Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-31
WORK OF ALCORN
LAUDED BY GIBSON
Vermont Representative Tells
of Retirement Bill Sup
porter'S Efforts.

Tribute to the work of Robert H. Al
corn, who for 16 years has led the effort
in Congress for retirement legislation,
is paid in the Congressional Record by
Representative Ernest w. Gibson, Re-
publican, of Vermont, member of the
House civil service committee.
He emphasizes that Mr.. Alcorn gave
up his position in the Government serv-
ice to lead the campaign for. remedial
legislation for his fellow employees and
that now the fight is won he is Ineligible
himself to share in the benefits. Rep
reSentative Gibson's speech is, in part,
as follows:
1.-THE signing by the President of the
Dale-Lehlbach retirement bill marks the
elimination of years of ceaseleSs striv-
ing on the part of civil service en-
ployes for an adequate retirement meas
ure.
Joint Conference Successful.
"The unco-ordinated efforts of sepa-
rate organizations brought meager re-
suits through many years of effort. II
was not until the formation of the joint
conference on retirement that real
progress was made in bringing forth a
measure that would ease the declining
days of the WORKOUT employees Of the
Government.
THE joint conference on retirement
was formed in 1917, and Robert H. AL
corn, who had served for several years
as the chairman of the retirement COM
mittee of the Naval Gun Factory, was
elected chairman and has held the posi-
ton to this time
ut is not my purpose to dwell on the
struggles of the last IS years to secure
the enactment of the Mcclellan Heating
bill, the Dale-Wadsworth bill, or the
Sterllng-Lehlbach bill which became a
law in 1920, but I do wish to pay a
tribute to the sterling character, the
ability, and the tenacity of the chair
man who through all the trying situa-
the respect and confidence of the great
body of Government workers. He has
kept the ranks closed with only one
single exception.
THE joint conference consists of req
reSentatives of the navy yards, naval
stations and arsenals, National AsSocia-
ton of Letter Carriers, National Fed
Grafton Of Post Office Clerks, Railway
Mail Clerks. National Association of
Master Mechanics, District No. A of
machiniStS, Government printers, print
ing pressmen, bockbinders, mechanical
trades of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing and, in addition, through their
confidence in the chairman, nearly all
of the independent organizations in the
Government service in the District of
Columbia and throughout the country
have loyalty co-operated.
100000 Affiliated.
81 think it is conservative estimate
that there are in excess of 300,0 men
and women enrolled under the banner
or affiliated with the joint conference
on retirement. BY reason of diversity
OF occupations and environment con-
fiicting demands have inevitably arisen
among the different groups, but all
these differences have been amicably
adjusted and all have carried on with
singleneSs of purpose that brought re-
suits. Much of the success has been
due to the tireless efforts of Chairman
Robert H. Alcorn.
You all know him. There are few
whose Offices he has not visited and
been received with welcome. Courteous
and kindly. he has always found the
door open to him, with an invitation to
return upon his departure. He has had
the confidence of the members Of the
civil service committees. The glory of
success With the retirement measure
belongs to him. I congratulate the
thousands of loyal Government workers
that they have been led by such a
splendid type of man.
He has made a genuine sacrifice. In
1921 he was reduced in his grade owing
to loss of time due to work for his
organization. He was reinstated in
1927, but remained less than a year in
the service. He gave up his position
that he might have the time to work
for others. He is therefore ineligible
to share in the benefits of retirement.
He has kept the faith, he has Won the
fight, but can not share in the realiZa-
ton of his dream"