Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-17
RETIREMENT BILL
SUPPORT SOUGHT
President Receives Labor
Leaders Backing Dale
LehIbach Measure.

A delegation of labor leaders In the
Federal service after talking to Presi-
dent Coolidge at the White House today
regarding the merits of the Dale-Lehl-
bach bill proposing further liberaliza-
ton of the civil service retirement law,
went away feeling that the President
may be expected to withdraw his present
opposition to this legislation.
Accompanying the delegation was Will
liam Green, president Of the American
Federation of Labor, who acted as
spokesman for the group and who later
said that the conference with the PreSi-
dent was highly satisfactory, and who
stated that the President seemed greatly
impressed by what the delegation had to
say on the matter of improving the
present retirement Law. It Is made
plain, however, that the President, while
indicating that he might modify his
opposing views when the time comes,
did not commit himself.
Additional Cost Discussed.
Besides Mr.. Green, those of the dele
cation were Robert Alcorn of the joint
conference on retirement, Thomas F.
Federation of Post Office Clerks; Ed
ward Gainor Of the Letter Carriers
Association, w. M. Collins of the Rail-
way Mail Clerks Association. NJ. T.
Finnan, secretary of the National As
sociation of Letter Carriers: M. p.
Alifaf of the International Machinists
Union, F. s. Walker. secretary Of Co
lumbia, 101, Typographical Union, and
George ] Simmons, secretary Of the
Pressmen's Union.
The President was represented as in
dicating that he had been told by Gov
ernment actuaries that the cost of this
proposed liberalized Civil Service re-
tirement legislation would exceed $10.-
100000. He was advised by these
callers that they have reason to know
that the cost would be considerably less
than that amount. The following COM
on Retirement was left with the Pres
ident:
Representing the Joint conference on
retirement, we respectively invite your
attention to the pending legislation
known as the Dale-Lehlbach bill, which
has for it's purpose certain improve
ments In the existing civil service re-
tirement law.
Would Increase Annuities.
"This legislation in substance pro
vides for an increase in annuities
whereby the present average annuity
will be raised from $73390 to approx
mately $500. and the maximum annuity
from $1,000 to $4,000. 1t also permits
employees who have rendered 80 years
of service to retire at their option two
years prior to the present retirement
ages.
1T is estimated that normal retire
ment costs amount now to 3.98 per cent
of the Government pay roll. OF which
amount the employees pay $50 per cent.
The present amendment will increase
the Governments cost seven-tenthS Of
l per cent of the pay roll, according to
the report made to the House OF Repre-
sentatives from the committee on civil
service May 10 last.
There Is no dissent from any official
source as to the value of the retirement
law to the Government. Cabinet men,
bers, the Civil Service Commission and
other Government agencies and officials
have secretly testified to its beneficial
operations in their reports to Congress.
1t Is generally conceded that the
primary purpose of the law In reliev-
ing the Government service of super
employees will be more COM
pletely fulfilled by increasing the an
nuities as is now proposed"