Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-07
Truman Accused
Of Trying 70 Kill
j. ). Retirement
Would Substitute
Social Security Plan,
House Group Is Told

SOSsoi SSSutity TiuHs
House Group Is Told
By Joseph Young
President Truman's proposal
to abolish the United States EN-
ployes' Compensation Commits
sion is the first step in a drive to
kill the civil service retirement
system, it was charged today be-
fore a House committee as oppo-.
sition mounted to the Presi-
dents reorganization plans for
the executive departments.
The witness, George D. Riley, di-
rector of the Government Employees
Council of the AFL, charged that
officials in the Social Security Board
are applying predatory and. cam
nibalistic techniques" toward the
Civil Service retirement system in
an effort to secure control of the
functions of the Federal Retirement
Act.
Describing the Civil Service Re-
tirement Act as the most progress
sive of its kind in the country, Mr..
Riley charged that Social Security
officials had induced Mr.. Truman
to abolish the Compensation Com
mission as the first step insachiev-
ing its goal. The commission acts
on all injury claims by Government
workers. Although Mr.. Humans
proposal calls for the Social Security
Board to be abolished, the witness
pointed out that it's function would
be transferred to the Federal Sc
curity Agency, the same as is pro-
posed for the functions of the Com.
pensation Commission.
Opposition Increases.
Mr.. Riley said that the profess
sional relief bloc" in the Social
Security Board, if successful in gain
ing control of the Compensation
Commission. will seek to have Con-
gress place the Railroad Retirement
Board under FSA jurisdiction. The
ultimate aim, the witness declared.
is to abolish the retirement act
and substitute social security pro-
visions which cover employees in
private industry.
Increased opposition to Mr.. Tru-
mans reorganization proposals came
from another front today when
representatives of building associa-
lions appeared to protest the plan
to consolidate all housing activities
under the National Housing Agency,
The witnesses echoed testimony
yesterday of representatives of the
United States Chamber of Com
merce and other business organiza-
tons that Mr.. Humans first plan
would 'socialize" the entire build
ing industry and retard the coun-
try's housing program.
Threat to Enterprise Seen.
One of today's witnesses, Frank
kirkpatrick, who is president of
the Milwaukee Builders Association,
charged that MIA sought to throt-
tie private building enterprise in
favor of public housing. Mr.. Kirk
patrick, former director of war
housing in Milwaukee as an MIA
employee, charged that the agency
refused to authorize building pro-
grams in that city during the war
because of his insistence that such
programs should be confined to pri-
vate building instead of public hous.
ing.
Thomas S. Holden, representing
the Commerce and Industry Asso-
citation Of New York, appeared to
charge that the plan to consolidate
all housing activities under MIA
was an effort to circumvent i'm
pending defeat" in the House of the
Wagner Ellender-Taft bill, which
he said contained a similar provi-
sion.
James B. Burns, president of the
American Federation of Government
Employees, AFL, one of yesterdays
"ieAACooCS, Sildl ply deIlUu1lCeQ the
plan to abolish the Federal En-
ployes' Compensation Commission.
Sees Dangerous Results.
He said that this might lead
to dangerous and possibly disas-
trous" results as far as Federal EN-.
ployes are concerned.
Mr.. Truman has submitted three
separate reorganization plans and
If Congress fails to pass a concur
rent resolution disappearing any of
the Presidents plans within so DAYS
after receiving the message, the
proposals will become law. The
President submitted his three plans
May is, therefore both the House
and Senate will have to veto the
proposals by July 16 or the plans
become law.
Each of the three plans must be
considered separately and none of
the three can be changed in any,
wise by Congress, either by amend