Evening star., 1936-02-14
BILLS DUE
TO PASS MONDAY
Senate to Vote on Measure
Changed by Civil Serv-
ice Group.
BY 7. A, O'LEARY,

The modified Government leave bills
are expected to pass the Senate Mon
day and 60 back to the House for ac-
ton on the amendments agreed to by
the Senate Civil Service Committee
yesterday to free the measures from
the deadlock that has held them since
last Summer.
The main change was in placing an
nual leave at 26 days, exclusive of Sun
days and holidays, instead of 80 days
in the House bill. Annual leave is now
limited to Is days. Other concessions
included:
Postponement of the effective date
of both the annual and sick leave bills
to July /: reduction of the limit on
accumulation of either annual or sick
leave from 120 days to so days; elimi-
nation of clause allowing overtime
to be added to annual leave, and a
requirement that persons returning
from sick leave produce certificates
satisfactory to their department heads.
The last amendment does not specifi-
cally require a doctors certificate.
Senator McKellar, Democrat of
Tennessee, who has objected to Senate
action on the House bills since last
August, Joined in the deliberations
which produced the agreement and
made known later that he concurs in
the revised bills. Senate leaders are
considering a call of the unanimous
consent calendar Monday, at which
time the leave bills probably will go
through promptly.
Steward Favors House Bills.
In statement last night, Luther C.
Steward, president of the National
Federation of Federal Employees, said
his organization stands four-square"
for the bills as they passed the House.
He regretted particularly putting the
effective date of until July and Strik-
ing out of the provision to compensate
for overtime work in the form of leave.
He concluded his statement, however,
by expressing the belief members of
Congress are aware of present unsatis-
factory leave conditions land that
measures bringing about some definite
improvement will pass shortly"
There is a possibility the House may
accept the amendments without going
to conference, but, in either event,
there is believed to be a desire at the
Capitol to obtain final passage of legis-
lation that would make some improve
ment in the leave situation rather than
have the bills die. Since the Seventy
fourth Congress ends this year, If the
bills fail at this session they would
have to start over again in both House
and Senate next year.
Meanwhile, with the leave bills mov-
ing along once more, Civil Service
subcommittee composed of Senator
McKellar and Senator Gibson, Repub-
lican of Vermont, has turned to a
study Of several pending measures to
liberalize the Government retirement
system.
Asks Figures on Cost.
McKellar has asked H B. Mitchell.
president of the Civil Service Com
mission, and l.. H. Fisher, head of the
records and retirement division of the
commission, to submit as early as pos
sible cost figures on various pending
retirement bills.
The age limits for automatic retire.
ment are 70 for departmental en-
ployes; IS for letter carriers and GER
tain mechanical groups, and 81 for
railway mail clerks, Navy Yard workers
and others in hazardous employment.
Existing law gives an employe with 80
years of service the option of retiring
two years earlier than the age for auto
matte retirement in his group.
Mitchell, at a hearing yesterday
afternoon. disapproved bill to allow
optional retirement after 80 years of
service, at 81, So and IS years, re-
spectively, for the three groups. In
stead, Mitchell recommended uni
form age limit of so for optional re-
tirement after 80 years of service, but
with the Government or the employe
allowed to exercise the option.
Mitchell and Fisher said the COM
mission Is giving further study to fur
ther amendments to allow optional
retirement at 50 for those with is
years Of service, and to have one uni
form age limit of 70 for automatic
Eetirement +
Asked about another b.ll to allow