Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-20
SENT TO SPEAKER CANNON
Plea, 1ndorsed by Secretary Mac
Veagh, Is Laid Before House.
TAFT TO BE ASKED TO HELP
Business Mems Committee Will Ask
President to Send Special Mes
sage to Congress.

speaker Cannon today received from the
Secretary of the Treasury and laid be-
fore the House a petition signed by 16OS6
employees in the executive departments
asking for the passage of a law to re-
tire superannuated civil service employees.
Secretary MacVeagh in his letter of trans
initial says:
Il have the honor to transmit herewith
a petition to the Congress, signed by
16.0S6 employees in the executive depart
ments and separate bureaus in Washing
ton. for the enactment of laws for the
of superannuated civil service
employees. based upon contributory plan,
and for a reclassification of salaries upon
the basis of character and quality of work
performed.
1.-The petition has my warm approval
THE subject of a retiring allowance for
civil service employees was discussed by
me in my report to Congress of Decem-
ber, 1909, and the views therein expressed
are again urged upon Congress after
several months of inquiry into the need of
the government to take the steps which
will result in final economy and efficiency
in the classified service, and which can
be reached by no other method. and at
the same time to provide immediate re-
lief to such employees as are now super
animated and in circumstances requiring
the aid of a law providing a retiring al
lowance."
Petitions From Other Places.
Secretary MacVeagh also transmitted a
petition signed by $500 employees of the
civil service in Chicago, Philadelphia,
New York. Boston. Augusta, Me-; Knox
Vile, Tent: New Orleans; Pittsburg. St.
Paul, Cincinnati, Buffalo and st. Louis, of
the same fenor.
Presidenx Taft today is to be asked to
lend his aid IN the form of special mes
sake to Congress invoking immediate
provision for those employees Of the civil
service of the government who are men,
tally or physically disabled and either
have been or are likely soon to be dis
missed from their positions.
The ways and means committee OF the
business mems and citizens movement I'm
behalf of the superannuated clerks held
meeting at noon today, WITH Gen.
George II. Harries presiding. The form
of resolution to be submitted to the joint
session of the Senate anu House com
mittees tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock
was discussed. 1t was agreed that the
committee visit the President and ask his
aid in the form of a special message to
Congress.
The committee decided it was not wise
any plan of action for Congress as a
permanent measure, but simply to urge
with all its force and influence some i'm
mediate provision for those who may not
share in the benefits of a permanent plan
or may suffer before its adoption by
reason of their separation from the serv-
ice.
The members of the committee present
in addition to Gen. Harries we're Charles
j. Bell, Louis P. Shoemaker. Col. John
n
and Joseph w. Buck.
Views of Secretary MacVeagh.
In his annual report to Congress. to
which he referred in his letter to Speaker
Cannon today, Secretary MacVeagh dis
cussed the retirement of civil service en-
ployes on pension as follows:
ANY inquiry into the efficiency of ad-
ministration very soon involves con-
sideration of a policy of civil service
retiring pensions. And it seems to
me that the conclusion is unavoidable
that a really efficient service is out OF
the question without a method Of hon
orably and justly retiring persons
whose efficiency is seriously impaired
1t is quite true that the older clerks ol
the service are no more likely than
the younger clerks to be inefficient
Indeed, their experience and their set
tied relations to the service could
easily compensate for the lack or some
other personal equipment. But just
as there are instances where the
Younger clerks should be disciplined OIL
dismissed so there are many cases OF
the older clerks where, in justice to
both themselves and the service. they
ought to be honorably relieved.
1.-The service is blocked in many in
stances by the unwillingness Of the Off
cials in charge to throw out OF place
worthy men and women who have given
the best of their lives to the work of the
government. So that. in very lmper-
feet and wholly unsatisfactory manner.
practically a pension system is and long
has beer in operation
Country's Unique Position.
1.-The United States is the only nation
that has no general legal retiring pension
for the employees Of its civil service. We
have this unique position in the world,
along with a reputation for great wealth
and for otherwise liberal expenditures.
The entire civilizeL world has shown
great and growing recognition of pen
sions or retiring allowances; and while
the United States is SO far behind the
rest of the world in civil pensions, it has
by far the largest pension list among the
nations The war and navy pensions
are recognized part of our policy; and
in the civil service pensions have been
EXTENDED TO the Anu
as a government. We have halted at a
general retiring allowance for civil en-
ployes. the great universities of our
country and the great corporations have
been taking immense steps along this
very line. and the federal government is
becoming more and more isolated.
while l have spoken only of the effect
upon the service itself of the lack of
a system of retiring pensions. there are,
as every one knows other claims upon
the government to establi-h This policy.
| hope that the Congress will take up and
consi Ter favorably one of the various
forms of law that are proposed. This
subject has been before the country and
before the government for a long while
and If the policy were to be adopted at
this time it would undoubtedly give a
strong impulse to that Improvement of
every branch of the service which is now
so much desired by the people, and which
is a matter Of SO much interest to the
Congress and TO the administration. In
expressing my opinion in favor of the re-
firing allowance, I purposely avoid the
expression at this time of a preference
for any particular plan or system"
Ten Drowned in Shipwreck.