The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-26
Made Anxious by New Poll
cy of Pension Bureau.
Veterans May Be Put Un-
der the Ban.
Movement IS Confined to
the Pension Bureau-No
Disposition to Make 1t an
Administration Policy.

The way IN which Commissioner Ware
made vacancies in the Pension ONCE for
thirty-nine young lawyers and doctors
is the chief topic OF discussion among
employees OF the Pension Ofice ard the
various Government departments. The
aged employees os the Government are
decidedly interested In the movement
OF the Commissioner to rejuvenate his
Office force and are anxiously waiting to
see whether the bars will be raised
against the middle-aged in other de-
partments-
Commissioner Ware says that he al
lowed the vaca1cies in his Office 20 re-
main untitled that he might obtain clerks
vino had passed the medical and legal ex-
sminations OF the Civil Service Com
mission. ana who had shown that they
were especially prs pared for pension
work He has made no movement, ne
says. TO free the Office OF aged employees
who are competent But a different story
is told by some of the employees who
have been let out.
Experience of No Present Value
J. D. Halle. OF sos Ninth Street. was
dismissed from the Office solely because
OF his age. so he alleges. He is about
sixty years old, veteran OF the civil war,
and had twenty-five years of experience
as a practicing attorney. in addition TO
ten years of experience as law clerk in
the Pension ONCE.
Commissioner Ware told me he had
no place IN his oHiee for old men when
1 applied for reinstatement" said Mr..
Halle. He said that even IL men had
served in the war he could not retain
them and must make room for young
men especially trained in law. I called
attention to the fact that I had had a
good law training and wide experience
but he said he would prefer young men
who had recently finished courses in Law
schools"
Mr.. Halle left for his former home at
Syracuse. \. Y. this morning. much
discouraged by the attitude OF Commits
sioner Ware toward veterans.
Would Have Dismissed Many More.
It is reported and widely believed that
Commissioner Ware prepared large list
OF aged employees whom he desired 20
have dismissed. and submitted it to Sec
rotary Hitchcock. who is said to have re-
fused to approve such a move.
In the notices sent out by the Civil
Service Commissioners announcing the
examination for law clerks to I'LL places
in the Pension once. IL was stated Colo
mel Ware preferred men not more than
thirty years old. The minimum age was
fixed at twenty years This examination
was held two months ago. and I25 men
passed IL Although old men were not
barred from taking this examination. and
the civil service rule which requires that
veterans shall be given the preference
was not waived, the Commissioner OF
Pensions had such freedom in making his
selections that no old man could have
secured an appointment
As is customary in the appointment OF
clerks to all departments, the names OF
three men who had passed the examina-
tion were certified to by Commissioner
Ware at a time. No names can be GER
tilted more than three times Conse-
quently. the head OF the bureau is not
not want
The Civil Service View.
Civil Service Commissioner John R
Proctor said this morning he was sur
prised that fault should be found with
Mr. Wares desire to I'LL vacancies in his
Office with young clerks.
1T is TO the interest OF any depart
ment to secure as young employees as
are capable OF doing the work" said
Mr.. Proctor. Young aPpointees viii
have many years TO serve, and their Sc
lection must necessarily be TO the best
interest OF the Government.
The Administration Not Involved.
When the news Of the innovation at
the Pension once became known much
interest naturally cente-ed in the
White House Indeed, the news created
genuine excitement there. Inquiries
were made on all hands as TO whether
the reform" move would spread TO all
the departments and affect all the old
soldiers in the Government service The
veterans as a rule expressed their conf
dence in the Presidents appreciation of
their records and felt sure Commission
er Wares action would not disturb other
bureaus
A number OF the Presidents callers
today had more or less interest in learn
ing at first hand whether or not tho
President had anything TO do with the
Ware appointments and whether the plan
Tor intusing new blood would be tasen
UP with Administration sanction.
There is the authority OF several mem
bers OK Congress who were among to-
days callers that the action OF the Pen
sion Commissioner was based entirely on
his own initiative. and that IL expresses
no more than that officials view OF the
most desirable methods in the bureau
over which he presides.
The attitude OF the Administration to-
ward the old soldiers, they were told
has been shown conclusively in the past
and there wa little likelihood that Il