VALIDATING PAYMENTS TO RETIRED ENLISTED MEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP57-00384R000500050059-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 19, 2004
• Sequence Number: 59
• Publication Date: March 18, 2004
• Content Type: REPORT

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69th Congress ) SENATE ( Report
lath Session ) _( No. 1028
VALIDATING PAYMENTS TO RETIRE) ENLISTED MEN
January 16 (calendar day, January 20), 1923.------Ordered to be
printed.
Mr. WADSWORTH, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following
REP O R T .
(To accompany S. 4315.)
The Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 4315)
to amend section 2 of the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation
act, approved July 31, 1891, having considered the same, report favorably there-
on with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment.
The bill was introduced at the suggestion of representatives of the American
Legion and the purpose of it is explained in the following memorandum presented
by them:
The men affected by this bill are about 12 old-time noncommissioned
officers, who have been retired as enlisted men for length of service.
All these men are veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine
insurrection, and the World War; two at least are veterans of Indian
wars. All served as officers during the World War and returned to their
grades as retired enlisted men after the war was over. These bills do
not call for any appropriation or expenditure of funds.
It is evident from a study of section 2 of the act of 189 that Cong-
ress had no intention nor even had in mind including retired enlisted men
in the provisions of the act, which provides that no person holding an
office with the Government shall hold any other office with compensation
over $2,500. The Comptroller General has recently held that a retired
enlisted man, as such, holds an office under the Government.
Due to their ability and fitness in administrative and financial matters,
certain of these men have been pointed under congressional and civil service
authority to offices of trust in the Veterans' Bureau, Department of Agri-
culture, and other departments, and have proved to be valuable men. Under
the comptroller's decision they must now suffer a reduction in salary be-
low many others doing similar or less important work.
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It is surely not the intent of Congress or the public that these men
who have spent the better part of their lives in the military service
should now be discriminated against on account of being retired enlisted
men. It is the intent of this bill to rectify this discrepancy and to
place these men on equal footing for employment as other American citizens
of equal ability.
A letter requesting the passage of this bill has been received from the
Director of the Veterans' Bureau, Colonel Forbes, which is included in this
report as follows:
United States Veterans' Bureau,
Washington, January l5, 1923?
Hon. James W. Wadsworth, Jr.,
Chairman Committee on Military Affairs,
United States Senate, Washington, D. Co
Dear Senator Wadsworth:
I desire to invite your attention to Senate bill 4315, introduced by
you and which is now before.your committee.
This bill allows retired enlisted men of the Army the same privileges
of occupying a Government position or office as those enjoyed by the ordinary
citigen. The bill has particular application to a limited number of former
noncommissioned officers employed in this bureau. These men are all of ex-
ceptional ability and particularly capable of filling positions of importance
in the United States Veterans' Bureau because of their experience gained
through long service, and it does not seem just that they should be discrimin-
ated against because of their service to the country.
I sincerely hope you mill find it possible to act favorably with regard
to this bill at an early date, in order that the men who have so forcibly
demonstrated their devotion to these United States may be treated equitably.
Very truly yours,
C. R. Forbes, Director
Your committee is convinced of the justice of this legislation and urges
that it be acted upon by the Senate at an early date.
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