Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-22
The Elder Clerks.

As far as the laws permit, every vet
eran employe of the government now on
the rolls should be retained in service
pending provision by Congress of means
for the retirement of the superannua ed.
Yesterdays hearing before the House
and Senate committees on the civil serv-
Ice of the Washington business men in
terested in securing legislative relief for
the elder clerks who are now threatened
with dismissal without provision OF any
kind for their future maintenance de-
veloped the fact that there is no hope
whatever for action by Congress al this
session Thus the case revertS to the
President and the departmental heads
to find means of retaining in service
temporarily the men and women who,
after years of faithful performance Of
duty and passing to the point OF average
efficiency. now confronted with the
prospect of discharge.
In one sense. il is not tine fault of the
government if these clerks have failed to
provide for their future by saving in the
past This is in every line of life an in
dividual responsibility. But from another
point of view the government is account
able for the proper care of those who
have served il with fidelity and ability,
devoting themselves to it's work as to a
career, separating themselves from other
opportunities for advancement in order to
Specialize in their lines OF occupation.
They have, il is true. been under no
peril of death comparable with that which
confronts the soldier and the sailor in
time OF war But their work has been
more useful than the work OF the army
and the navy, and relatively more poorly
paid. =.
The government pays no such salaries
to its subordinate. clerks that they can
lay by great store for the rainy day
The average pay in the departmental
service is Just about sufficient to enable
man TO maintain his family decently.:
During recent years. while the cost Of
living has increased. the clerk pay has
remained unchanged. The government
employee is practically the only local
worker who is getting paid at the same
rate that prevailed twenty and thirty
years ago. He has had harder strug-
gle to make both ends meet than even un-
skilled laborers, whose 'requirements have
been less, whose standards of living have
been lower. and whose pay has increased
That there are ways and means of keep
ing the SuperannudteQ CLERKS LII SefNice
cannot be doubted. In every department
there is a sufficient leeYay under the law
to permit the transfer of clerks and divi-
sion of duties to accommodate all the
needs arising in such an emergency.
Short OF an absolute curtailment of the
force by enactment of Congress, specify
ing a smaller number of employees in
each class, these changes can be effected
TO prevent the uncharitable. cruel custer
of these menaced clerks -
Next winter Congress will be again
asked to adopt system OF clerical re-
tirements that will prevent such a situa-
ton in the future. Meanwhile the Pres
ident and the executive officers should
feel that the government is morally, II
not legally, pledged to regard the super
ANIMATED clerks charge upon the
federal government to the extent. at
least. of insuring them against absolute
want through dismissal without any pro-
vision whatever. II should, in snort. be
considered by the government today that
all the veterans now in the service are
entitled to some measure OF protective
provision. whatever form the law later to
be enncted may take