The Washington times., 1901-08-05
A PLAN TO RETIRE CLERKS.
The Principle of Cooperative III
surance Being Worked Out.
Aged Government Employees to he
Cared for by Fund Created From
Salaries - Legislation Desired to
Make the Payments Compulsory.

members of the United States Civil Ser
vice Retirement Associa ton to enlist tn
cooperation and support of all employe
of the Government under the classified
service in movement which shall resul
in the passage of law by Congress pro
viding for the ultimate retirement. unde
certain conditions of all Government EN-
ployes. The organization formed
more than a year ago, and last winte
succeeded in inducing Congress to pas!
a resolution calling for certain informa
ton upon the retirement of clerks, ant
within the past few weeks interest in tn,
matter has been revived by the step.
which have been taken to enlarge the as
sociation's membership and prepare for
the work of accomplishing its object al
the next session OF Congress
The purpose of the association, as set
forth in its constitution. is to obtain in
formation upon the subject Of superan-
nuation and to aid in devising measures
in the intere SITS of the public service and
of the employees in the service, by an equi-
table provision for their gradual retire
ment, without expense to the Government.
The members of the organization are en-
phatic in their declarations that they do
not contemplate and do not favor civil
pension list maintained by the Govern
ment. They propose to create a fund out
of their own salaries to provide for re-
tirement. The general plan which the as
sociation has outlined. is for Congress to
pass a hill making it obligatory upon all
employees of the Government under the
classified service to pay a stipulated sum
out of their respective salaries each
month into retirement fund from which
those retired under the terms of the pro-
posed measure shall be paid certain per-
centage of their former earnings. 1t is
contemplated that the fund shall be
Under the control of Congress.
At the present time it is well known
that the Government maintains upon the
pay rolls long list of clerks who have
been in the service for many years. many
of them the better portions of their lives
and who are now virtually pensioners.
They have performed their duties faith
fully and are now no longer capable of
filling the positions which they occupy
or of doing the work. which younger per-
sons would be able to do. yet because of
their past services they are still retained,
and really at a loss to the Government.
1t is further argued in this connection
that many of them holding high positions
with remunerative salaries are retarding
the advancement of younger and better
men who are capable of performing more
efficient service. 1t is this feature which
especially appeals to the younger contin-
gent in the Government service, and also
to the chiefs and heads of departments
whose work ii is said-is often handi-
capped by the semi-disability of employees.
The plan of retirement proposed has
many of the features of an insurance
scheme. 1t is contemplated to retire en-
ployes after they have served certain
length of time under the Government, up
on certain percentage of their salaries.
and to retire others who. after having |
worked for Uncle Sam given time. be- |
come incapacitated for service by reason
of any circumstances for which they are
not responsible. The conditions of re-
tirement have not, however as yet been
determined upon, although many sugges- |
tions along this line have been made 1t |
is said that the consensus of opinion is !
that forty years service should constitute |
eligibility for retirement. and that after
a person has been upon the pay rolls for
that time. retirement should be made |
compulsory.
Another feature suggested is that ply
steal disability after eight or ten years
service should constitute grounds for re-
tirement. 1t is proposed to have the
amount which a retired clerk is to receive
graduated according TO the salary he or
she drew when retired. the percentage to
increase proportionately, or as nearly as
possible. as the salary decreases For
instance. an employe who received $500
a year when retired would draw smaller
percentage of that salary upon retirement
than one who drew only $500 when re-
tired.
To obviate the objection which would
arise TO the present retirement of clerks
who have been in the service for forty
years. or whatever term of service may |
be adopted as necessary for retirement
and who would have, of course. paid
nothing into the retirement fund. II is
proposed that such shall be retired. but
that they shall continue to pay the
same monthly fees which they would
be required to pay II they remain
retired. BY a resolution of the Senate,
passed February %. 1901, each department
Of the Government was called upon to
furnish certain information upon the sub
ect Of approximation and the service of
Government employees, for the purpose of
serving a basis for actuaries to work
upon in forming a scale which would
equelize the payments of all clerks as
nearly as possible. no matter how long
1r how short time they shall have been
n the Government service.
Ihls information mas been prepared by
several of the departments and is wait
ng to be forwarded to Congress. II is |
expected that these statistics will be in
from all the various depart
nents before the lst of December and the
association is therefore preparing itself
o present facts and figures in the hope of |
having its plan made a statute of the
and.
The work of the actuaries In forming a
able which will meet all the requirements
VIII be very exacting one. but when pre-
Jared, II is believed that 1t viii be equita-
DE & and fair to all Government employees.
The most formidable objection TO the |
'ians of the association comes from those
mployes OF the Government; who do not
intend TO remain permanently in the ser
ice They object to being compelIed to |
'ay into a fund from which they will
eceive no benefit. There are many per |
ons who come to Washington and obtain |
Government positions for the purpose of |
tudyfng in their out of Office hours and
My use public office as a stepping stone
o something else. In order to over
ONE the protests OF this class II has |
zen PROPOSED that after an smploye has
aid certain sum into the retirement
und and then withdraws from the Gov
rnment service, he or she shall be en-
tiled to receive a certain portion of the
um paid into II. This is also calculated |
0 meet the objections of young women |
tho have hopes of retiring from the Gov
rnment service by way of the matrimon-
Al route. |
There are upward OF 100. 900 persons who
Iould be affected by the retirement |
cheme. directly. should IL become a law
he association is now numerically small |
ut is working diligently to secure the
Id of all persons in the classified service |
The officers are: J. w. Starr. New Jer-
ey, President: Pickens Neagle. South | Z
arolina, First Vice President; S. E {
aunce. Massachusetts,. Second Vice :
iry; Henry c. Swan, Pennsylvania.
These. with the following 7