Evening star., 1936-06-16
BUREAU WORKERS
I GET 4O-HOUR WEEK
House Also Passes Other
Bills Benefiting Federal
Employees.

Bills which would extend the 40
hour week to all employees Of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
grant Government retirement privi-
leges to the personnel Of the Bureau
Of Investigation of the Department
Of Justice, and give employees retired
under civil service the right to select
one of several types Of annuities were
passed by the House last night at its
first night session since Congress con-
vened.
Action on another bill which would
authorize the President to extend the
civil service to all executive depart
ments of the Government, was
blocked, however, by two New Jersey
Republicans, Mclean and Lehlbach,
former chairman of the House Civil
Service Committee.
Representative Ramspeck, Demo-
crat, Of Georgia. present chairman Of
the Civil Service Committee and
sponsor of the bill, remarked when
objections caused it to be passed over:
"The Republicans put civil service
plank in their platform. I don't see
how they could object to this bill"
Mclean Cites Objection.
Mclean expressed fear that the
bill might be broadly interpreted to
apply to all Delaware corporations
because Of a provision which included
incorporated agencies.
A bill extending retirement privi-
leges to J. Edgar Hoover's "G-men"
was passed by the Senate about 5
hours before the House approved a
similar measure. Since the measures
are identical as soon as the Senate
puts the stamp of approval on the
one passed by the House, it will go to
the President for signature.
Prior to the House action on the
retirement bill for "G-men," Repre-
sentative Mccormack, Democrat, of
Massachusetts,, defended Hoover
against q so-called whispering cam
paign."
Praises Work Of Hoover.
He praised Hoover for his wonder
full work." and declared that criticism
directed at him does not reflect the
attitude of Congress. In addition,
he said, Hoover Is quick to praise his
agents, and does not seek to take
credit for their achievements.
The bill to place all employees Of
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
oINao lry 11o ascad
the Senate. It will affect 3,423 EN-
ployes who were left on 44-hour
week when the mechanical force Of
780 workers were placed on a 40-hour
week under the 1885 independent Of
fees appropriation act. y
Ramspeck pointed out that the two
different shifts at the bureau had
resulted In q difficult situation and
the adoption of stagger hour sys-
tenn for the mechanical trade workers.
Secretary of Treasury Morgenthau
last year reported to Congress the
adoption of 40-hour week for all
bureau employees would make 1t pos
sible to close the establishment every
Saturday, except in an emergency.
An elaborate system Is set-up by
the bill permitting Government en-
ployes under civil service to elect one
Of several types of pensions. The
annuity may be paid in one Of four
ways. In the first place, it may be
increased with the provision that no
unexpended part shall be payable after
the annuitant's death, or 1t may be
paid under joint survivorship an
nuity or a modified form Of the same
arrangement. Under another plan it
could be paid on the basis Of yearly
pension and additional death iasur-
ance.