The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-11-21
CIVIL OLD AGE PENSiGHs.


pension plan some heavy blows
in a report just presented at the
leagues annual meeting in Buffalo.
The evils of superannuationin the
federal Civil Service are not ex-
tremely fragrant. There is I'M
doubtedly an appreciate loss of
efficiency on the part of clerks aud
operatives who have passed the
age of sixtp-fve. But under the
proposed annuity plan involuntary
retirements are not to begin until
seventy, and only II per cent of
the present federal employees are
over seventy. On that basis,
counting the efficiency Of those
now on the rolls who are over
seventy at IS per cent-or even at
so per cent-the loss to the govern
ment in overpay is very small.
The leagues approximation re-
port of last year estimated the loss
from inefhciency Of employees over
sixty-fve at only 81, zoe, 900 a
year, or fraction Of I per cent of
the annual payroll
1t may be conceded that il is
highly desirable to avoid this de-
probation. But it is even more
desirable to avoid spending two
or three times s. 200, 900 a year to
eliminate the superannuated. The
Keep committee, composed of
men naturally interested in pro-
noting the welfare of the federal
employees as individuals as we'll as
in increasing their efficiency as a
BODY, did not stop at recommending
compulsory savings plan in &C
cordanCe with which each office
holder should provide for his own
retirement, the government con-
tributing the expense Of admins
terlng the Joint retirement fund.
There would be no great objection
to the adoption of such a scheme,
especially if the Treasury were not
called upon to pay too high a rate
of interest on its enforced loans
from the employees. But such
project would have little to recon-
mend it to the civil servants them
selves, for it would bring them no
greater return on the whole than
if they individually invested their
savings in annuities or securities.
1t lacks the feature Of giving some
thing for nothing and that attrac-
tive feature the Keep committee
supplied by proposing that the
government credit to each employe
now on the rolls the sum which
he would have paid in had yearly
assessments been levied on his sal
airy since the day he entered the
service. That assumption Of re-
troactive unpaid obligations would
cost the Treasury between $50
900, 900 and 500, ooo, 900.
We can see no justification for
this gratuity. Neither can the
Civil Service Reform League. The
federal civil servants never dream
ed Of such a windfall when they
took the Office. They have had,
in the main, easier hours, longer
vacations, better pay and more
consideration than persons doing
the same grade of work in private
employment, and they have no
special claim on the governments
indulgence. If they have been
thrifty they have already saved
the portion of salary which would
have gone into the proposed annu-
ity fund. Why then credit them
with a retroactive allowance, equal
in amount, bearing 4 per cent
compound interest? That would
be an extravagant price to pay for
sparing the sensibilities Of depart
ment and bureau chiefs who say
that they lack the sternness of
heart to discharge enfeebled clerks
who have passed the seventy-year
limit.
The approximation committee
makes another point against the
Keep scheme which is worth not
ing, 1t is proposed to ask the