Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-13
Truman Blocks
Retirement
Pay for 0usted
Opposition Likely
To Bur Federal
Annuity Benefits

Legislation providing for full an
nuity benefits for Government en-
ployes with Is or. more years in
Federal service who have been dis
missed from their jobs during the
observation-disclosures program was
dealt heavy blow today when a
House subcommittee was informed
by Budget Bureau officials that
President Truman opposes the
measure
The bill, which also would allow
Government workers with Is or
more years Of service to retire with
full retirement rights was opposed
by the President on the grounds
that the cost would be prohibitive
and might affect the solvency of
the entire civil service retirement
system.
Joseph Winslow, personnel ad-
wiser of the Budget Bureau, said
that unemployment compensation
for aged Federal employees who have
lost their jobs might provide some
relief for those people. He reminded
the committee that the President
has Endorsed such legislation now
pending before Congress.
Further Study Urged.
Mr.. Winslow suggested that the
Civil Service Actuary Board study
the problem more closely and Their
recommend legislation which might
aid the employees.
During the hearing, the commit
tee heard from more than a score
of Federal employees, but they have
been dismissed from their jobs after
Is to IS years of Federal service
Consequently they are not eligible
for full annuity payment because
they haven't reached the age of 60
the minimum retirement age. These
workers, most of them in their mid
SOS, told the committee that moi
only were they jobless, but also were
without any old-age security bene-
fits.
The Miller subcommittee of the
House Civil Service Committee also
heard testimony that Controller
General Lindsay Warren was op-
posed to the voluntary retirement
feature Of the bill and had doubts
about the involuntary feature Of the
measure.
Frank H. Weitzel. assistant to Mr.
Warren, said that the controller
general felt that revising the meas
ure to provide for annuity benefits
for dismissed employees with 80 OF
more years of service, might be &C
ceptable. Mr.. Warren. however, Is
opposed to the voluntary retirement
provision in any event, Mr.. Wetzel
said.
Cost Pat at S2s, OO0, 900
The Civil Service Commission
presented figures showing the bill as
presently written would costs $685.
900 900. The cost of the bill as af-
lecting dismissed employees would be
S29, 900 900.
At this point, Chairman Miller
remarked that 5000, 600 would be
small sum for the Government
to repay faithful employees who have
given most of their lives to the Gov
eminent and now find themselves
without a job and without the pros
pect Of getting another position
Representative Rees, Republican, OF
Kansas, remarked that he felt these
employees should be taken care of
but added that Mr.. Trumans oppo-
sition dealt a heavy blow to the
measures chances of passage.
Many Affected.
More than score of veteran Fed
eral workers have testified during
the hearings on the precarious posi-
ton they find themselves in as a
result of being laid off. Most of
them were employees in the various
Navy yards. They had joined the
Federal service in their teens and
now, after service ranging up to IS
years, they find that not only are
they without jobs, but they are de-
MED annuity benefits because they
haven't reached the age of so.