The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-11
BY A NEW HAVENER.

Insurance and the Retirement Scheme
for Postal Employees.
The following appears in 1.-The Postal
Magazine"
Insurance and sick benefit associa-
lions have sprung up in almost every
department of the government service
during the last ten years Most OF
these organizations have a good reason
for existence; and few Of them have
failed to do some good. The payment
of insurance and sick benefits to fami-
lies of members has in many instances
been merciful provision against penu-
ry and distress. The various methods
Of such associations leave much to be
desired in the way of directness of as
sessment and the quick settlement or
funds on the benefciaries.
Already discussions have been start
ed with the purpose of bringing togeth-
er in single grand organization the
many small clubs in the postal service,
some with uncertain membership, so
that strength and stability may be Sc
cured.
The advantages of such an organiza
ton, which would eventually include
nearly all postal employees, are easily
pointed out.
Where no benefit associations are in
existence 1t is understood that every
affliction to an employe means contri-
button by his fellows to a fund which
usually has too much the appearance of
charity to be received by the afflicted
contentedly
The tendency of the times is toward
consolidation, and the best of reasons
are presented for the combination of
these small insurance associations into
q large national organization for all
postal employees.
Above and beyond all of this effort
there rise the outlines Of a foreign sys-
tenn of dealing with those who become
sick, worn out and useless while in the
government service. 1t is the pension
and retirement plan for government
employees.
The pension Is a foreign habit that Is
regarded with aversion in this country,
and yet its application to the govern
ment service might be effected honest
ly and satisfactorily. The pension
combined with the exacton from the
official of a percentage of his salary Of
from to per cent. could it Is firmly
out cost to the government, while it
would give to the employe the best pos
sible insurance and to the afflicted the
speedest relief. Should the percentage
of the salary to be reserved, as sug-
gested, prove to be insufficient to pay
half Of the salary at the proposed re-
tirement time, I would favor the re-
tanning of q larger percentage or the
payment Of as many sixtieths of the
salary to the retired employee as he or
she has been years in the service. This
method could hardly work injustice to
any one.
In England the employee may retire at
sixty years and must retire at sixty
five. There pensions amount to as
many sixtieths of their last salaries as
they have been years in the service, but
must not exceed forty-sixtieths or two
third. If injured they are retired on
pay one year, but if their injuries are
permanent they are pensioned for life.
German officials and other employees
in the postal service are entitled after
ten years to fifteen-sixtieths or a quar-
ter of their last salaries as pensions, if !
drawn, and an additional sixtieth for
each year of service until the maxi |
mum of forty -fve-sixtieths or three
fourths of the last salary has been I
reached Retirement is compulsory at |
France retires all of its public ser
wants at sixty years Five per cent. of
all salaries are annually collected for
the pension fund. !
While l have always been opposed to
pensions for civil employees, it seems to
me that the best solution of, the mutual
benefit problem is in the retirement
fund idea but l would not advocate it
unless it could be planned so that it's
cost to the government would be little
more than nominal.
The United States civil service COM
mission in it's sixtieth annual report
makes the following expression in re-
gard to the subject:
'It is suggested, however, that the
question of enacting a law providing
for retirement fund for incapacitated