Evening star., 1933-04-21
Independent Offices Bill Rider
Not to Mean Retirement OF
All Affected, Says State.
ment Issued by Douglas.
$4,000 PERSONS WITHIN
SCOPE OF LEGISLATION
Increase in Annuities Is Seen by
Board of Actuaries of Civil Serv-
ice Commission-Number of EN-
ployes to Be Affected in Wash.
ington Is Not Known.

The rider in the independent
Offices appropriation bill provid-
ing for the automatic retirement
OF Government employees with 80
years service will not necessarily
mean the discharge of every one
in the Government who has
served 80 years, it was said at the
White House today. It was made
known that the President is to be
given powers in this proposed law
which will permit him to use his
discretion in retaining those men
and women, who because of their
long service, are looked upon as
especially valuable and expert.
The White House at noon made
public a. statement of Lewis W.
Douglas, director of the budget,
under whose direction the bill with
this drastic rider was prepared.
This statement, which greatly
clarifies the rider and which is
expected to considerably lessen
the CONSERVATION prevailing to-
day throughout the governmental
departments, follows:
"The provision authorizing the
retirement, with retirement priv
ileges, of Federal employees who
have been in service for more
than 80 years is for the purpose
of meeting the situation which
will develop under the retrench-
ment program.
1T Is not contemplated, under
! the provision of the act, that
those who have been in the serv-
ice more than 80 years will be, of
necessity, discharged.
"The President is given broad
power to except those who have
been in the service 80 years or
more"
Workers Are Reassured.
While President Roosevelt is eager to
bring about a constructive retrench-
ment. it is not his purpose. according
to White House authorities, to do 50
at the expense Of the efficiency Of the
great Government machine. 1t was
pointed out that those employees and
ofhcials who would be affected by an
automatic retirement after more than
80 years service, who are now engaged
in important work and who are known
to be valuable if not indispensable
need have no cause for worry
1t was explained that the President
will have discretionary authority to re-
tain such employees and officials regard
of for hot
more than 80 years. While it was not
stated at the White House, it is under
stood that these retentions, in the event
this rider is conained in the bill when
it passes. will be made by executive or
der Of the President.
Selection Held TOO Infiexible"
Chairman Buchanan of the House
Appropriations Committee, described
the section recommended by Budget
Director Douglas as too inflexible
autocratic and ruthless" and said that
any such provision should be made
more flexible with discretionary author
| ity given to some one.
the deficiency subcommittee consider.
ing the budget estimates for the inde-
pendent offices appropriation bill fol
Monday morning at 1890 O'Clock to
study particularly the proposed legisla-
| ticn for compulsory retirement after SC
years of service
, He expects to have considerably more
information on the subject before thai
conference with the subcommittee.
Representative Buchanan pointed ou1
that Justice should be done the Gov.
ernment employees and their equitie.
| under an implied contract with thu
Government should be recognized" HI
pointed out that ofttimes the veteran
clerk may have been induced to enter
the Government service with the ex.
pectation Of undisturbed employment
for certain period Of years, and that
the Government should deal fairly with
all of its faithful workers.
Hearings are to be closed on the vari.
| Gus items In the independent ONCE,
estimates tomorrow.
On Tuesday another executive ses.
sion may be held, Mr.. Buchanan says
| to consider another one of the leeis.
| lative provisos submitted by the bulge,
director.
Speaker Rainey at his conference to.
day said that the independent ONCE.
| appropriation bill will be considered IL
the House the latter part Of next week
but that q special rule will probably
be asked for in order to cover these
| legislative proposals which would other.
wise be subject to point Of order.
Many Scientists Would Co.
Compulsory retirement, without ex.
ecutive action to save their jobs, q,
proposed yesterday In the independent
| ofhces bill, woNld remove from the roll.
Of the scientific bureaus many men ir
the prime of life and in the midst ol
important research projects, the name.
| of some of whom are almost household
| words the world over.
| In many cases the work upon which
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