Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-07
Justice to Annuitants.

The Senate has put through the Dale
Lehlbach bill liberalizing the civil
service retirement law. This measure
Is a mere matter of justice to the en-
ployes Of the Federal Government who
have reached the age of retirement. 1t
is step in the right direction Under
the existing law the retired pay of
these faithful employees Of the Govern
ment IS ridiculously inadequate. The
bill which passed the Senate yesterday
IS designed to increase the annuities
It makes the maximum retired pay
$1,000 a year, instead of 81 900, and
raises the average retired pay from
$74o to $3.50. The increases are small
enough. The man or woman in the
Government service who reaches the
age Of retirement and must strive to
win through to the end of life on the
present retired pay has a difficult
task ahead, in view of the cost of 1iv-
ing. An sged employe Of the Govern
ment, If he have an elderly wife to
support as well as himself, faces cruel
hardship.
It is ten years since the civil service
retirement act became an accomplished
fact. For years the proponents Of such
O law had petitioned Congress for relief.
Dire predictions were made by oppon-
ents Of the retirement principle that the
Government would become involved in
a disastrous liability and expenditure.
But the ten years that have elapsed
must dispel such fears. The Govern
ment takes from the salary Of each
employe 81 per cent to help create q
retirement fund. It is estimated that
under the existing law the Government
will have to contribute one-half OF one
per cent Of the Government pay roll to
fulfill its obligations. Under the new
law this contribution may be raised to
q full one per cent. After twenty
eight years, however, the Senate COM
mittee on civil service holds in its re-
port on the bill just passed, the cost
to the Government will be completely
uouidated. The retirement fund has
grown in huge leaps until 1t Is now
estimated that by July 1t will amount
to I5o,o0o,ooo. The system eventually
will be entirely self-suppoorting.
The bill. which has passed the Sen
ate and which is to come up Tor con-
sideration in the House within a short
time. also reduces the age OF retire.
ment, after the employe Of the Gov
eminent shall have given thirty years
service. Under. the existing law, all en-
ployes, after fifteen years service, are
entitled to retire at the age OF seventy.
The proposed amendment to the law
would make all employees eligible for
retirement at sixty-eight, after having
served thirty years Those classes OF
employees now entitled to retire at sixty
i've. after fifteen years service, viii be
able to retire at sixty-three, and those
classes of employees who are entitled 70
retire at sixty-two will be able to retire
at sixty. This not only is more just TO
the employees themselves, but also VIII
be the means Of bringing about greater
eficiency and better service for the
Government.
The Dale-Lehlbach bill liberalizing
the civil service retirement act has
passed both houses of Congress IN the
pest. Former President Coolidge let 1t
G4e with a so-called pocket Veto" He
did not send q message back to Con-
eress announcing his determination not
to approve the bill. He allowed the
bill to die at the close Of the last Con-
eress by merely failing to approve 1t.
The bill is expected to pass the House
within a short time and then will be
sent to President Hoover for his ap-
proyal.