Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-07
Retirement, With Pay, for. All
District Employees.
RUDOLPH GOES ON RECORD
Board Head Favors Idea, But Be-
lieves It Must Wait.
BEHIND OTHER CITIES
Capital Has Not Kept Pace in the
Matter of Retiring Employees.
Studies in Boston.

That the effort to secure special pen
sion systems for teachers, policemen and
fremen eventually may develop into a
movement to provide general civil pen
sion bill for all District employees. is
belief that is growing among certain Of
ficials of the local government.
Commissioner Rudolph today in
statement placing himself on record as
favoring plan for the payment of an
nuities and pensions to employees of the
District government gave added stimulus
to the belief.
The Commissioner said that the Dis
trict heads are unlikely to initiate. at any
time soon. a civil pension BILL but that
he. personally. would be interested in
seeing the matter taken up by the Cham
Der OF Commerce, Board of Trade or
some other civic organization
Germany has adopted a general pension
system and found that 1t works to adj
vantage and is economical in the long
run. Commissioner Rudolph declared.
Special Pensions First.
1t is improbable that either the Com
missioners or the civic organizations which
are interested in the passage of the police
and firemens relief and retirement fund
bill will endeavor to work out a general
pension scheme, while the special pen
sions are under consideration. However
1t is believed to be likely that the larger
proposition will be taken up when the
more urgent ones have been disposed of.
Washington is considerably behind other
cities with respect to provisions for PEN
sionlng employees. Boston, for instance,
has special pensions in vogue in the
school. police and fire departments. and a
veterans pension act and is now con-
sldering two retirement acts, one gen
erai retirement act with the contributory
feature prominent and the other providing
for the retirement of laborers
Already the plan of general pensions for
civil employees is said to be taking root in
the SOIL OF American governmental Gus
toms, and a number of local officials be-
lieve that when Washington has secured
special pension systems for her teachers,
policemen and firemen an effort will be
made to install here general pension
scheme.
Plan Opposed in Boston.
The Boston finance commission has re-
ported adversely on the general retire
nent act which was passed by the legis-
lature and put up to the municipal coun-
ellis for adoption or rejection. The COM
mission decided that there was no Amer
ANoh pACSCuCHl LUZ tie dCt, ana lUaI IL
would be unwise for Bostsn to expert
ment with 1t. 1t held that there would be
financial loss to the city in the event
Of the retirement of veterans for whom
there was little or notwork II their places
were filled by younger employees for whom
there would be practically no work.
In submitting report on the pro-
posed retirement fund for laborers
which provides that laborers who shall
have reached the age of sixty years and
Deen in the service. twenty-five years
and are physically incapacitated shall
be retired at half pay, the finance com
mission held that the act would not be
effective in dealing with the problem
Of efficiency in the labor force unless it
underwent certain changes
The commission therefore recommend
ed that mechanics in the labor force
should be included as well as laborers;
that tests of capacity Of employees
|, should be made, and that any employee
who has reached the age of seventy
years. whether he is incapacitated. or
not, shall be retired.
Studying Boston Report.
Copies of the two reports of the Bos-
ton finance commission have reached
the Commissioners. The suggestions
brought out will be given considerable
study by the District heads. as they
are interested Ill the WHOie SUBJECT OF
pensions.
! Other information in regard to pensions
which the Commissioners have received
shows that there are forty-eight teachers,
eighty-six firemens, eighty-one police
mems and four miscellaneous pension
funds, representing thirty-One states and
ninety-nine cities in the United States.
During the past two or three years
there has been a marked increase in the
tendency of municipalities public service
/ corporations and industrial establishments
! TO provide means by which superannuated
from service. The railroad companies have
been particularly active in this respect,
as there are a.one twenty-five railroad
pensions.
According to a report on pension funds.
issued by Charles p. NELL commissioner
of labor. almost every plan has been mod
flied considerably SINCE its inception, and
the majority of the funds are still 50
/ young that their stability from an actu-
/ arial standpoint has Ut to be proved,
and future annuitants may find their ex-
, pectatiOns not always realized unless
| some changes arc made to the means
4 of obtaining revenues and as to condi-
] tions under which the annuities are made.
How Funds Are Derived.
/ In one-third of the 16I iiremen's and
policemens funds the ottire amount re-
/ quired for the payment of the annuities
/ is furnished by the municipality, while
two-thirds are supported. in part, by the
municipality and the contributions from