The Washington times., 1910-12-30
Retiring Retiring Retirlng

That Is TO say, a man Of thirty reCefv-
ing $s3.33 q month would be assessed AT
the very least S4.sI per month
In addition TO these deductions there
are others TO be considered The new
appointee must give up - per cent Of
his salary for the first six months and
every empIoye must give I'D the first
three months value OF each promotion
he receives. On these contributions
there IS no return whatever unless the
enploye becomes totally and permanent
y disabled, and # the disability is
through illness he is not eligible to ben
eflt until after twenty years Of service
As most employees 90 not become to
tally disabled, even II they remain n the
service twenty years, this provision
would in most cases be simply a cOnfis-
cation Of the employees money to the ex-
tent Of 800 and up For those desiring
accident OF health Insurance. established
companies offer bette. terms than the.
Gillett bill
No Increase Of Salaries Provided
Of course We are not forgetting that
the advocates Of the Giuett bin have
net criticism Of their plan with the as
suTance that an increase Of salaries is
expected 10 accompany the bin or to
result from it The authors themselves
state that they have never ceased 20
urge" and insist upon increase Of
salaries as a necessity.
But the fact remains that nowhere
IN the bill IS there any provision Of this
character, nor was there any such pro
vision in any other bill before Congress
until the Cary bin last week
It is difficult to understand why this Is
So If increase OF salaries was regard
ed as essential why was the GilIett bin
pushed before the increase was obtained
OF at least provided for in the bin it.
self? Why. in other words, has it been
left 10 fail in second place. a separate /
question so far as the GiiIett bill is con
cerned7
SHch being the case. however. the
Gillett bill must be discussed mon its
own merits and not upon the pros0ecrs
OF action which Congress has thus Tar
SHOWN iIseif unwilling 10 take And a
not unimpOTta0t point against the b5I
i It's own authors acknowledgment Of [
this unfuIdlIed necessity
Results to Employees.
To appreciate the application Of this
compulsory contributory retirement |
plan, let rs consider representative
groups Of the employees.
l. The youngest-The census figures
show 1900 employees in the District Of /
Columbia at the age Of twenty-five and /
under, this number including many |
young men and women who are endeav-
Oring 10 complete ar education. Their 1
aim is perhaps a professional career
outside the service, but by their study
they are oftentimes perfecting their /
work for the Government, and by their
Industry and ambition they are in any
event proving themselves a desirable /
and promising element in the civil ser
vice personnel
receiving the lowest salaries in the ser
vice. and, after paying their living ex-
penses- II IS not probable that their in /
comes would SCOFer much more than /
their students fees But the GiIIett /
bin would deprive them Of this margin 4
and thereby perhaps OF a whole career /
Effect on Heads of Families.
. HEADS Of famufes-The same cen
sus bulletin tells Us that there are in 1
the departments at Washington 400 /
married men on salaries Of s, 900 and 4
less, 500 on S1,400 and less, and 1890 4
receiving $3.50 and less There are $3.50 4
unmarried and widowed women, most 4
OF whom have dependent relatives, on 1
salaries OF $1.zoo and less. Il is fair,
upon these figures. to consider a total 4
Of At least 1900 heads OF families re-
ceiving Sl,40O and less and 1900 receiv-
ing $3.50 and less
The margin o. income above actual /
needs IN all these cases is obviously
small, and would doubtless ali be rep
by the deductions under the i
Gillett bill This means that insurance
policies, homes partly purchased in
vestments, or vital uuderta kings Of this
sort or another could not be pursued /
on salaries like these II the Gillett bin
were IN force And Il is only for one
self remember. that the old age pro
/, fsion IN the bill has any certainty
Should the eupioye die his family
would receive only his contributions
nd interest ID date, and he might die
lhe first year. a life Insurance. policy