Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-19
Superannuation and Pie.

There is great hue and cry in certain
quarters about superannuatfon in the de-
rartments. Congressional economists are
limiting at wholesale housekeeping in the
government departments Lists have been
requisitioned to show the roll of all clerks
above seventy years Of age. Clerks who
have reached, passed or closely approacned
that period of life are uneasy lest the AK
fall without discrimination and the prece-
Gent be established that the government
has no use for old men and women in its
service.
The Star does not believe that a man
ceases to be useful when he reaches the
scriptural limit of years. 1t regards that
reference to threescore and ten as the mere
striking of an average. 1t Indignantly re-
jects the Osler theory. 1t looks about in
all the fields of active human endeavor and
sees some notable instances of great use
fulness on the part of men and women who
have passed not only seventy but eighty
years. 1t considers age a mere relative
condition. and feels that there are In the
government departments scores of men and
women above seventy who are very useful
to the United States, through their expert
ence, their ripened Judgment and their
fidelity. 1t has no sympathy whatever with
any movement which proposes even to I'M
settle the minds of the elder clerks, and
trusts that this agitation may soon cease
without other result than to establish the
principle that a department clerk will be
retained in service as long as he can do his
work. ana that when his usefulness is d.
rainishef he will be retained in some less
exacting capacity and not cast aside IKE
a worn-oht garment -
These reflections are given point by an
incident Of the day. Recently The Star
printed in these columns a complaint that
it was no longer possible for the city man
to. secure real. old-fashioned mince pie.
This morning there came to The Star office
a warm package with the accompanying
note:
THE city man can get good pie If he is
fortunate enough to have home and his
wife or mother is not lazy. 1 bring you a
mince pie made by a 'superannuated gov
eminent clerk one of the miserable class
who has hung on since 1872 and intends to
hold on at least ten years longer, for that
time Will be required to put those who are
dependent on her in a position where they
will be able to care for their own comfort
The old lady is sfxty-fve years young, but
as she can still discount young people in
everything that goes to make home COM
Portable even to making her own mince
meat, plum pudding and fruit cake, she is
not yet at the chloroform stage Hope
you will like the mince pie
There has been no opportunity as The
Star goes to press to test the quality of
the mince pie. But it smells like the real
kind, the old-fashioned mince pie for which
the country-bred city man yearns with all
the strength of gastronomic memory. And
it is dollars to doughnuts that any con-
gressional economist who got a Whit of
that pie would Immediately soften in his
heart toward the elder clerks, both men
and women For whereas the men cannot,
or at least do not, make pies, they are
worthy to be e1assed with these dear
women of the departments who manage
to keep young despite the passage of time,
who do their work in office to the salts,
faction of their superior officers, support
those dependent upon them and fill the
home with the wholesome atmosphere that
always bespeaks a success in life.