The Washington times., 1911-08-13
FIGHT FOR CLERKS .
PENSIONS IS GAINING
GROUND, SAYS DICK
Former Senator Reports on
Work of Committee of
One Hundred.
PLAN WOULD AID
UNCLE SAM GREATLY
Government, 1t Is Contended,
Would Actually Make Money
by Retirement System.

In the proposed attempt to convince
Congress of the necessity of civil pen
sions for Government employees, if an
ideal civil service is ever to obtain in
this country, former Senator Charles
Dick of Ohio, managing director of the
bureau in charge of the campaign for
higher salaries for Government clerks,
today issued a statement showing the
work Of the bureau. 1t has been in
existence only a few months, but Mr..
Dick says the work has been salts
factory.
The work is being carried on by a
committee of 100, appointed at the sug-
gestion of P. B. Chase.
Mr.. Dick says:
The movement for a rational re-
tirement plan in the Federal Civil Serv-
ice is one that grows in favor the
more it is discussed. When the matter
is thoroughly understood by the pub
lie at large success will not long be
delayed. The argument for retiring
superanuated civil employees of the
United States is not based on motives
of philanthropy or charity, but on the
firm conviction that it will greatly i'm
prove the service and actually will pay
financially.
Need OF Pension System.
"It is important to establish some
well-thought-out system that will en-
able the Government to retire on a
competency employees who have grown
old and wornOut in the service. The
United States is about the only nation
in the world that does not have some
kind of a retirement system for its
civil employees. Army, navy, and ma
rine officers are retired on three-Quar-
tiers pay, and Federal judges since 1863
have been able to draw full pay after
ten years service on the bench on
reaching the age of seventy.
The United States Government should,
in all respects, be the model employer
in the country as to pay, hours OF labor,
conditions under which the service Is
rendered and provision for disabled
employees. This certainly is not true as
TO the last point.
"A large number Of transportation
companies and industrial corporations,
employing thousands of men. maintain
which pay annuities generally bear the
entire expense themselves and find the
investment a profitable one. 1t in
Creases efficiency because every en-
ploye knows he is making some pro-
vision for a comfortable old age. These
corporations, like the United States.
for years maintained what was practi-
cally a civil pension list by continuing
on their pay rolls at reduced Compen-
sation old and faithful employees who
had outlived their usefulness
Cites Railroad Case.
when the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company introduced its pension system
several years ago it found go en-
ployes who had worked for the COM
pany more than fifty years, and there
were two drawing pay in return for
merely nominal service who were nine
ty-siX years old. This company now
retires every emplOye. whatever his po-
sition, on arriving at the age of sew
enty.
The number of civil employees who
have served the United States Govern
ment for fifty years is comparatively
small, but there are many who could be
retired with benefit both to themselves
and the service. No Department di-
vision or bureau head likes to turn out
an old and faithful emplOye who has no
other means of support but his salary.
1t has been figured out that an adequate
retirement system would actually save
money to the Government by permitting
these employees to go on the retired list,
rcpla cling them with younger and more
efficient clerks. 1t will be to the ad-
vantage OF the service for Congress to
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