Mr. VIPOND. I think we can classify them as to classes in the sense of those retired on account of disability, those retired because of having reached the automatic retirement age, and those retired under the 30-year clause.

Mr. WOODRUM. Give us such information as you can on that without any undue effort.

Mr. CUSTER. We can give you the average annuity in each group. (The statement requested is as follows:)

For the benefit of the committee and the Congress two tabies are submitted below showing

1. By departments and establishments the number of annuitants on the roll June 30, 1934, the aggregate rate of annuity, and the cause of retirement stated according to sex.

2. By vocations and cause of retirement, stated according to sex, the number of annuitants on the roll June 30, 1934, and the average annuities of the same.

TABLE NO. 1.-Statement showing by departments the aggregate rate of annuities and number of annuitants on the roll June 30, 1934

TABLE NO. 2.-Statement showing by vocation, sex, and cause of retirement, the number and average annuities of the annuitants on the roll June 30, 1934

Total.

2,774 $942. 72
3, 378 1, 139. 58
4, 164 933. 49
2,259 1, 129. 01
2, 357 1, 184. 61
2, 876 1,025. 55
1,256

1,489

765. 15

518

989.07

890. 20

359

633.52

97 808.34

940 $829. 70 1, 469 959.91 841 924.83 836 877.69] 344 995. 06 1, 572 841.71 475 595.86 98 823.95 513 813. 74 132 516. 29 31 620.97

456 579,23 96 483.55 9 504.56 190 544.86 41 452.88 26 585.62

21, 537 1, 010. 11 7, 251 859. 97 3, 705 1, 194. 18 6, 600 1, 154. 50 1,666 564.95

286 $1, 177. 06 1, 222 1, 200. 65 411 1, 199. 64 647 1, 200, 62 312 1,200. 65 401 1, 184. 69 59 1, 113. 42 25 1,200. 60 318 1, 192. 17 14 1,064. 86 10 1, 136. 60

321 $1, 142. 15
1,675 1, 158. 31
1, 709
1,483 1, 158. 47
216 1, 158. 60
902 1, 146.97
60 1,090. 43]
13 1,045.85
207 1, 149. 46
3 1,036. 33
11 1, 113. 18

829 $574 45

1, 157. 27

1 573.00 8763.00

10 589.60

TABLE NO. 2.-Statemeni showing by vocation, sex, and cause of retirement, the number and average annuities of the annuitants on the roll June 30, 1934-Continued

In each of the above tables the columns headed "Involuntary, 30 years' service" show the retirements made during the fiscal year 1934 under the provisions of section 8 (a) of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1934, act of June 16, 1933.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1934.

EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION COMMISSION

STATEMENTS OF MRS. JEWELL W. SWOFFORD, CHAIRMAN; MR. JOHN M. MORIN, COMMISSIONER; MR. WILLIAM MCCAULEY, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY; AND MR. Z. LEWIS DALBY, CHIEF COUNSEL

GENERAL STATEMENT

Mr. WOODRUM. We now take up the estimates for the Employees' Compensation Commission. Mrs. Swofford, do you wish to make a general statement before we proceed to the items in the bill?

Mrs. SwOFFORD. I should like to make a brief general statement, Mr. Chairman. The Commission has filed with the committee a detailed statement explaining and justifying the estimates of appropriations for the fiscal year 1936, and I do not wish to take up the time of the committee by repeating the information contained in that statement. I would like, however, to emphasize the very large increase in the work of the Commission since we last appeared before you. I refer particularly to the increase in the number of cases reported and claims for compensation filed under the compensation law applicable to civil employees of the United States.

The increase may be traced almost entirely to the emergency and relief activities, in which the Federal Government is engaged, during

the past 18 months. For a number of years the Commission has received annually an average of about 26,000 reports of new injuries to employees in the Federal service. During the past year the Commission received nearly 163,000 reports of injury from the Civil Works Administration alone, most of them within a period of 6 months. In addition to these cases more than 10,000 reports of injury have been received to October 31, 1934 from the Civilian Conservation Corps and the reports received from other departments and establishments increased from 24,731 in the fiscal year 1933 to 29,561 in the fiscal year 1934. The increase in the volume of work arising out of injuries to employees in the regular Federal service has been more pronounced since the beginning of the present fiscal year and in this connection I invite attention to the tabulation on page 3 of the statement filed with the committee.

