Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-18
PENSION FUND Low
District System Hampered by
Lack of Money.
REPORT OF THE AUDITOR
Widows and Orphans and Disabled
Policemen and Firemen Affected.
PAYMENTS ARE WEEKS BEHIND
Commissioners Urge Congress to Pass
Relief Measure Which Was
Recently introduced.
REPORT OF THE AUDITOR
PAYMENTS ARE WEEKS BEHIND

There is no money with which TO pay
the full January pensions to the widows,
orphans and bereft families of the men
in the police and fire departments who
sacrificed their usefulness, and in some
cases their lives, for the protection of
the people and property of the District
of Columbia Moreover, it is predicted by
Alonzo Tweedale, auditor, that this con-
dition Of the pension fund will continue
practically throughout the year.
The pensions are part Of a month be-
hind at present. Mr.. Tweedale is Of
the opinion that unless Congress comes
to the aid of the families who depend
on the little they get rom this pension
fund the entire pension list will have to
be pro rated, while the National Capital
looks on at the spectacle of cut-rate
pension list for the men who sacrificed
their all.
Bill Before Congress.
There is bill already in Congress pro-
viding for stable form Of pension fund,
to be made up Of all license fees. except
those for liquor licenses. BY the terms
of this, bill it is not proposed that the
United States shall bear any part of the
expense, the entire charge being against
the District
Mr.. TWeedale tells the Commissioners
today in a report: THE enactment of this
bill would represent a saving to the fed
eral government through the reduction of
the District revenues which would be
available for appropriation, and the con-
Sequent reduction of the contribution by
the United States on account of District
appropria tons
The Commissioners have been begged
to urge the passage of the pension fund
bill in Congress; and they have done
to the attention of the lawmakers. 1t Is
framed SO that there will be little likeli-
hood of a pension famine occurring for
many years to come.
Calls It Unjust Hardship.
In his report. sent to the Commissioners
today. Mr. Tweedale says:
"A great many of the beneficiaries of
both the police and firemen's pension
fund were members of the police and
fire departments who gave the best years
of their lives to the service, and are now
incapacitated for the performance Of 9th
er work: widows of deceased members of
the departments. with children to pro-
vide for; all depending for living eX-
'penses on the regular payment of pen
sions which the law allows them.
prive these people of any part of their
monthly stipend. which is small at best
Payments Weeks Behind.
The pensions have been tagging for
weeks. The December pensions were not
paid until January 3. as it was necessary
for the Police Court to collect enough
fines to swell the total to an amount that
would enable the pension checks to be
sent out. The deficiency amounted to
$1,000. The taking of this 81, 800 out of
January fines will. in MIR. TweedaIe's
opinion. result in not paying the January
fines until late in February. leaving the
beneficiaries probably a whole month pen
sionless. The officials at the District
building did not see any way to catch up
with this $3.50 deficit, which will occur
from month to month, unless there is an
increase in ines.
The pension rolls of the police and fire
departments amount to about 1000 a
month. A little over 81, 100 is collected
each month to meet the payment of pen
sions through a deduction of dollar a
month from the salaries Of officers and
members of the two departments. The
balance of nearly $4,000 has to come
monthly from Police Court fines, except
in the months of July and August, when
$4,000 is derived from dog taxes.
Fines Main Dependence.
cit is clear, therefore," says Mr. Twee-
dale, that the payment of police and
firemen's pensions is dependent nearly alb
solutely on the collection of Police Court
fines. During December the moneys re-
ceiyed on this account amounted to $1,000
less than the average for the preceding
months
Collections Past Fiscal Year.
This falling off has played havoc
with the District promise to pay a
monthly pension to it's hremen and
policemen who became disabled while
on duty.
The pension fund requires $4,000
year In round numbers, the police
and fremen contribute $4,000 from
their salaries, the dog owners pay
$50. 900 toward it and the balance of
500, 900 is supposed to come from the
Police Court lines.
The total collections at the Police
Court during the fiscal year ended
June 30 1910, were $50, 1902 During
that year 1t was necessary to pay a
vastly cut pension during one period.
and the beneficiaries of the system had
to wait from February to July for the
amount cut off during that one month