The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-31

| Congress win have an opportunity t
decide at this session the question of car
ing for the aged employees OF the classi
fed service. Hearings conducted by tn
House Committee on Reform in the Civi
Service, which are now practically at al
end, have disclosed the fact that the ma
jority-nay. almost every member-of thai
committee is In favor of a scheme OF re
firing superannuated clerks.
The hearings OF the committee viii enc
this week. and It is understood that il
will then proceed TO put In those ina
licks which will end in the reporting Of
a bill to the Ho Sc. Just when the report
win be made cannot be definitely stated
but it viii take several days 70 determine
finally upon some Of the provisions Of the
proposed law. although upon its genera
outline, and. indeed. most OF its details
there is now almost unanimity in The
committee.
Several Bills In.
There have been several bills introduced
this session purposing scheme for re-
tlring classified employees at certain ages
with snnuities based upon small amounts
taken from such employees salaries dur
ing service one bin Is the work OF
Representative Goulden, Of New York
another was drawn up by Representa-
tive Gillette. OF Massachusetts,. while
the scheme Of Herbert d. Brown. while
not q bill has been before the committee
for consideration.
All these proposals are very much alike.
In some Of their minor features, 1t is true
they vary slightly. but it is certain that
the bill which is 20 be reported viii not
diverge widely from any one OF these
measures or from al ~ thcm
The main feature u all Is the creation
of a fund over which She Secretary of the
Treasury viii haze supervision. and which
viii be invested bonds or paced Ia
savings banss Ths fund viii De created
by the beaeGciaries themselves. Each
classified employe beginning with the
date on which the bin becomes a law.
VIII have deducted from his monthly sal
AIRY, an amount chat would be sufi-
cient. with interest thereon at per
cent per annum, compounded annually. 20
purchase from the United States. Ender
the provisions Of this act, an annuity for
every such employe on arriving al the
age Of retirement. as hereinafter provided,
equal 10 II per cent of his annual salary
for every full year Of service or major
fraction thereof, between the date of the
passage Of this act and the date OF re-
tirement"
Has Caused Discussion.
This fund. which is 10 be placed in the
United States Treasury, has caused some
discussion in the committee 1t has been
deemed hardly fair 10 impose upon the
Secretary of the Treasury the additional
burden of looking after such huge sum
as this would become i'm a comparatively
few years. An amendment which shall
specify that the fund may be distributed
amODg savings banks in different cities.
which are approved institutions. may be
reported with the bill This would save
the Secretary OF the Treasury much care.
There are 10 be three grades under the
proposed law. The first grade is that Of
employees who have been engaged at hard
labor. This grade shall retire at sixty
years. The second grade is 10 be COM
posed Of etaP.;yrs whose labor has not
been so hard as grade one. but who have
not been employed in entirely mental
Vrrrcrrffe This Hn - n Of pfr~
hve years The third grade-the mental
workers. 10 retire at seventy years.
Upon reaching the age OF retirement
employees shall be entitled 10 receive all
the money that has been deducted from
their salaries, with interest, either in one
sum or as an annuity payable quarterly
through life.
Has Been MisgnderstOod.
The feature OF all the bills which have
been proposed. which has been the least
understood and which has to some ex-
tent awakened opposition. is. on the face
OF it, a scheme Of government pensioning
OF ciyn service employees 1t is not such
a scheme. however.
The particular provision Of the bin re-
ferred 20 states that every empIoye 10
whom this act applies shall be entitled.
on reaching retirement age, or having al
ready passed that age. 70 retire from the
service under the provisions hereinbefore
contained. and also. in addition TO the
annuity herein provided for by his own
from his salary. to receive
from the United States, during the re
mainder Of his life. an annuity equal to
IL per centum Of his total compensation
during service prior TO the taking effect
Of this act
After a hurried reading of this clause
Of the proposed law. it seems as If the
United States government proposed to
pay all retired employees a pension.
That a civil service pension fund could
receive the approval of any committee
In the present House rs unbelievable, so
that a second reading may reveal that
there is no real pension scheme hidden
in the section.
Only Those Now In.
The only employees. IL VIII be seen. who
are to he granted any government an
nuity. are those who are now in the
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