Since the permanent administrative organization of the Commission was equipped to handle only the normal volume of work, some of the difficulties encountered in handling this increase are clearly obvious. In addition to expanding the administrative staff by the employment of additional clerical and technical personnel, numerous problems arose in connection with the application of the compensation law to Civil Works employment. The conditions and limitations under which the benefits of the Compensation Act of September 7, 1916, were extended to this employment were such that from an administrative standpoint the effect was the same as the enactment of an entirely new compensation law. New interpretations of the law were necessary, as well as changes in procedure.

I feel, however, that the questions in which you are more particularly interested will be developed in the course of this hearing and I assure you that the Commission would be glad to furnish any information you may desire. The Secretary of the Commission is also its budget officer and he will explain such details in respect to the estimate as you may request.

JUSTIFICATION FOR 1936 ESTIMATES

The following prepared statement is presented for the hearing: The estimates of appropriations for the United States Employees' Compensation Commission may be divided into two classifications, namely, administrative and nonadministrative. Estimates of appropriations for administrative purposes provide funds to cover the cost of administering the three workmen's compensation laws under the jurisdiction of the Commission. These laws are: (1) The act of September 7, 1916 (U. S. C. title 5, secs. 751-795), providing compensation for civil employees of the United States who suffer injuries while in the performance of their duties, (2) the act of March 4, 1927 (U. S. C. Supp. VII, title 33, secs. 901-950), providing compensation for employees in private enterprise who suffer occupational injuries while in maritime employment upon the navigable waters of the United States, and (3) the act of May 17, 1928 (45 Stat. 600), providing compensation for employees in private enterprise in the District of Columbia who suffer occupational injuries in the service of their employer.

The estimate for nonadministrative purposes provides funds for payment of benefits authorized by the compensation law applicable to civil employees of the United States. None of the benefits authorized by the two compensation laws that apply to private employments are paid from Federal appropriations but are paid by the employer direct or through authorized insurance carriers.

The estimates of appropriations for the fiscal year 1936 propose to make available from the special funds set up on the books of the Treasury pursuant to the acts of February 15, 1934 (45 Stat., p. 352), and June 19, 1934 (48 Stat., p. 1057), additional funds for administrative expenses and the payment of compensation

in connection with the administration of the benefits provided in the respective acts for employees of the Civil Works Administration and enrollees in the Civilian Conservation Corps. The estimated expenditures in connection with the payment of compensation benefits for these emergency employments represent approximately 38 percent of the total estimate of expenditures for the fiscal year 1936.

The regular work of the Commission has greatly increased, thus making it necessary to provide additional funds for administrative purposes and for the payment of compensation benefits. This is due to the increase in the number of claims filed under the compensation act applicable to Federal employees and also in the number arising under the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The latter, however, affect only administrative costs since compensation benefits are not paid from Federal appropriations. The increase in the number of cases reported under the District of Columbia Workmen's Compensation law has not been appreciable, and except for the amount necessary to cover the restoration of the legislative reduction in salaries, no increase has been provided for the administration of this law during the fiscal year 1936.

The following tabulation shows the number of injuries reported under each of these laws for the fiscal years 1930 to 1934, inclusive:

New injuries reported under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act during the first 4 months of the fiscal year 1935 show a further increase over the corresponding period in the 5 preceding years as indicated in the following tabulation:

This appropriation, supplemented by funds transferred from the appropriation for the government of the District of Columbia, covers all administrative expenses of the Commission in connection with the administration of the three acts above referred to. The fund transferred from the District of Columbia is for the administration of the compensation law applicable to private employment in the District. The appropriation "Salaries and expenses" does not cover any expense incident to the adjustment of claims arising out of the Civil Works Administration or on account of injuries sustained by employees of the Civil Works Administration or enrollees in the Civilian Conservation Corps.