The Washington times., 1907-09-14
George R. Wales Discusses
Need of Offering Clerks
eWardOfService Pension
Industrial Concerns Find 1t
PAYS to Provide Retire
ment Funds.
Employees Would Pay for
Annuities Themselves.
judiciary an Example.

The proposed plan of the Keep Com
mission for the retirement of superan-
puated Government employees on an
sglities = receiving considerable atten-
don ia departmental circles.
The subcommittee Of the Keep Com
mission, to which We're referred matters
relating to the personnel Of the service,
including salaries. promotions. and
hours OF labor. devoted much thought
and attention TO schemes for the retire
meIt OF Government employees who
have reached that period in their SER
vice where their usefulness has become
impaired.
The result of the deliberations Of the
committee has been the formulation Of a
report and the draft Of a bill. which
has been submitted TO the Keep Com
mission. and which It is expected will
soon be forwarded TO the President for
his consideration.
Wales Discusses Plan.
George r. Wales, chief Of the division
Of appointments OF the Civil Service
Commission, who has ben in the Gov
eminent service for eighteen years. and
who fully understands and appreciates
body OF Government employees, was a
member OF the subcommittee that
formulated the retirement plan.
Speaking today OF the proposed meas
ure and the benefits TO be derived from
II both by the employees and the Gov
eminent, Mr.. Wales said:
Congress placed in the appropriation
Gets a provision requiring heads OF de-
partments 10 dismiss employees who
have become incapacitated through old
age or other infirmities, but heads Of
departments dislike 10 cut of from live
lihood employees who have rendered long
and faithful service, II II is possible 70
utilize their services in any way
in al matters affecting the public
service the first consideration must be
the welfare Of the Government. The
interests OF the individual employe must
be entirely secondary. The popular no
ton seems to be that all the projects
for the retirement OF Government en-
ployes are primarily for the benefit Of
the employee. but his is not the correct
view. and the committee considered only
the interests OF the Government, realiz-
ing, Of course. the incidental benedt TO
the employee.
Completes With Commercial Concerns.
IN obtaining and retaining it's en-
ployes the Government is obliged to
compete with commercial institutions.
and IN order 10 secure the best talent It
must offer Inducements at least equiva-
lent 70 those which are offered by prI-
vate employers. Many persons object 70
entering the service because the oppor-
tunities for advancement are limited In
private business the zeal OF the employe
Is kept alive by the hope OF continued
advancement and the possible OppOr-
tunity OF sharing in the management
and profits OF the enterprise. Another
reason why many capable men do not
apply for Government positions is that
they realize that by entering the service
they divorce themselves from CONNER
cial employment II a mercantile estab-
Hshment does not offer proper oppor-
tunities for advancement, an employe Of
experience and ability is readily able 10
better his condition by securing employ
ment with another similar concern.
whereas the Government employe is not
able to do so. because he IS cut of from
connection with mercantile establish
ments-
For positions requiring some training
or ability in addition 10 that which can
be obtained In the common schools the
Civil Service Commission is experience