Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23
Dale Plan Passage, Subject
to Change, for Sake of
Speed, Is Urged.
MAY SHELVE PROPOSAL
IN VIEW OF VETO HINT
House Committeeman Favor Prompt
Relief, But See Little Use of
Opposing Presidents Wishes.

To determine its program in view Of
President Hoover's declaration that he
wants to see the new Lehlbach retire
ment bill passed with an implied veto
Of the Dale bill If 1t should be rushed
through the House, the Joint Confer
ence on Civil Service Retirement Is to
meet tomorrow morning.
The leaders of the Government en-
ployes feel that the greater sufferers
under the inequitieS in the present re-
hrement law are the low salaried en-
ployeS who would be benefited most by
passage of the Dale bill. They are re-
luctant to oppose President Hoover and
the House leadership. Some of these
friends of the employees said last night
that practically only 10 per cent of those
covered by the retirement law are in
cluded in the group of valuable Fed
eral employees whom the President de-
sires to have taken care of under the
new Lehlbach bill, and that even these
relatively few would. in all probability,
have to wait 10 or Is years before they
got any benefit from this legislation.
Compromise Is Suggested.
1t was suggested that the Dale bill
might well be allowed to pass the House
and that then conference could be
arranged between a small committee
from the Senate and House civil service
committees to thrash out further desir-
able changes which would in effect. be
compromise between the Dale bill and
the pending Lehlbach bill.
Individual members of the House civil
service committee said last night that
they are undecided as to what is likely
10 happen at the meeting, which is ex-
pected to be held Tuesday at which
time Chairman Lehlbach said yesterday
that he would submit the entire situa-
ton to the committeeman as 1t has been
changed by the statement from the
White House.
While at least IS of the ii members
OF the House committee are eager 10
have the relief afforded by the Dale
Dill extended to Government workers
as soon as possible. they feel that there
Is little use in butting their heads
against stone wall If the President IA
ready TO veto the Dale bill and the
House leadership, as shown by House
Leader TIson's statement yesterday, Is
unwilling to allow the Dale bill 20 come
up Tor vote because of the Presidents
declared preference for the Lehlbach
measure.
Representative Mccormack OF Massa-
chusetts, Democratic member of the
House civil service committee, who Is
pledged to the Dale bill, said last night
that he hopes Mr.. Lehlbach viii 40
through with his promise to withdraw
his bill and to urge the committee to
vote out the Dale bill, the passage of
which Federal employees anxiousIy have
awaited for several years.
Immediate Benefits Urged.
There is no reason why the Repub-
llcan leaders OF the House should not
permit an early vote after the commit
tee has taken favorable action" said
Mr.. Mccormack. The liberalizing fea-
lures of the Dale bill would immediately
benent those already retired and
would also benefit those in the Federal
service receiving $4,000 or less.
However, 1t must be borne in mind
that there was complete justification
for the feeling on the part OF those who
believed that a report of the Lehlbach
bill would in all probability result in no
legislation being enacted this session.
1t must be borne in mind that the
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