Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-15
A ROLL OF HONOR
How Aged Clerks Are to Be Carried
on It.
PLAN IN THE TREASURY
Secretary Gage to Provide for Old
Soldiers and Others.
REDUCTIONS NECESSARY

The Treasury Department Is gradually
carrying into execution the plan long ago
conceived by Secretary Gage, and frequent
iy mentioned in The Star, of reducing TO
easy positions superannuated clerks who
are thought to have outgrown the eff
cheney which young blood carries with it.
The enforcement Of the plan has been 80
delicate that the movement has been pro-
ceeded with slowly. On the subject of this
plan Secretary Gage said:
I'VE decided to establish roll of honor,
to which are t. be transferred all clerks
who have grown old and infirm in the serv-
ice. They will receive the lowest clerical
pay, and We shall require of them work
commensurate with what we pay them.
There are ir one bureau of the treasury
eighty-seven clerks over fifty years of age,
and one of them is seventy-five. 1t was de-
cided; therefore to create a roll Of honor
for clerks who mad grown old in the serv-
ice. They are to have the record of their
services spread on the rolls of the depart
ment IL honorable recognition of their.
faithful work. They are to receive 500 q
year, and we shall require Of them only
labor commensurate with their pay. What
We shall rely upon and value most highly
will be their experience and their mem
cries.
To Go on the Honor Roll.
BY degrees it was decided that all clerks
over seventy years of age should be reduced
to 500 year and placed upon this honor
1oll. the certificates for which are being
printed. Up to this time about ten clerks
have been reduced. The highest salary re-
ceived by any of these was 5000. The
department now has under consideration
the cases of three employees in the office of
the auditor for the War Department. In
each case when it is determined to reduce
superannuated clerk he Is asked to call
at the Office of the Secretary that he may
make a statement in his own behalf against
the reduction, If he so desires. After hear
ing this statement and Investigating the
facts, Assistant Secretary Vanderlip de-
cideS whether the clerk shall remain In his
position or go on the honor roll.
The few changes that have been made
have caused great deal of talk. num-
Der of clerks declare that their usefulness
is not impaired with age, and that their
wide experience is more valuable to the
government than the young blood which it
is proposed to substitute in their places.
Several others have expressed willingness
ct the change, because they had feared
that in the course of a short time they
would lose their positions altogether be-
cause of their age.
What Mr.. VANDERBILT Says.
Assistant Secretary Vanderlip says that
the civil service commission was consulted
on the subject and agreed that the plan
was a good one. Whether the rule will
be generally enforced or not. has not been
decided" said Mr.. Vanderlip. There are
some men at seventy who are still efficient
but if we begin to discriminate there will
be dissatisfaction, and it seems to me that
it will be better to have uniform rule for
all over seventy
Mr.. Vanderlip declares his belief that
the plan will greatly increase the efficiency
of the service in the department. He ad-
mits that there is no law for the plan, but
says there is nothing against it. He does
not consider it a civil pension list, as a
commensurate amount of work will be re-
quired of the old clerks.
Secretary Cages Intentions.
The following statement of the intentions
of Secretary Gage was given to a Star re-
porter by a prominent treasury official:
Secretary Gage intends that the honor
able service roll for old employees shall be
precisely what its name imports, a record
of honorable service. The bureau. of en-
craving and printing will soon complete a
certificate. which will be handsomely
graved, and it will be bestowed by the Sec
rotary upon such of his clerks as have at
tanned the age of seventy years or more.
II is not the intention of Secretary Gage
to enforce the provisions arbitrarily at
once. careful consideration of the needs
of the public service. as related to the Office
IN which they are employed, will make
II CHI time TO time some important changes
necessary to accelerate the public service
and promote the efficiency Of the service.
The name and the history of the service
of the employee will go to the honorable
service roll established to recognize and
commemorate long and faithful service.
MIR. Vanderlip says that were it posi-
BILE t. announce also an increase or at
lee st continuation of the present grade
of remuneration, 1t would be pleasure.
1t is hoped and believed by the officials
in the Treasury Department that this act
of enrolment on this honorable service
roll will result in making official duties
much less arduous for those clerks. They
realize that the disabilities incident to ad
yancing years may incapacitate the clerks
for physical exertion, and the department
hopes that by carrying their names on that
roll it can still secure the benefit of the
knowledge ami experience the clerks have
gained by long service. There is no pro-
vision in law for the creation of a roll
with a fixed compensation. The clerks,
therefore, will be carried upon the rolls of
the department in statutory places.
Many Discharged Soldiers.
Quite a number of the clerks are honor
ably discharged Union soldiers of the late
war for the suppression of the rebellion.
The number by years is about as follows:
The age of seventy. persons, of whom
were soldiers; seventy-one, 4 persons,
soldier; seventy-two, 10 persons, soldiers;
seventy-three, persons, l soldier; seventy
four 4 persons. 2 soldiers; seventy-hve, 8
persons soldiers; seventy-six, persons,
2 soldiers: seventy-seven. persons. SOL