Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-09
GET TOGETHER FIRST
Government Clerks Told How
to Secure Retirement Fund.
WAY TO PROD CONGRESS
Mr.. Goulden Urges Organization and
Pledging of Friends.
LAWMAKERS TO BE ALIGNED
Speeches by E. j. Cantwell, M. F.
o'Donoghue, r. E. Austin, w. E.
Andrews and Others.

Arguments were presented last night
at a mass meeting at the Public Library
why Congress should provide retire.
ment fund for superannuated government
employees.
With the Presidents reference to the
matter in his annual message as a key
note, the United States Civil Service Re-
tirement Association called mass meet
Ing of government clerks in Washington
About one hundred and fifty answered the
call.
The size of the attendance, in view OF
the fact that there are 10000 government
employees In the District. prompted Repre-
sentative Joseph A. Goulden of New York,
one of the speakers, in an extended adj
aress of a locular character. to hand out
some homely truths from the standpoint
OF the practical politician.
Clerks Must Organize.
The clerks here in Washington, he said,
have not only got to show their interest
In this movement in all unmistakable
manner, but they have got to form
compact organization and get to work
with their friends throughout the coun-
try so that members of Congress will be
forced to give the subject that kind of at
tention without which their efforts to
secure retirement fund would prove
fruitless.
Edward J. Cantwell secretary of the
National Association of Letter Carriers,
followed somewhat the same line of ar
gument in brief practical speech.
President NJ. +. ODonoghue opened
the meeting with an address which out
lined its purpose and set forth the rea-
sons for the movement for a retirement
fund. 1t was founded. he said, not in
charity, but in justice and humanitarian
ism.
He cited instances to illustrate the need
of such fund, and said that even the
municipal government of the District had
recognized It's value from an economic
standpoint in providing pensions for po-
licefnen and firemen.
Throughout the evening Mr.. ODonoghue
kept in close touch with every speaker
and he was not slow to resent any re-
marx that seemed to detract from the
stre1gth of the associations purpose.
He made il quite clear that the Gillette
bill was not to the liking of the associa-
. ton, and that no bill which provided for
the deduction of any part OF the present
salaries paid government clerks would
meet the needs of the situation.
He pointed out the increased cost of iiv-
ing and the fact that the clerks salaries
remained stationary. although Congress
had voted to increase the salaries of its
own members. He did not blame them,
but insisted upon like justice for the
clerks.
Representative Austin's Advice.
Representative Richard l.. Austin of
Tennessee, who stated that thirty years
ago he was a government employee in the
Post Once Department at the munificent
salary OF $45 a month. announced his
strong sympathy with the movement to
provide a retirement fund for the clerks
IIe stated he had prepared and intro
duced a bill for that purpose and, regard
less of the views fanny of his constltu-
erts, he intended to take off his coat and
wor.zfo 1t as labor of love and because
IL was demanded by simple justice and
fair play.
Auditor W. E. Andrews of the Treas
ury also advocated a retirement fund for
clerks. and aroused considerable enthusi-
asm by saying that twelve years expert
ence I'm the government service had con-
WINGED him that no bill would be just
which did not consider the physical and
mental ability of men to perform the
task assigned them and pay them ac-
cordingly, regardless of the number of
years they had lived. The salary. he
said, should be commensurate with the
duties performed, and the efficiency of
the clerk should be rated by his ability
to perform those duties without regard
to his age.
He also advocated retirement board
TO pass upon individual cases before re-
tirement was ordered. He praised the
honesty and fidelity of the government
clerks, and said no corporation or insti-
tuition in the world could present a better
showing in that respect than the exec
Htive departments in Washington. They
will present the cleanest balance sheet in
the world, he said, measured by any test
which can fairly be applied to them.
+. l.. Siddons again testified his SYM
pathy with the retirement movement. and
urged that the arguments for it be based
upon the fact that it is a just and eco
nornic movement, not "a bid for charity or
sympathy.
pamphlet entitled. Federal EN-
ployes' Proposed Retirement Plan and
containing excerpts from a Philadelphia
newspaper setting forth what had been
done and the reasons for congressional
action, was distributed to the audience.