Evening star., 1940-05-24
Harmony Urged
To Libera|ize
Retirement Act
Romspeck Warns
Federal Workers on
Anniversary Of Law

Addressing several hundred Gov
ernment workers who crowded the
Departmental Auditorium last night
for an observance of the goth an
niversary Of the passage Of the
Civil Service Retirement Act, Rep
resentative Ramspeck, Democrat, OF
Georgia, chairman of the House
Civil Service Committee, called on
Federal employees to reconcile their
differences over proposals to LIBERAL
ize the law, 80 we can improve it
and protect it.
The meeting was held under the
auspices of the Civil Service Com
mission, and was addressed also by
Mayor La Guardia of New York, who
as former member of the House
aided in the passage of the original
act.
Present also were Edward Keat-
ing, editor of Labor. former Demo-
cratic member of the House from
Colorado and author of the original
Retirement Act which was sue
ceeded the statute now operative,
10 years ago. Representative
Crowther, Republican, of New York
and former Representative Addison
T. Smith, Republican, of Idaho, who
also were instrumental in getting
the legislation through.
Again Sounds Warning.
Mr.. Ramspeck, referring to the
failure Of a Hberalized retirement
bill to pass last year when certain
employe groups baked at raising
the employe contribution from 31s
to per cent of pay, warned as he
has done on previous occasions that
the Government workers will have
to pay more to get added benefits,
as the annuity level now is far
above that of the Social Security
Act and the Railroad Retirement
Act. Maintenance of the system
right now, he continued, is costing
the Government 1888 per cent of
the total pay roll-a situation he
emphasized is designed to stir an
tagonism on the part of the general
public, and bring a demand that
Federal workers be put under social
security.
The Georgian blamed employe
leaders in those cases where the
membership opposed larger con-
tributions, declaring they had been
remiss in acquainting their men,
bers with the operation of the re-
tirement system.
II venture the assertion that not
10 per cent of the employees who
come under the act and are &C
quainted with the facts about it will
object to paying per cent" he
added.
Permits Retirement Change.
This contribution would care for
a plan under which an employe
could retire, or be retired at the
option of the Government, at the
age of go, after 80 years service.
Mayor La Guardia. who came from
New York especially for the meet
ing, commented on the size of the
crowd and recalled "a time when
Government employees couldn't get
in Government building for a
meeting"
The New Yorker declared the
Civil Service Retirement Act had
paved the way for social security
in this country.
Harry B. Mitchell, president OF
the Civil Service Commission, in
troduced the speakers and with
Commissioners Lucille Foster Nc
Millin and Arthur S. Flemming
discussed the benefits that have ac-
crued to the Government, the en-
ployes and the public through the
operation of the retirement sys-
tenn.
Lewis H. Fisher, chief of the re-
tirement division of the commits
sion, welcomed the guests and in
troduced Frank Whitfield, who was
born into slavery on January l,
1910, and retired from the Gov
ernment Printing Office IL years
ago when he was 88.
The United States Marine Band
and the Symphonic Choir of the
Agriculture Department gave q
musical program.