Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-18
Working for the Clerks.

IRE OUTLOOK Tor the enactment or leSlS-
latiou beneficial 10 the department clerks
grows brighter. ~ last nights meeting
OF tile committee Of 100 which has been
formed in this interest reports OF such
progress were made that there Is reason
70 he ercouraged. This campaign has
been established on . high plane. No
particular plan Of olerica! retirement Is
favored and there is no demand for an
und!scrimiuatiuC wholesale Increase N
the salary scale. The proposal of the
committee is that the United States should
In its own interest reorganize its de-
partmental service. giving the clerks some
measure of retirement relief and At the
same time readjusting the salaries to
the duties performed and IL the present
conditions Of life.
ANY business man of experience can
assure members of Congress who are
considering this matter that il is false
economy to ray inadequate wages and
10 keep employees in the service after
they have passed the years of their use
iulness Throughout the business world
movement is III progress 10 establish
ietirement systems. not merely for the
peneht Of the employees. but for tie
-dke OF the employers as well. TO give the
latter assurance of maximum OF Ell
gciency al all times, and to enable them
20 keep their forces Well organized with
ut injustice or cruelty. The United States
: the largest business corporation in this
.ountry. perhaps The largest in the world
II employs a great number OF people.
>electing them in the main on the merit
principle and assuring them Of q reason
BILE tenure OF office. but il singuiarly
.acks in business acumen III regard to the
treatment and the pay Of these people,
Who in many instances are doing a
higher grade OF work than their COM
pensations call for. and who have alb
~olutely no prospect whatever save a
plodding experience during many years.
their highest hope being that they may
die in service and not become SO enfeebled
by age that they must be discharged.
1t is proposed by the committee of 100
TO press the campaign for departmental
readjustment vigorously at the next ses-
lion OF Congress. Public sentiment
throughout the country is favorable to
:ome form OF clerical retirement and. so
far as the facts are known, 10 an in
crease in the pay scale TO conform TO
the general tendency of wages and TO
the present rate of living cost. The men
who are engaged in this enterprise are
successful in business. having no direct
stake in the proposed changes. They
have done an excellent work in organic
ing the movement, and II is cheering TO
learn of the pledges Of support that have
been given by legislators TO the program
outlined.
The Star is now printing in the Sunday
issues a series OF articles descriptive Of
the manner in which the English
government treats its public service work
ers and comparing their condition with
thai OF the American department clerk.
Uncle Sam has much to learn from John
Bull IN this respect. IL is to be hoped
that some of the features of the British
civil service will be adopted by this gov
eminent, such possibly as the annual in
crement or promotion. which assures the
clerk of regular advances without re-
course TO influence or dependence upon
personal prestige; the strict definition OF
duties which prevents the injustice OF as
signing Iow-paid clerks 10 high-p paid work.
the retirement system whereby the gov
eminent assures the clerks, without ask
ing them for a penny in contribution. of
a sufficient income at the end of GER
tain period Of Years 10 make retirement
comfortable and honorable as a reward
FOR faithful. efficient service.