Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-15
TWO PLANS URGED
Civil Retirement Advocates
Heard at the Capitol.
RELIEF OF THE EMPLOYEES
Straight Pensions and Contributory
System Supported.
INCREASED PAY WANTED
Question Taken Up by tho Senate
and House Committees on Civil
Service in Joint Session.
RELIEF OF THE EMPLOYEES
INCREASED PAY WANTED

Service in Joint Session.
women who grow old in the service OF
the government was taken up in ear
nest today at a joint session OF the
Senate and House committees on civil
service to hear the representatives OF
the United States Civil Service Retire
ment Association. who are in annual
convention here.
Those who addressed the committees
We're strongly divided in preference
between straight civil pensions and
a contributory system whereby the
cost of the pension would be deducted
from the salaries of active workers.
There was unanimity on one thing
that the government should increase
the pay of its employees.
Would Increase Efficiency.
In presenting the delegates-about 100
in aIl-who attended the hearing in the
handsome room on the second floor OF
the Senate office building. President NJ.
F. O'Donoghue declared that the ques-
ton OF the retirement OF civil employees
Of the federal government is a pressing
one. because 1t is vitality connected with
tenure of office. and tenure OF office is
regarded as essential to efficient service.
The army and navy. he asserted. cannot
be brought up to the highest efficiency
without retirement pensions; and the
civil service will be brought to It's high
af7CioncU hxro 81
The split in the convention over the
kind of retirement plan to be adopted by
Congress was made known to the Senate
and House committees by the first two
speakers. Albert L. Tharp. chairman OF
the committee Of fifteen OF the associa-
tion to determine the best plan to rec
ommend to Congress. was first presented
For Straight Civil Pensions.
After the committee had been in ses-
sion for about eight hours last night. he
explained. and the committee had heard
the arguments presented by the delegates
for this plan and that. a vote was taken.
OF the fifteen members eleven voted for
straight civil pensions, three voted for
the contributory plan, which contem-
plates an increase of salary for the EN-.
ployes, and one was satisfied to let Con-
gress give any plan 1t thought wise and
could give.
Representing the views of the majority.
MIR. Tharp declared that the straight pen
sion was favored because the greater por-
ton of the civil employees cannot stand q
deduction from their salaries each month
without substantial increase In their
wages. Therefore, the straight civil pen
sion plan was regarded as cheaper for
the government. In arriving at this view.
the speaker said, the majority had been
Influenced by the speech of President
Taft yesterday. and by the fact that scv-
eral great corporations in this country
have inaugurated such plans for their
employees.
But provision should be made he said,
for pensions on account OF disability. The
perilous occupations of the railway mail
clerks and other government employees. he
said. are known. Over in Brooklyn few
days ago. he said, three letter carriers
had fallen during a snowstorm and suf-
fered severe. If not serious. injuries.
Retirement based on length of service
rather than upon a certain fixed age, he
also contended, was more acceptable 10
the ma jority.
.If it was impossible TO get through
Congress a straight civil pension act,
would you favor another plan?" Senator
Cummins asked Mr.. Tharp.
II think we would accept what We could
get the speaker replied.
w
civil pension plan could not be passed"
was asked.
II do not think the men in the lower ,
grades of the civil service could stand
any deductions from their salaries he
answered.
Contributory Plan Favored.
Scott Nesbit of the Department Of
Commerce and Labor I'm this city pre-
sented the minority report of the COM
The minority. he said. favored
the contributory plan providing for re-
tiremeent. not only on length of service
and upon reaching certain age, but
also on disability. The act should also
provide for the payment OF the accn-
mulated salaries paid into the retire
ment fund to the family IL an employ.
died, or to the employe If he retired
from the federal service.
The adoption OF a. straight-out ciNil
pension system. 1T was believed by the
would tend to keep down the
scale Of salaries Of federal employees
An increase i'm the wages, he declared.
is A crying need to meet the increased
cost Of living.
Arguing for a retirement plan, in gen
eral. he cited several cases to show the
need a Treasury clerk was some tim
ago caught i'm an elevator in the de-
partment and had both legs broken.
She was granted pay for sixty days
leave OF absence for thirty days and sick
leave LOT Thirty IiUlc udsS-diaN iii'A
turned out into the charity of the colo
world
AS matter of justice. he said. re
tirenent plan should consider the welfare
of the family of the men who have
given their best energies TO the govern
ment service. The contributory plan j.
therefore best, he argued because IL con-
templated the payment of the accumu-
lations in the retirement fund TO the
family If government clerk dies.
(which do you think Congress should
provide first-a retirement plan or an in-
crease Of salary for government en-
ployes?' Senator La Toilette asked the
speaker.
Retirement Before Increase.
The retirement law should come first
replied the speaker Ito get rid of tie
men who are now kept on the rolls sim
ply for humanity
Illustrating the economy that would be
achieved by pensioning employees Who
have grown old without being able L,
save. Mr.. Nesbit related that an aSec
chief of bureau with faltering steps
and paisied hands was making his waN
through his division, directing the work
when his unsteady foot acc:dentally
knocked the chair of an aged lady clerl
y lio sat at her desk asleep. The old lsdS