Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-18
Opponents Charge Him With
Being Double Crossing
LIAR" He Asserts.
DECLARES OPPOSITION
NOT BASED ON MERITS
Sponsor of Retirement Measure
Strikes Back at Members Of
Joint Conference.

Striking back at members of the Joint
conference on retirement who have
criticized his new bill for the retire
ment of Federal employees, Chairman
Lehlbach of the House civil service COM
mittee today at the opening of hearings
on the bill declared that he wanted
every one to know that the opposition
OF the conference was not based on the
merit OF the bill, but upon a charge
that Il acted in bad faith"
In other words, they have charged
me with being a double-crossing liar"
SAID Mr.. Lehlbach. IT want the Joint
conference to know that I fully under
stand their attitude in this matter
mittee and the country to understand
that know it."
Before making this statement, Chair
man Lehlbach read The Stars account
OF a meeting of Navy Yard employees
neIu sunday morning at the Avenue
Grand Theater, Pennsylvania avenue
near Seventh street southeast. under
the auspices of the Joint Conference
on retirement. This meeting adopted
resolutions protesting against the Lehl-
bacn bill.
Reads Extracts Quoting Speakers.
Mr.. Lehlbach said he had checked
up on The Stars account of this meet
ing and found it to be substantiaIiv
accurate. He then read extracts from
the article quoting some speakers as
SAYING mat certain members of Con.
gresS were trying to kill retirement lee
lslation at this session of Congress 6v
700 much Kindness, and also fndicatfn0
mat the new Lehlbach bill had been
introduced TO muddy the water" and
serve as an excuse for defeating all re.
urement legislation at this session
1T mas been reported to me-" said
Mr. Lehlbach, that some of theSe
STATEMENTS have been made by MEM
t perS OF the Joint Conference on Re-
tIement to members of Congress
Mr.. Lehlbach said that every ma
"oulo recall that he had always been
a Irleno OF retirement legislation and
mat from the beginning the various
measures providing for the retirement
OF government employees with annuities
nag pesn reported by the COMMITTEES Of
Wnicn ne Is chairman He said he had
always secured consideration of these
their enactment.
Sought Opinions Of All.
When he introduced recently his new
iietlIeMent Dill, Mr.. Lehlbach added, he
all those interested in it to give II CON- -
slderation and express their opinions
Inc only organization on record against
MS new bill, he asserted, is the Joint
conference on retirement.
Mr. Lehloach's statement, which was
mace before any witnesses were called.
created mild sensation in the big
caucus room In the House Once Build
ing Where the hearings are being held.
s,,
once Building was damned with Cow
eminent employees. Many had obtained
leave OF absence in order to attend the
nearing and there was a large pro-
portion of the older men and women
VINO are already on the retired list
Every word of the technical comparison
OF the two retirement bills that fell
rom the witness lips was closely fol-
Inc t1rst witness was William n. Nc
Reynolds, assistant chief Of the Bureau
OF Enclency and former member Of the
personnel Classification Board. Mr.
Lenloach asked him to point out DIFF
IerenceS between his new bill and the
Oaie Dill, already passed by the Senate,
and with the present law.
Computing Methods Differ.
Mr.. McReynolds said the principal
duference was in the method of conn
putting the annuity. He called attention
10 section of the new bill, which pro-
VideS for life annuity to be made nm
OF a sum equal to $50 for each wear
OF service, not exceeding 50 years, and
an additional annuity to be purchased
from a deduction of 81 a month TO be
taken from each employees salary. The
witness said that under the new bill
the Government will pay I'D to 5000 A
year, and the annuitant will be per-
mltted 10 purchase as much additional
Sible.
Mr.. McReynolds said that the amount
deducted from the employees salary
would reduce the Governments expense
In paying its share of the annuity.
AN employe who retireS after 80 wears.
explained the witness, will get 5000 a
year as his basic retirement nav. re-
CARELESS OF what he may be able to
purchase as an additional annuity with
the amount deducted from his contri-
buttons 10 the Government Further
more, Mr.. McReynolds said, If the two
amounts taken together do not equal
the annuity provided In the Dale bill. Il
Is provided in the new bill that the
Government shall make up the differ
ence.
The witness commended that under the
new Dill the retired employees as a whole
would be benefited to the amount OF
approximately $l0,00O,00O a year, of
which $5.500,00O would be paid by the
Government and $4,000, 900 by the en-
ployeS.
Replying to questions by Chairman
Lehlbach. McReynolds said that in both
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