
yielded at the last moment in order
TO avoid having the legislation fail in
conference. The maximum is for
those who retire after 80 wears of
service, the average being consid-
erabiy lower than that amount. n
When the maximum was $500 the
average annuity was figured at 1916
senator Dale said he thought an
empioye going out of the service in
the advanced years of life should
nave 500 month to get along on,
which would be a 81 200 annuity. He
pointed out that thus far the re-
tlfement plan has been carried en-
tlreiy on the contributions of the en-
ployes. the Government having paid
nothing toward it's liability to the
fund
Disagrees With Theory.
The Senator declared he does not
agree with those who fear that if
the annuity was made $1,000 a great
many would go on the retired list
at the earliest opportunity. permitted
under the law. His experience has
been, he said, that most employees
want to remain in service as long as
they can.
Although it has been calculated
that the retirement system can be
carried entirely for a number of
years to come out of the fund ac-
cumulated by the employees contri-
buttons, Mr.. Alcorn of the joint con-
ference of employees, believes the
more business like method would be
for the Government to prepare to
meet its annual liability.
The latest statement of the con-
dition of the retirement fund. re-
ceived by Mr.. Alcorn from the office
of the commissioner of pensions.
shows SCI, 100000 in the fund as of
June 80 last, and that the accrued
liza bility of the Government as of the
anne date was $42. 100000.
There are 100000 employees who
come under the retirement law. and
on June 80 there were 14119 retired
and receiving annuities. This repre-
scented a net increase of 1886 an
nuitants during the fiscal year.