Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-20

CONTINUED From First Page)
it was making to the retirement fund
because it was permitting employees
whose efficiency is impaired to leave the
service and be supplanted by younger
and more efficient women.
1.-THE Government would be making
good investment If 1t paid the entire
cost of retirement" declared Mr. Fran
discus.
Mr. Franciscus asked the committees
to report the Dale bill without Important
amendment so that there might be no
delay in the enactment of legislation at
this session of Congress.
1.-THE condition of some, of our retired
employees now is deplorable," said Mr.
Franctscus. They are required to exc
out an existence on sums of money sol
small that it is almost impossible for
them to live"
Long Study Required.
He said no new system of retirement
should be adopted without a long and
intensive study and declared that mean
while the Dale bill would give some
measure of immediate relief.
Representative Gibson of Vermont
declared that when Congress amended
! the retirement lay in 1926 it attempted
TO include the employees of the District
| OF Columbia government" Mr.. Glib
son said that the District Commission
ers, however, apparently were opposed
round way to get around what we
thought were the expressed provisions
of the bill
Mr.. Gibson then asked the witness II
he did not think that any bill now
passed by Congress should be made
explicit as to District Government en-
ployes so that the Commissioners can
not thwart the wishes Of Congress in
this matter"
Mr.. Franciscus replied that he
thought this should be done.
N. p. Alias, president of District ~,
International Association of Machinists,
comprising about 100000 workers, Of
whom $500 are in the Government
service, was the next witness. He also
supported the Dala bill and opposed
passage of the Lehlbach bill at that
time
"If the Dale bill were passed now.s
asked Representative Smith, sis IL not
quite possible that you and your as
sociates would find some merit in the
new Lehlbach bill at a later time when
you had chance to examine it?"
Yes. that is quite possible" said
Mr.. Alias
Mr. Alias referred to the criticism
of the Lehlbach bill at mass meeting
OF Navy Yard employees last Sunday,
declaring that he had spoken at that
meeting but had specifically disclairned
any intention of criticizing Mr. Lehl-
bach personally. He said that while
there were many features of the
Lehlbach bill that he and his organi-
cation did not like, one of their main
reasons for opposing it now was to
prevent legislative deadlock that
might endanger passage of all retire.
ment legislation at this session.
Alias mentioned the dollar a month
feature OF the Lehlbach bill as espe-
| cially objectionable to workers he rep
| resents. I'VE believe that the item
would provide further opportunity to
| Snlft TO employees the burden OF the
entire retirement system" he said.
Citing mortality figures purporting to
SHOW that between the ages Of l6 and
a, 20,565 out Of 100000 persons die
Alias said that on that basis approx
| n1ately $4,000 Government EMPLOYEES
each would have paid more than $500
| into the fund which they would not
receive. The figure $4,000 was COM
puted on the basis of 100000 Govern
ment employees.
I'VE feel" he said, chat persons who
| stay in the Government service should
not profit by money paid in by those
who have left"
Question of Protection.
Representative Smith asked Atlas IL
the annuity purchased by the dollar a
month paid would not be as cheap as
could be obtained, and If the feature
was not comparable to fire insurance.
Alias stated that in his opinion FIRE
insurance was protection and that
the employe who paid in a dollar
month was not protecting himself so
much as the other fellow. In reply to
questions he said that If the Dale bill
were law now and the Lehlbach bill
up for discussion he still would be in.
clined to oppose this feature.
Following Alias, Henry w. Strickland
testified on behalf of the industrial Sec
tion OF the Railway Mail Association.
He represented $4,000 persons in the
postal service, he said. adding that
275,000 Of ''the rank and file" are on
posed to the Lehlbach bill.
Inc present plan has been entirely
successful" he said, land I earnestly
believe that the 10 years experience
shows that in time the maximum retire.
ment can be raised to $500 without
additional cost"
Strickland as we'll as Alias and other
witnesses pointed out that the ADbiec-
tions to the Lehlbach bill, although
marked in certain features. were aimed
chiefly at the thought of Interfering
with the trend of action toward RENEE
dial retirement legislation as encom-
passed in the Dale bill by breaking up
still more controversial subjects. The
legislative situation in both houses was
said by these witnesses to be such that
consideration at this time Of new legis-
lation was unwise.
Opponents Of the new Lehlbach bill
began their testimony yesterday after
noon. Robert H. Alcorn, chairman of
the joint conference on retirement, with
which are affiliated many organizations
OF Feoeral employees in Washington and
throughout the States. was called FIRST.
He gave way to Edward j. Gainor, presi-
dent OF the National Association Of Let
ter Carriers, with a membership Of APP
proximately 10000.
Endorses Dale Bill.
Mr.. Gainor disclaimed any intention
to criticize Mr.. Lehlbach personally but
he said the new bill would not benefit
the letter carriers. He came, he ex-
planned, to indorse the Dale bill as 1t was
passed by the Senate, and ask that the
House pass it in the same form
Other opponents of the bill who spoke
briefly yesterday were N. p. Finnan, sec
rotary Of the National Association OF
Letter Carriers Thomas F. Flaherty,
secretary-treasurer of the National Fed
Grafton OF Post ONCE Clerks, and w. H.
Collins, president of the Railway Mail
Association, comprising railway postal
clerks.
e. @. Ladd, on behalf Of the retire
ment committee Of the employees Of the
naval gun factory at the navy yard.
presented the resolutions of protest
against the new Lehlbach bill that were
adopted at mass meeting in the Ave-