Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04
Emp|oye Groups
Back Ran1speck
Retirement Bill
Postal Aides Oppose
Move to Increase
Workers Share
BY J. A. FOX.

by j. "A. fOA.
The Ramspeck retirement bill
proposing to iberalize the annuities
system for Government workers
drew strong support today-tem-
pered with moderate criticism-from
employee organizations as the House
Civil Service Committee continued
hearings on the measure.
Two of the principal white COL
lar" employee groups gave a blanket
Endorsement of the bill. Luther c.
Steward, president of the National
Federation of Federal Employees, de-
scribing it as a constructive and
substantial improvement" over the
present law, and Charles I. Stengle,
legislative representative of the
American Federation of Government
Employees, answering arguments that
had been raised against some of
the principal provisions.
Commenting that there seemed to
be some question in the minds of
committee members as to the posi-
bility Of greatly increased cost be-
cause the bill would bring the age
for optional retirement as low as
so yearS-a reduction of eight years
in many cases-Mr. Stengle said that
he believed the fears were based on
the erroneous assumption that all
employees would retire at the earliest
date possible, when as a matter of
fact the history of retirement indi-
Gated just the opposite.
Additional Safeguards.
To prove his point. he added that
there had been only some TOO OPP
tional retirements in the last fiscal
year in the system that covers more
than 100000 workers.
Mr.. Stengle said also that he was
not disturbed" by the fact that the
Government could require employees
to retire when it was felt that this
would aid efficiency. Actually, he
said. the Government can do this
right now without new legislation,
and he added that the proposed law
would furnished additional safe
guards to employees by giving them
the right to appeal to the Civil Serv-
ice Commission in those cases where
they felt they were unjuStly being
called upon to retire. He also sup
ported the purposal to raise employee
contributions from 81 to per cent
Of salary.
The new bill provides optional
retirement at 60 after 80 years
service; at 81 after Is years service
and for compulsory retirement at
10. The Government is also per-
mitted to exercise these options. In
addition to raising the employe
contribution it also extends cover
age of the retirement system to
legislative and judicial employees.
Ends Compulsory Clause.
At present certain groups of work.
ers, including the postal service, have
compulsory retirement at 81 and
IS which would be done away with
under the new bill, and Mr.. Steward
said that he thought it was highly
advantages that the Government
would be able to take advantage of
the continued service of many of
these persons who would choose to
work until they were 70 if permitted.
Mr.. Steward also voiced his approval
Of the extension of Retirement Act
coverage to legislative and judicial
employees, pointing out that this
will eliminate the necessity for
making provisions for these else
where"
At present Federal employees who
are outside of the Retirement Act
are without any pension provision,
as they are barred also from social
security coverage.. Mr.. Steward also
stressed that the employees would
be safeguarded against unfair COM
pulsory retirement by the right of
appeal to the Civil Service Commits
sion.
Willis Bohal, head of the Post
Once and Railway Mail Laborers,
opposed the plan to raise the en-
ployes contribution, declaring it
would work a hardship on the class
he represents. In many instances
now, he said, wives and children of
these laborers have to work to pad
out the family income.
Postal Aides Back go Rule.
William Horner, of the National
Federation of Post Office Clerks, said
his group wanted automatic retire
ment at so instead of 10. Repre-
sentative Ramspeck, Democrat, of
Georgia said that the low age would
cause trouble inasmuch as employees
must have Is years service to qualify
for retirement and that would mean
that As would be the deadline for
hiring.
Proposals that had been advanced
to provide pensions for widows were
both defended and criticized. Mr..
Horner favored these grants and
Fred L. Hawley, secretary of the
National Association of Retired
Federal Employees, also spoke in sup
port of these pensions, but would
limit them to dependent widows who
have no other means of support.
When Representative Jackson,
Democrat, of Washington suggested
that 1t would be difficult to deter
mine the element of dependency, Mr..
Hawley responded that a similar
arrangement was worked out in the
armed services.