Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
RETIREMENT BILL
ACTION IS URGED
Joint Conference Members
Advised by Chairman to
Get Behind Measure.

AS rev year greeting 10 the more
than 100000 Government employees
throughout the country, some $4,000 Of
whom are in Washington. the hope is
expressed that "our efforts may be
crowned with success" in the passage Of
the Dale-Lehlbach bill to liberalize the
Civil Service retirement law in letter
sent yesterday by Robert H. Alcorn,
chairman Of the joint conference on re-
tirement, to the members of the confer
ence. He urges united action TO get
the measure through.
Thu af1liated organizations in the
conference represent some 100000 OF
the 400 900 Government employees, and
include: The National Association Of
Letter Carriers. the National Federation
Of Post ONCE Clerks, the Railway Mail
Association. District A of the Machin-
lists and all other crafts and employees
at all the navy yards and arSenals, rep
resenting some 10000 Government en-
ployes: typographical workers, printers
and pressmen, bookbinders and all the
ing ONCE and the United States Blu
reau Of Engraving and Printing.
Bill Endorsed by Groups.
All of these organizations and asso-
Citations have repeatedly Endorsed the
Dale-Lehlbach bill. Mr.. Alcorn in this
letter, which Is to be transmitted
through their respective organizations,
urges all of the Government employees
to impress upon their Representatives In
Congress the necessity for promptly
passing this bill which has already
passed both houses Of Congress either
unanimously or without serious oppo-
sition. only to run up against presi-
Dental veto.
For the past five years" Mr.. Alcorn
reminds the conference committee as
representing the Civil Service employees
throughout the United States. I'VE have
advocated and fought for better and
more liberal retirement law, and our
path has been very rough With mighty
large political stones, some of which
have been rolled aside, and yet there
are other stones that have not been
rolled out nor crushed as they might or
should have been.
There is now pending before the
Senate and House a bill known as the
Dale-Lehlbach retirement bill. In the
Senate the Dale bill is numbered S. Is,
and in the House the Lehlbach bill is
numbered II. r. 1915. The Senate bill
is on the Senate calendar, with
favorable report, No. 10, having been
reported in the early days Of the spe-
cial session with the recommendation
that the bill as reported should pass.
In the House no action has been taken,
as the House committee on civil service
was not organized until about two
weeks ago, or since the beginning OF
the regular session of ths Seventy-first
Congress, just before the holiday re-
cess. The House committee has agreed
to take up the retirement bill the flrst
thing when they reconvene in January.
Provides $1,000 Maximum.
"The Dale-Lehlbach bill as now
pending provides for 81 200 maximum
annuity 1t also provides for an opti0n
Of two years less than retirement age
where the employee has so years OF
service and is in the 70-year group,
said cmploye could at his option retire
IT So; likewise for those in the 65-year
group. the employee would be permitted
to retire at IS; those in the 62-year
group would be permitted to retire at
co. This bill provides for o change
Of divisor from As to 40. Another
provision is for computing the annuity
on the last flve years rather than the
last 10. as now provided in the law.
This bill does not provide all the
changes that should b. made in seek
ing better law, but 1t would b. very
much better than the present law.
This same bill has passed the Senate
three times and the House once, unani-
mously. only being def-sted with the
presidential veto. While We do not
anticipate this opposition again, there
are other obstacles that We must meet.
There are q good many individuals
who are advocating special amend
ments and some have gone to the
extent of asking members of the House
committee to open up hearings that
they may have chance to convince
Numbers Of the committee that their
particular amendment should be added
to the bill.
Situation Alarming.
"TTli- situation has become Homewhat
alarming. as proposed amendments or
changer in the bill would make It nee
esssry to submit such changes to the
to added cost. This would take con-
siderable time, cause much delay, and
might mean another Congress without
getting action on the bill
While there are many changes that
should be made in order to have the
retirement law what it should be, many
friends are becoming very much alarmed
over the situation, and We must exert
ourselves to make sure that we get ac-
ton on the bill that is now pending.
most earnestly recommend that all
members of the conference and their
friends write TO the members Of the
House civil service committee and to
the members of the Senate committee.
urging them to help get the pending
bill passed at the earliest date possible
Then other changes that should be
made can be followed up almost i'm
mediately. We should all remember
that this step Is not all that is desired.
yet 1t would be decided step forward,
and I sincerely trust that all friends
will either write personal or organiza-
ton letters to the members of the
House and Senate. urging that this
legislation be brought forward for con-