Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-07
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

BY DONALD A. CRAIG.
without being blind to the possibility
F.. that a movement to obtain sweeping
changes in the Federal retirement sys-
tenn at this session of Congress might
come upon a stony road, the National
Federation of Federal Employees never
theless takes the position that the Dale
Lehlbach bill should be amended In
! several particulars in the further inter-
est of the employees. The bill was
early action by the House Is expected.
while we fully recognize the prac-
| tical difficulties in the path OF attempt
| ing to secure too many improvements
| in the Federal retirement system dur
| ing the present session OF Congress.
says Luther C. Steward, president OF
the federation, in statement TO Inc
| Star, "neverthC .ess We believe that the
| Dale-Lehlbach bill may have some ad-
ditional liberalizing features added
without either arousing congressional
opposition or running the risk of Elk
ecutive disapproval."
Nearly All Glasses Represented.
The federation includes Government
employees of all classes outside OF the
postal organization and the crafts. II
F.; is estimated that about 10000 en-
/ ployes all over the country are affiliated
| with this organization.
Fortified by resolutions adopted last
Summer by the national convention OF
the federation at Sault Ste. Marie,
Mich, Mr.. Steward and the other ex-
ecutive officers of the federation are
preparing to ask the House for certain
changes In the pending bill.
They have no intention of throwing
a wrench into the machinery" or doing
anything that will endanger the passage
| of the pending measure, which AFFORDS
some measure of further relief. They
are confident that the proposals which
! they have to make will not do any such
! thing.
! But let Mr.. Steward speak for him
self as to the position of the group OF
employees over which he preSides:
Senate bin Is, introduced in the
Senate April Is, 1929, by Senator Dale
/ and passed by the Senate yesterday,
i and House bill 1915, introduced in the
House April %, 1929. by Representative
Lehlbach, are identical with the bill
that passed both houses during the
| SEVENTEEN Congress and received a
pocket veto from former President Cool
idge.
| Maximum Annuity Increased.
1.-THE bill in question raises the maxi
mum annuity from its present 81 900 tc
| $1,000, adopts the divisor 40 instead
of As, which has the effect of slightly
| increasing the annuities of the lower
salaried employees, and permits retire
ment at the option of an employe two
years before the compulsory ages OF
| 70, IS and 81 are reached.
1.-The National Federation of Federal
Employees believes that lowering the age
at which employees in the 70-year group
may retire at their option after 80 years
service to go years instead OF 60, as
provided in the Dale-Lehlbach bill
+! would furnish relief to deserving en-
! ployes of long service without apprect-
ably adding to the cost of the system
as our experience has indicated that a
comparatively small percentage of those
| eligible under such an optional provi-
sion would avail themselves OF the
privilege.
Provision should undoubtedly be
made giving credit to employees who
serve more than 80 years prior to re-
| tirement in the form of increased an
nuity for such additional service.
Holds Law Is Discriminatory.
cit also is apparent that the existing
retirement law is discriminatory in re-
spect to those employees receiving more
than 81 500 per annum, in that they
pay a disproportionate amount Tor the
annuity received, and the higher the
salary the greater the disproportion."
! Mr.. Stewards attention was drawn
| to the question so frequently asked
What will the pending bill, as it stands
do in the way of increased annuities
| for retired employees who receive very
low salaries Turing their active service?
THE Dale-Lehlbach bill, when en-
acted into law" replied Mr.. Steward
will increase the annuity of every re-
tired annuitant a minimum OF 12l2 per
cent.
"The National Federation of Federal
EMPLOYEES has been keenly alive to the
| fact that employees retired under the
original act of 1920 were receiving very
Inadequate annuities, and the reason
that weighed most in determining the
| final acceptance of that compromise
which resulted in the amendatory act
approved July 8, 1925, was the fact that
| it afforded some increases to those
already retired"
The full program OF amendments &c
| the Civil Service retirement law, foI
which the federation stands, was unani-
mously adopted at the national conven-
/ ton last Summer. 1t is embodied in a
resolution whose preamble states that
| the Federation of Federal employees IA
vors a retirement system that takes &C.
count Of and keeps pace with the cost
of living"
Changes in Present Law Approved.
The following changes in the present
law were then approved specifically: ).
/. Using the divisor 40 instead OF a
in computing the retirement annuity
in order to give more nearly adequate
relief to those now on the retirement
roll as we'll as to those with low sal
aries who may hereafter be retired.
2. Raising the maximum annuity
from 81 900 to $1,000.
8. In computing the annuity, using
the salary of any five years of consecu'
tive service desired by the employee.
4. Providing for voluntary retirement
after 80 years of service.
S. Placing employees permanently or
the annuity roll who are retired fol
total disability If they are so years o.
age or over and have rendered the re.
uuired period of service; granting othel
employees retired for total disability whit
recover their health six months instead
of 90 days to secure restoration to thu
service.
Question Becomes Optional.
When such employees cannot be rein
stated to positions fairly comparable IL
I --y-... ,,,tfY, fhoco hald the TINA n