The Washington times., 1911-01-13

rer commensurate with that of the
higher, cost of living, which has been
factor I'm the wage scale of other trades.
Should Provide Annuities.
AS have outlined in my report
this Government should make some
provision for the retirement on annul-
ties OF employees who have become su-
perannuated in the service.
THE present movement for the re-
tirement of clerks with sufficient conf
pensation after they have reached an
age which incapacitates them for the
performance of their dull duties, is GER
tainly worthy of full consideration, and
l hope that sngislation will shortly be
enacted which will establish retired
pay list for Government employees.
THE need of some provision for su-
perannuated clerks is more pressing
than ever before. During the year 1t
has again become necessary to denote
a number of deserving clerks, lot
causes which can be stated only as
worn out in service. For the protection
of the Governments interests 1t VIII be
necessary to continue this action and
even to take the final step of discharg-
ing those whose capacity for service
has reached the point where their re-
tention can be no longer Justlneu, ana
they will unless some provision Is MADE
for them by legislative action, have 10
be set adrift under conditions when
preclude every opportunity for obtain
ing remunerative employment else
where.
In Interest of Government.
And why should any of us shudder at
the mere mention of civil pension or
-etired list and speak of 1t with bated
breath as a thing of horror and a pos
sible source of unspeakable evil? Can
any intelligent man deny that q re-
tired list, which has been OF such great
benefit to the military and naval serV-
ice, will not be of equal benefit TO the
civil service? | am free to confess that
l am convinced that, leaving all senu-
mental consideration out of the account,
It Is decidedly in the interest of the Gov
ernment to make provision for at least
its worn-out civil servants by establish
ing a retired list for them, thus placing
them on substantially the same footing
as that OF superannuated officers and
enlisted men of the army and navy.
The commission of the army or navy
officer Is valuable life estate. the con-
rinued enjoyment of which depends upon
his faithful and efficient discharge of
his duties and OF his maintenance OF the
character Of an honorable man. Thus
he is under the very heaviest bonds for
good behavior, and motives OF self
interest alone are sufficient to keep MIN
up to a high moral and professional
level Free from anxiety as to his fu-
ture, he deVotes his life to the career
upon which he has embarked and mani
tests no disposition, as he feels no ne
cessity, to divert his energies into other
channels or TO seek in other occupations
Il more secure livelihood.
But the civil employe enters the service
with no such assurance as to his future,
and the Government has no such guar
anty of good behavior and devotion to
duty on his part Dismissal has no ter
rors for him beyond that of the present
loss of his salary, a loss which he
knows he will suffer in future. at a time
when the avenues to all other employ
ment will be barred to him, no matter
how long or how faithfully he may
have labored in the public service. He
knows that upon himself alone rests
the responsibility of providing a sup
port for himself and family in his de-
ClininE years, and consequently he IS
always on the alert for private employ
ment which will enable him to abandon
the public service with a prospect of
lettering his future condition.
Indeed, l believe that comparatively
few Of the young men now entering
the civil service do 80 with the definite
intention of remaining therein perma-
nentIy, but that most of them accept
their appointments with the more or
less clearly defined purpose of relin-
uuishing them as soon as they shall
have been admitted to the practice Of
profession or shall have secured salts