Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
CONFEREES NEAR
FINAL ACTION ON
RETIREMENT BILL
Report Is Expected to Be
Adopted Wednesday at
Session.
HOUSE AND SENATE
RATIFICATION is SEEN
Basic Annuity of $50 Annually
for Each Year of Service II
Provided in Measure.


Having worked out an agreement yes
terday on the civil service retirement
plan as framed by the House, with q
number Of amendment. the conferees
will meet ut 1890 O'Clock Wednesday
morning to take final action on the
conference report to be submitted to
the Senate and House for ratification.
The report, which it Is confidently
expected will be adopted Wednesday as
worked out, will go before the Senate
and House for approval without delay.
The belief prevails that both branches
will ratify the agreement, which will
send the measure to the President for
signature.
The bill to be reported by the con-
tereeS sets up new system Of retire.
ment, under which there would be a
basic annuity Of $50 a year for each
year Of service, not to exceed 30 years,
making q maximum basic annuity of
5000, to which would be added what
ever additional annuity could be pur-
chased with the accumulated contribu-
lions Of each employee.
Equalizes Annuities and Pay.
The bill agreed upon means larger
annuities for those retired on low an
nual salaries, such as $500 or 5000 a
year. and also means that those in the
high salary brackets eventually will get
annuities In relation to their salaries,
whereas under the present retirement
system the maximum annuity is 81 900
for all employees regardless Of the
amount contributed.
The new plan contains a provision
mat no employe shall receive less
under 1t than he would have received
under the Senate bill. The Senate
bill would have continued the present
retirement system with increased an
nuities, but with a maximum Of $1,000
in any case.
AS time goes on and the contribu-
tons Of high-paid employees accumu-
late they would be able to purchase
annuities greater than $1,000.
AS the House report on the bill
stated, IF will afford to each employe
the opportunity to get retirement an
nuity comparable to the money he has
paid in for that purpose"
table prepared by Government ex-
perts of the annuities that would be
paid in the different salary groups I'M
der the House bill indicates that during
the next five years there would be very
few annuities In excess Of $1,000.
Substance Is Same.
1.-THE conference has agreed to re-
port the House bill with certain amend
ments perfecting the text, Tut not 60
ing to the substance of the BILL" said
Representative Lehlbach, Republican, of
New Jersey, following the meeting yes
terday, which was the first the con-
ferees had held In more than a month.
Government workers were becoming
fearful that the bill might fail IN con-
ference as the close of the session APP
preached when Senator Dale, Repub-
lican. of Vermont, chairman Of the
conference, announced few days ago
that another meeting with the House
group had been arranged.
The most important amendment
agreed to at the conference yesterday
was q provision that the record of each
employe be kept in his own Office, in
stead of assembling all records in one
place. This was one Of the changes
advocated by Senate conferees, who OBJ
jected to the assembling of the records
on the ground that it would entail un-
necessary expense.
Another amendment was accepted by
the conferees under which, In excep-
tional cases, veteran employees could be
continued in the service upon recon-
mendation Of their department heads
and with the approval Of the Civil Serv-
ice Commission. Prior to adoption Of
this amendment the bill provided that
after next August no employee could be
retained more than four years beyond
means that In these exceptional cases
an employe could be continued as long
as his services were regarded as advan-
tageouS to the Government. It was
pointed out that there are q number of
cases In various departments Of persons
who have reached retirement age, but
whose retention In the service would be
deemed desirable to the Government.
Contribution Under System.
Under the new retirement system to
be set up by the House bill 81 O month
would be deducted from the contribu-
ton Of each employe to help meet the
cost Of the 5000 basic annuity, the bal
ance required to meet the basic annuity
to be paid by the Government.
After taking out this 81 a month, the
rest Of the employees contribution would
be kept to his separate account, where
1t would accumulate and be used to
buy his additional annuity upon re-
tirement.
It is understood that Senator Nc
Kellar, Democrat, Of Tennessee, one
Of the conferees, sought to eliminate
the requirement for the 81 a month
deduction from the contributions of
the employees, but without success.
An amendment was agreed to. under
which employees who have gone out of
the service because of disability, but
who failed to apply for the retirement
BENEFITS within the six months required
by existing law, could have their re-
tirement status restored by making the
necessary application within three
months after this bill passes.
Another amendment was agreed To
relating to Navy Yard employees, plac-
ing workers known as leading men and
quarter men In the 62-year retirement
group, and placing master mechanics
and foremen In the 65-year retirement
group.
Others Could Come In.
An amendment also was accepted by
the confereeS under which government
employees not under civil service could
come under the retirement plan by pay
ing in what they would have paid dur
Ing the last 10 years. They would be
permitted to make the necessary nav
ment In small installments.
The House bill agreed upon by the
conferees retains that part of the Sem
ate bill permitting optional retirement
after 80 years Of service two years ear
lier than under existing law. The re-
tirement age limits are 70, IS and g.
according to the class of work per-
formed. With 80 years of service they
,ould exercise the option of retiring at
50. So and go, respectively.
The conferees on the bill are: Sena-
;ors Dale, Republican, Vermont; Couz-
ms, Republican. Michigan; Mcclellan,
Democrat, Tennessee, and Representa-
ives Lehlbach, Republican, New jersey