Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-15
Amendments Probably to Be
Handled as Separate Re-
tirement Measure.
EMPLOYEES SPOKESMEN
GO BEFORE COMMITTEE
Nothing Believed in Way Of Lib
eralized Federal Retirement
Act Soon.

Prospects OF an early favorable re-
port from the House civil service COM
mittee on the Dale bill to liberalize
the civil service retirement law and q
forecast that the House will act almost
unanimously on this measure resulted
from a lengthy hearing before the
House committee today.
More than 40 speakers oficially rep
resenting various organizations of en-
the civil service retirement law de-
clared that while the Dale bill does not
go far enough and does not contain
many Of the provisions which O per-
fected retirement law should contain,
that they were unwilling to jeopardize
the chances for legislation at this ses-
sion by insisting upon many amend
mentS which various units would like
to have included.
During the hearing Chairman Lehl-
bach suggested that one way to handle
the matter was to have the committee
act on the Dale bill and that other
amendments might be included in a
separate bill and that then the House
both proposals and in this way the as
sured passage Of the Dale bill would
not be imperiled.
Have Confidence in House.
Luther c. Steward, representing the
National Federation of Federal EN-
ployes, said that If the members of the
House civil service committee should
hear from President Hoover, who as
President has not yet made public his
attitude toward liberalization of the re-
tfEAVrNAvNk AAt kx,k ,u,H-, T. A.
an intimate and sympathetic knowledge
Of the subject, should let his opinion
be known that the Government en-
ployes have confidence that the House
committee will liberalize the provisions
Of the pending bill to the extent that
may be possible without endangerine
the veto from the White House.
Mr.. Stewart called attention that the
pending bill does not include much that
the National Federation would like To
have In 1t. He submitted the resolu-
the national federation. This organiza-
ton would like to have included the
employees Of the Soldiers Home in
Washington and similar institutions
throughout the country. It seeks also
for more liberal provisions covering diff
ferent kinds of employment, many of
which are quite hazardous and which
did not receive very careful considera-
ton when the law was drafted.
Among others who testified at the
hearing today were:
Other Witnesses.
Robert H. Alcorn, president of the
Civil Service Retirement Conference
which with cooperating organizations,
represents some 100000 Government
employees; Thomas r. F1aherty, Ed
ward ]. Gamer, M. l.. Finnan
and w. M. Collins, who represent
various organizations Of postal en-
ployes; N. P. Alias, representing en-
ployes at the Washington Navy Yard and
other navy YARDS and arsenals through
w. r. Leath, E. w. Smiser, Francis
Black of New York, william H. Hay
cock, Harry F. Folger. James v. Dona-
hue Of New York, representing the Ma
tional Customs Service Association;
Mrs. Warrell, DR.. A. j. Macdonald, G.
B. Hemingway, Joseph E. Evans,
Charles Fridley and George G. Hoover.
The hearing was definitely closed
and the committee Is to meet again
on call Of the chairman to take execu-
tive action.
Positive statement that nothing must
be allowed to imperil the prompt &C.
ton by the House committee and by
the House on the Dale bill was en-
phaSized at the meeting Of the COM
mittee.
The first witness today was Joseph
E. Evans, president of the City EN-
ployes Association, who explained that,
by ruling of the District Commits
sioners, per diem employees are ex-
cluded from the benefits Of the Civil
Service retirement law. After con-
siderable argument between Mr.. Evans
and various members of the Civil Serv-
Ice committee, Daniel j. Donovan, au-
ditor for the District, who appeared as
representing the District Commits
sioners, was called upon to elrcidate
the situation. He spoke for more than
an hour, explaining the ruling Of the
District Commissioners and one by the
Pension Bureau.
At the conclusion Of his explanation
he was asked II he thought an amend
ment proposed to cover In the per diem
employees should be allowed to imperil
the prospects of the Dale bill to liberal
lie the retirement law. Maj. Donovan
said: Certainly not" and that nothing
should be allowed to inaperil the prompt
passage Of that measure.
He supported the proposed amend
ment to include the per diem employees
whose work is of permanent nature.
He explained that the regular annual
employees in the District and certain
groups of per diem employees, such as
engineers. copytsts and others Of super
viSory type, are included under the
Dement'S of the retirement legislation.