The Washington herald., 1910-06-27
Answer to Henry S. Brown.

Editor The Washington Herald:
Since in all debate the opening speaker
has the privilege of closing. We would
answer Mr.. Henry s Browns reply in
your paper Of June 10. as follows:
Mr.. Brown replies 10 a direct question.
NO; I do not, theoretically, want 10 be
dictated TO in the matter Of my private
affairs: and yet I submit 10 It, as does
every good citizen. not only willingly, but
gladly" stating further that We all pay
taxes TO help maintain institutions not
ideal, but necessary. AS philanthropists.
We have constant appeals for charity and
help to the limit of our means, but be-
yond a certain point the funds of which
we control the output is not ours 10 give;
the main portion Of these funds belong
to the landlord, the servants, all the deal
ers with whom we transact business, for
the welfare Of our homes and families.
If the civilian employe is to be dictated
to by the general public 10 prevent his
becoming a burden on the rest of so
ciety. then should not Congress. the
army. the navy. all government employees.
all men be liable TO the same dCtatiOn.
since men and women from all classes
Of society are the beneficiaries OF the in
stitutions Mr. Brown mentions, and these
recipients do not alone. nor compulsorily.
pay all the tax which supports them7
Every individual, not alone the govern
ment clerk. has the possibility of max
ing some claim on society for mainte-
nance.
Does the wife OF the civil employee who
Graves a pension for her husband from
the government want him to be subject
to military discipline in his work?" This
wife is too practical 20 crave or expect
TO receive something for nothing" She
has never known discipline other than
military for any relative who has been
in the government service, and recognizes
that If her military cousins are entitled
to longevity and retirement pay, her
civilian husband should receive the same
recognition for service The pension sys-
TEN of great corporations keeps in their
employ experienced men. as against The
constant influx of raw material in the
government service that costs US such
enormous amounts. There would be less
injustice to the taxpayers at large in re-
tanning employees OF advanced age who
may not attain the maximum in guam
tity, yet whose mature judgment gives
quality far more economical than the I'M
reliability Of youth.
Mr.. Brown refers 10 the British Parlia-
ment as having recommended similar
contributory plan. The House commit
tees report on the Gillett bill reads as
follows:
England has just abandoned her
straight pension, which had been in op-
Grafton for fifty years, and has adopted
plan which actually is the same as this.
the big difference being that instead of
deducting from the salaries the govern
ment contributes the necessary amount
each month for each employees account. 8"
Note the big difference: In England the
government contributes the amount; in
America each employees amount is to be
deducted. Theoretically. under this plan
an employee receives the market price for
his work; practically, he does not ac-
tually get the price. by several dollars
each month. for which he receipts.
Since the deductions were on a sliding
scale of which no one seemed to know
exact amounts. the deduction of approx
imately SIS from a 81 500 salary was taken
from the statement of a 81 ,600 clerk TO
bring from some authoritative source a
statement of exact amounts Mr.. Brown
states that a man at the highest age
for a contribution of $50 would receive
from the government 400 per cent a year
on his investment. Mr. Brown forgets
the chief object and beauty of this bin
as formulated Is that "this compulsory
contributory plan is not to cost the gov
eminent cent" Then who pays the bill?