Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-23
DC. Officials Fight
Pension Raise Bill
Retired Police,
Firemen Face
Opposition

More than $50 retired police
men and firemen and their
widows crowded into a Senate
subcommittee hearing today TO
press for increased pensions.
They faced the solid oppose
ton Of District officials includ-
I ing the District Commissioners,
Police Chief Robert v. Murray
and Fire Chief Willard Sutton.
Robert E. Mclaughlin, presi-
dent of the Board of Commits
Sioners, in sisted the city would
have to raise taxes to pay the
estimated $l9.1 million cost Of
retirement benefits of a House,
passed bill.
Limited Raise Asked
He urged retirement in
creaSes only for widows and
children of officers who retired
before October /, 1856. In
creaseS, written into the House
bill, would boost widows aver
age monthly benefits from SIPS
to $3.50 and payments for chill
dren under 10 from $25 to SAT
per month. The increased aid
would cost an estimated $40
million.
The House bill also would in
crease retirement of officers
who left the service before
october /, 1856, from 33 to 40
per cent. Mr.. Mclaughlin
noted these officers had bene-
fitted from retirement raises
under a 1923 act. A police
private who retired in 1945
now receives $3,276 annually,
compared to $2,411 received by
a typical civil servant who re-
tired from the Government at
the same time.
=. Senator Frear, Democrat Of
Delaware, who heads the sub
committee, was sympathetic to
arguments that insufficient
funds are available. The prob
lem of revenue is an "outstand-
ing one" he said. The Senator =
added that he would like to
see officers, as we'll as widows,
helped, but he said if financial
difficulties prevent this, at
least part of retirement legis-
lation should be cleared.
Testimony Disputed
Webster R. Frye, president Of
the Retired Firemens Associa-
ton of Washington, disputed
the Commissioners testimony
that the city was too strapped
for funds to afford retirement
legislation that would equalize
benefits for officers who retired
both before and after 1856.
A 1916 appropriation act set
up a trust fund from which re-
tirement should come, he
claimed. The Commissioners
have channeled funds originally
intended for this trust into the
J general fund, he said. Mr.. Frye
cited collections from fines.
taxes, property sales, and Off
GERS contributions in an effort
to show that totals would more
than pay for added retirement
costs, if the funds still we're
maintained separate from gen.
eral revenues.
The Commissioners figures
showed, however. that active
officers contributions toward
retirement covered less than
one quarter of the total annual
retirement payments made by
the District government.
Clarence Talley. a retired
deputy police chief, charged
that Mr.. McLaughlin's support
of the widows and children's
bill, separate from officers
benefits, was IAN effort to
Sabotage both bills"
Frequent applause greeted
testimony for the officers from
Frank J. Wilson, president Of
the National Association of Re-
tired Civil Employees; Martin
A. Kelly of the Retired Police
mems Association; Mrs. Ernest
W, Howard of the Ladies Aux
iliary of the District Fire De-
partment and Jerome B. Mckee
of the Federation of Business
mems ASS0cja ti0nS