Evening star., 1944-02-01
Retirement Bill
Amended, Due
ForApprova|
Would Take Effect
Six Months After
Close of War

hNlcAlOcC 50 IL WOulQ DeCOme 61s
fective six months after the close of
the war. a bill proposing optional
retirement Of civil service employees
after 80 years of service, regardless
OF age, will be reported favorably to
the Senate Civil Service Committee
by special subcommittee which
closed hearings today on the meas
ure. it was indicated.
Senator Aiken. Republican. of Ver-
mont, author of the bill, agreed to
an amendment proposed by Senator
Mead, Democrat, of New York, sub
committee chairman, to change the
effective date from the first day of
the month after enactment to six
months after the close of the war.
Senator Aiken indicated he had a
proxy vote favoring bis measure
from Senator Scrugham. Democrat,
OF Nevada, the other member of the
committee, who was absent today.
Senator Mead by his line of ques-
tloning indicated he favored the bill
with his amendment.
At the hearing, the measure was
opposed by the Civil Service Conn
mission, but strongly supported by
several representatives of organized
Government employees and organized
labor.
Opposition Outlined.
Harry B. Mitchell, president of the
Civil Service Commission, filed a
letter outlining the opposition of the
commission and explaining it was
based on two points. The cost Of
such a measure he set as about S34,-
100000 annually, based on a per-
manent roll of 100000 employees with
an annual payroll of S1,7l0,0000 900.
He also charged that to permit
persons to retire after 30 years Of
service would deprive the Govern
ment of many valuable men who
would leave to accept more attrsc-
tive and highly paid jobs in private
enterprise.
THE age of 10 years having been
determined by Congress as the time
when automatic retirement becomes
effective" Mr.. Mitchell said. no
reason is apparent why the fact OF
having rendered 80 years of service
should accord an employe special
privileges in this regard" He said
that the present law which permits
optional retirement in 30-year cases
at an age as early as SIS lis very
liberal and existing circumstances
do not warrant the Governments
assuming the additional liability in
volved in the proposal"
Lewis H. Fisher, chief of the re-
tirement division of Civil Service
Commission, was the only other wit
ness in opposition to the measure.
Estimated Held Too High.
Supporting the bill was a list Of
several employe representatives.. who
for the most part contended the
Civil Service Commissions cost esti-
mate was too high. They empha-
sized that comparatively few en-
ployes would take advantage of the
optional retirement after 30 years
OF service because such retirement
would reduce their income from the
Government retirement fund.
Senator Mead indicated by oues-
tions he thought such a measure
might help to solve the problem of
postwar demobilization of the civil
and military branches of the Gov.
ernment
Senator Aiken insisted his meas
ure might help demobilization, but
said this was only one of its pur-
poses. Adding that even S34 ,OOO,-
900 would be small price to pay
for maintaining economic security
in comparison with possible COM
plete collapse of our economy after
the war, he defended the humane
purposes of his measure, especially
for those in i'll health.
/ witnesses who supported the bill
included H. F. Worley, president of
the National Customs Service Asso-
ciation; Thomas B. Bussier, secre-
tary OF the National Association Of
Post Office Clerks; N T. Alias, pres
ldent, District No. A, Interna tional
Association of Machinists; Walter L.
Dlsorow, national representative of
the Retirement Federation of Civil
service Employees; William I. Hor-
ner, legislative representative of the
National Federation of Post Office
Clerks; Charles I. Stengle, legisla-
tive representative of the American
Federation of Government EMPLOYEES
(AFL); Clarence F. Stinson, assist
ant secretary of the National Asso-
clation of Letter Carriers. A state
ment from Robert H. Alcorn, former
chairman of the joint conference
on retirement, was placed on file.