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412 East Avenue
LaGrange, Illinois
September 8, 1948

Mr. Murray W. Latimer
1625 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Latimer:

The Air line Pilot's Retirement Act was the subject of an extensive discussion between Mr. Behncke and myself today. On behalf of many United Air Lined pilots I voiced objections to some of the provisions of the Act. Mr. Behncke requested me to write to you for your views on these objections and furnish him with a copy of your reply.

The enclosed letter, which is being distributed to all airline pilots, expresses the objections. I would appreciate your comments on each of the numbered paragraphs. The following questions also refer to the specifically numbered paragraphs. 

1. Why can't the Act allow the pilot to make his own decision whether or not he desires to participate in the plan?

2. Why can't the retirement age of 60 be lowered? Why doesn't this plan pay as much as a commercial plan?

3. Why can't the retired pilot engage in some form of employment after he no longer is flying?

4. Why can't a physically disqualified pilot collect a pension if he has become disqualified not in the line of duty, or before he has accumulated 10 years of service, or is less than 50 years old?

5. Why can't a pilot, with less than 5 years service who became completely disabled not in the line of duty, receive any pension? Even if he does meet the requirements, why is his pension so small?

6. Why can't a pilot receive a more liberal pension?

7. Why can't a survivor receive pensions from more than one pilot?

8. Why does a benefit earned in World War II deduct from this pension?

9. Why isn't the monthly compensation derived by dividing the 1947 compensation by 12?

10. Why are the survivors' benefits so small?

11. Why is the amount of survivors' benefits such that it is essentially limits the survivors to a widow and 2 children? Why can't survivors earn income without reducing their benefits?