The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-28
SECRETARY NAGEL ON CIVIL
SERVICE RETIREMENT.


retiring civil service employees OF the
Government hiss broken out IN the
Cabinet. 1t develops that the Presi-
Dental household Is quite as divided
on the problem as are the civil service
workers themselves
This debate among the members Of
the executives household Is highly IL
Eliminating. It ought 10 be occasion
for a good deal Of encouragement to
the rank and file Of Government en-
ployes. For years, whenever sugges-
ton has been made Of doing something
for the clerks and the service, in the
way Of retirement OF pension, the
sneeTing reply has been made:
o. the clerks themselves don't know
what they want, they are divided into
factions, and utterly unable TO agree on
any program
That has been true, and to a con
siderable extent it Is true today. But
We are not able TO see wherein It re
fleets upon the clerks OF course they
are not agreed on details. Neither are
Republicans agreed on a tariff policy,
OF Democrats on a legislative program
Neither is President Taft's Cabinet
united as to a method Of dealing with
this civil service problem.
Secretary Of the Treasury Macveagh
Is on record as fsvoring retirement IN
der q plan by which the remaining en-
ployes viii contribute the fund sus-
tanning the incomes of those retired
This is IN sharp contrast to the straight
civil pension plan, which contemplstes
provision Of the retirement funds from
the Federal Treasury.
Comes now Mr. Secretary Nagel, ana
in his annual report OF the Department
of Commerce and Labor strongly de
elares for the lstter-the straight civi
pension-pIan- Here is the statement
which Secretary NageI makes of it:
or the several plans that have be Fl
/ suggested for retirement, the so-cai &c
''contrfbutory plan" and the "straiz III
/ pension plan have been given nos
/ consideration Almost any plan which
/ would retire sureTannuated employs
UPON an equitable basis would be. from
| the standpoint Of the Government, &C
! ceptab bic as q means Of relieving. the IN
/ fortunate conditions which now eXis
/ throughout the service. but the heav5
draft on comparatively low salaries
/ under 2 contributory system would b
z hardship and might work al injustics
main as they are. II would seem tia
| the Government can well afford, IS
strictly economical measure, 70 pTovid'
a straight pension without contribution
/ from the employees.
There can be no mistaking Secretar!
NageTs intent. He decidedly disagree
with Secretary Macveagh, and align
| himself with that strong elemen
among the employees themselves VII
have bean widely pronounced vision
aries and impracticable, because the.
believed in the straight civil pension
plan
Il is true that the straight pension
plan is strongly opposed in Congress
II is probably true that there wouI
be small chance Of securing SIS adop
ton for a number Of years, even !
all effort were concentrated upon Il
But It is a significant index of III
development OF interest IN the plar
that Secretary Nsgel should have de
clared for It after the careful stud
he has made Of the. whole subject.
IN another place in this paper wi
! be found the jul text Of secretar