Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-22
MANY LAWS NOW IN FORCE
Industrial Concerns Are Providing
for Their Employees.
TEACHERS OF WASHINGTON
Mr.. Madden Of Illinois Proposes Bill
to Provide 5000 Year for
Superannuated.
BY WILLIAM <. CURTIS.

Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Mr.. Madden of Illinois has revived the
plan of a pension of not moe than $500
a year for teachers of the public schools
of the District of Columbia after thirty
years continuous service. 1t is not prob
able that the passage of such a measure
would provide better teachers now but
many might be induced to remain in serv-
ice by assurance of prop for age and
infrmity.
The plan to pension government clerks.
agitated earnestly year or two ago,
| seems to have floated down the stream
that has carried to oblivion many wise
! and prudent propositions. 1t is to be
hoped that the teachers pension bill will
not follow.
The House of Representatives appointed
a commission to investigate and report
! upon the subject of retirement from the
civil service. That duty. was performed
with zeal and thoroughness The agita-
ton ended there.
The bill was not acted upon originally
for the reason that Congress did not have
sufficient information on the subject.
When it got the information something
else was on the congressional mind.
Whole World Interested.
The subject Of old age pensions is grow
ing in interest and Importance all over the
world. and is regarded with increasing
favor as it is studied and discussed.
Germany has had a system Of compul-
sorry insurance for many years for clerks,
bookkeepers. factory hands, mechanics.
household servants and other wage earn
ers. 1t has been a great success.
Great Britain is the first government to
provide for the aged from the public
treasury. On the first of January first
payments were made to nearly half
million men and women over seventy
years of age.
Seven hundred thousand applications
were received under the old age pension
law. About 100000 were rejected be-
| cause the applicants were already inmates
Of either public or private benevolent in
StitutiOns.
1t is expected that an average of a half
million benef1ciaries will call for their
five shillings a week which means 900.
600 shillings for flfty-two weeks in the
year. or about S32. 100000 annually.
The government of the United States
pays no civil pensions. On June 30, 1908.
however. the names Of 658.O11 soldiers and
sailors, 293. 1O6 widows and orphans and
making a total Of 951 6S7 pensioners who
are provided for by a generous Congress
The last surviving revolutionary widow,
Esther Sumner Damon, died November H.
iSUO, at ncr nome at plymouth Union,
VT. at the age of ninety-two years. The
names of two daughters of revolutionary
soldiers pensioned by a special act of
Congress still remain upon the roll.
The last pensioned soldier of the war OF
1912 died May 13, 1905. There are still
All widows of that war receiving aid
from the government.
The pension roll is gradually decreas-
ing. The net loss for last year was 1854
names.
Discussion by States.
= The subject of old age pensions has been
discussed in the Massachusetts, and New
York legislatures. Bills have been intro
duced in both of those bodies similar to
the act of the British parliament.
Thus far they have not received any
serious attention. But the mere propo-
sition shows that the idea Is taking
hold upon the public mind, and people are
beginning to think of, doing something
for tie care of the aged and infirm por-
ton of the population.
Ten years ago the old age pension was
ridiculed and derided In England 1t Is
now law actually in force, and the
various charitable societies. labor unions
and other organizations which consider
the poor in this country are discussing
the ways and means of transferring their
burden to the government.
In Massachusetts there is already a
system of old age annuities, provided by
savings banks for those persons who de-
post definite amount each month, &C
cording to their age.
1t is now proposed that such deposits
shall now be made compulsory.
What Nations Have Done.
Australia, Austria, Bavaria, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, India, Canada, China
Cuba. Ecuador. Egypt. France, Great
Britain, Holland. Italy, Japan. Morocco
Norway, Persia, Peru P Z ssia. Russia,
Sweden. Switzerland, Turkey and several
colonial governments either give pensions
to civilian employees or require that they
shall themselves provide for their old
age by some system OF insurance.
The French government not only re-
quires an employe Of it's civil service to
insure himself, but also to- provide for
the care Of his wife and children by de-
Quoting per cent from his monthly
salary. and his entire salary for the first
month Of his appointment. When gov
eminent employe is promoted the differ
ence between old and new salaries for the
first month must also be deposited for
In the retirement fund.
There Is a similar arrangement in Can
ada, where per cent OF the salaries
of all government employees Is de-
posted monthly to their credit in the re-
tirement fund. and compounded half
yearly at the rate Of per cent per
annum.
Fifty-one railways, representing $4,000
miles of track and 10000 employees, have
similar retirement funds. and pension
their men after thirty or forty years Of
service or at sixty-five or seventy years
are to receive the benefit to contribute a
certain per cent OF their salaries.
Railroad Pension Scheme.
considered the best, and it is one of the