Evening star., 1941-11-25
Argues In Behalf
OF Ramspeck Retirement Bill.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
In Washington paper Of November
l5 a commentator stated that represent
atives of small groups are opposing the
enactment of the Ramspeck retirement
bill and, further, that the Hill" has
intimated that these elements must get
together, or else
Apparently this is the same small
group that defeated a somewhat similar
bill two years ago. The objections raised
by this small minority are ID to increas-
Ing the Government employees contribu-
tions from 81 to S per cent and ~ to
those employees in the higher brackets
receiving more retired pay than those
in the lower brackets.
The present bill is sponsored by Rep
resentative Ramspeck, who has the dual
attribute of being fair to the Government
and TO the employees. In the main, the
provisions were approved by the Presi-
dents Committee, generally called the
Reed Committee, and also were approved
by the Civil Service Commission, by the
Budget Bureau and by the vast majority
of those organizations that appeared be-
fore the Committee on the Civil Service
at the time hearings were being held by
that committee.
Is it not obvious that the increase In
the contributions to be required actually
may be claSsed as q savings account
which will draw higher rate Of interest
than is now paid by the savings banks
and that the money so contributed will
all come back, with interest, at the time
an employe is retired, or, in other words.
there would be no actual loss to any
employe, but an actual benefit? So, too,
it is equally obvious that higher retired
pay for those in the higher brackets is
simply following the rule Of insurance
companies-that is. the higher the pre-
MUM, the greater the benefit. know
of no retirement act of any government.
either national, State or city, or retire
ment plan of private corporations where,
if any contribution is made by the en-
ploye, the retired pay is not, to some
extent, based upon the salary received
while in active employment.
If it be true that on the Hill the
view has been expressed-and this is
doubted-that the various elements must
get together, this would seem to be most
unfair. Certainly. it introduces new
principle of legislation and would estab-
lish the principle that legislation be
passed only where there is unanimity
of opinion that it should be passed. Such
a principle undoubtedly would defeat all
legislation proposed, as there is always
some individual or group with views dill
ferent from the views of the majority.
1t would serve no purpose to argue for
the justice of the present bill. 1t may
serve a purpose to appeal to the selfish
interests of the opposing group. They.
and all of the Government employees. I
believe, are confronted with a very SIM
pie proposition-that if this bill is not
passed at the present time, it will never
be passed. at least within the lives OF the
present employees of the Government
and, in addition there is a wel-grounded
belief that we will be faced with being
put under the Social Security Act.
The time is right for action by Con-
gress. Let us stand squarely behind Mr..
Ramspeck in his continued efforts to do
justice by the Government and by the
employes. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYE,