Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-29
Where the Trouble Lies.

ASsocldllon, seems 10 De In getting the
necessary attention to the situation. A
civil service pension list used to be a
great bugaboo in days gone by, and
there are those who, with but little o,
no knowledge of the facts and the at.
titude of the civilized world. cove. n
mental and commercial. toward the sub
ject today, and still inclined to regard II
as among the impossibiIities.
'As pitfful as the subject may be
In its recent aspect" said President
O'Donoghue of the association, I'VE clam
there is another than the human interest
side Of the story, and it is to that side
we are using all our efforts to direct the
attention OF the business men in Congress-
We urge the civil service retirement prop:
pie. 1t has been so recognized even by
corporations which permit nothing OF the
sentimental side Of life to enter into
their business dealing. The proposition
is SO simple from a business standpoint
1t Is an economy, not an extravaganza. II
will replace the superannuated clerks with
new men, young men, II you will, bright
active and able. who will give perhaps
more In the way of service than the
old clerks. But to get such young men il
will be necessary to show them some
future In the service. The prospect OF
retirement in old age, free from the
worry and want that hangs over the
heads of the poor souls of today, will
mean something to them.
Government the Gamer.
'It will stimulate them to more at
tentive and better service, prompt them
to make speciality OF their business
and thus the government will gain in
fnitely more than the amount it spends
in retiring the clerks that give their
best years to governmental work. and
reach an age where their usefulness is
deemed to be past. There isn't a coun-
try in the world but this. the great
exponent of advanced civilization, that
hasn't made such a provision. Heaven
knows the salaries paid the govern
ment clerk in the twentieth century
are not calculated to make rich men.
nor. to the thinking young man on the
outside, are they. per Sc, an induce
inent to sacrifice his career. The cost
of living is so high. the necessity of
keeping ones self decent in appearance
so imperative, that the average clerk
has his nose at the grindstone all the
time. The ease of the government
clerks life and the size of his salary
ignorant writer's with themes for cheap
comedy and satire. One needs but to
be here on the spot and see for ones self
the real truth of the situation. When
it once becomes known to the young
men and women throughout the coun-
try, unless Congress does provide some
extra fnducement, such as a retirement
bill. governmental help will be about
as poor and worthless as there Is in
the market.
aside from the justice Of caring. in
their old age. for those who have given
the best years of their lives to its service,
itself to protect itself against cheap and
labor to conduct its great af-
fairs
Civil Service League Report.
The special committee on superannua-
ton Of the National Civil Service Reform
League in its last report upon the SUBJ
ject states as follows:
The governments business. like all
business, Is necessarily conducted by hu-
man beings To be conducted successfully
its rewards must appeal to the motives
which tmpel able men to put forth their
best efforts. The opportunity for a
stable career and the assurance of Pc
return which will meet the de-
mands Of a reasonable standard of living
in view of the position held and the serv-
ice rendered and will remove the fear of
upon others when advancing
years have diminished or 1t may be al
together destroyed the capacity for work,
are the inducements which our great
1t more and more necessary to hold out if
they wish to attain success. The govern
ment must offer the same Inducements II
it would secure the same grade of service.
The unambitious, the timid. the mediocre,
once in the governments employ. are rea-
sonabIy sure to remain until forced out;
but it Is increasingly difficult to retain in
the governments administrative service
competent men of initiative and force.
There is a supreme need of organizing
the civil service Of the government upon
a sound and lasting business basis. If 1t
is to meet adequately not merely the
needs of the present. but the still greater
future needs which even now can be
plainly foreseen.
Congress has the opportunity to meet
the needs Of the situation. Must the un-
fortunate clerks and the country wait
until next session? That is the question
that is being asked by those who have
met their fate and those who look to
their future in the government service
today.