Evening star., 1911-06-01
Veterans Salaries Cut the
Amount of Their Income.
COL. M'ELR0Y'S STATEMENT
Promises to Furnish Proof as Con-
Germs Post Office Department.
HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARING
Mr.. Buck Blames Trade Bodies for
Convention Failure and Scores
Newspapers.

Proof of the allegation that the Post
Once Department is economizing by ascer-
tanning the amount OF pensions received
by old soldiers in its employ. and then
reducing their salaries by the amount Of
the government gratuity. which was made
before the House committee on reform in
the civil service this morning by Col.
John McElroy. editor of the National
Tribune OF this city, has been demanded
by the committee.
Col. McElroy promised to investigate
the matter and appear before the commit
tee with proof He said today that some
of the men who had been so reduced
had complained to him about the manner
In which they had been treated.
Col. McElroy made the further charge
that, despite President Taft's announce
ment that no old soldiers should be put
out OF the government service without
the best Of reasons. numbers of them
were being turned out on the streets just
the same.
Mr.. Buck Says Things.
The hearing was lively all the way
through. ]. w. Buck. who organized the
Civil Service Improvement Association.
declared that the Chamber OF Commerce
and the Board OF Trade were responsible
for keeping away from Washington the
40 delegates who had promised to at
tend the convention OF the association.
He added that the newspapers of this
city were conducted by ''countrymen."
Farmers OF blacksmiths?" inquired
Representative Martin Dies OF Texas.
Farmers" replied Mr.. Buck. The COM
mittee smiled audibly.
A moment later Mr.. Buck launched
into O. brief history of his life and for
tunes.
II don't think that this photographed
sketch interests the committee" suggest
ed Representative Boehne Of Indiana.
Then Mr.. Buck tried to tell the COM
mlttee that when he was In the Treasury
Department he had disallowed q voucher
~ sy s SEQ eosSn fSs %a. pu:
couldn't see how this bore on the oues-
ton OF approximation and retirement In
thoe-ei~sl servsoes- and ~ was suggested
that Mr.. Buck take this complaint to the
committee on expenditures In the TreaS-
ury Department.
When Mr.. Buck started to tell the COM
mtttee that . cousin OF Uncle Joe" Cam
nom had been promoted over his head In
the Treasury the committee suggested
esS&S k10 t04S sh4D ASNA W JIG SAsA COt WV
commission
Fulton r. Gordon OF this city. DIR.
Llewellyn Jordon, who II prominently
identified with the civil service retire
ment association. and DIR. He ry Franck
Of New York also spoke at the hearing
Representative Dies and other members
Of the committee commented several
| times during the course OF the testimony
many .-sMstevans gsneralifies'' and very
little specific information.
Suggests Barred Doors.
This induced Mr.. Gordon to suggest
that the committee send for employees OF
the executive departments. bar the door
SO that not a newspaper man in the
world can get in. III II wanted to
hear some startling things about the un-
fairness Of promotions in the department
and concerning the deplorable conditions
that prevailed.
DR.. Franck suggested to the committee
that the Department OF Commerce and
Labor has q great opportunity before 1t
| just now to investigate the proposition
| Of regulating labor SO that one section or
the country will know the wants OF the
| other He thought the question OF en-
| ployment was broader than merely the
classified service of the government and
that the federal authorities ought to do
all they can to handle the subject and
improve conditions In general way
Referring to the efforts or the civil
service retirement association to induce
Congress to enact legislation on the sub
ject of superannuation and the IKE: Dr:
Franck spoke OF the 'inhumanty" OF
turning out Of office a man who has
given the best years Of his life to the
government service.
You say II is not humane to turn out
q government clerk after years Of serv-
ice but how about the old superannuated
farmer, and clockmaker. and the likef
How would you take care OF them?'
Differ From Other Glasses.
DR.. Frank expressed the opinion that
these classes referred to were dependent
upon their individual efforts. while the
government clerk. a part OF an enormous
machine, had a right to look for pen
sion from the government he served.
He referred to the fact that many OF
the great corporations of the country
had found ii good business pohcy "
pension their employees.
..If there were a national referenoom
on the proposition to pension employees
Of the government, said Dr. FRANK
'.there would not be a respectable minor
ity against it,"
Col. McElroy appealed to the committee
on grounds OF the highest public policy
to frame some sort OF Legislation Wnieh
would provide for the retirement on pen
ployes Then Col. McElroy went on 10
saw that about 10 per cent OF his time
was taken up visiting the various de-
partments in the interest of old soldiers
who had either been denoted or dis
charged The President has said that
the old soldier shall not be turned out.
but some Of them are put out on the
streets just the same
"That is a startling statement" COM
mented Representative Dies OF Texas.
'Well," said Mr. McElrQy, they come
in my ONCE all the time and tell me their
IT was then that Col McEiroy made
the statement that he had heard the Post
Once Department was endeavorfng to as
certain the names Of all its employees
drawing pensions from the government
and was reducing the salaries or such
employees by the amount OF the pensions
received.
Thinks He Can Get Proof.
spo you know that to be fact?" In
uuired Mr.. Dies
Mr.. McElroy responded that he did not
make the, statement as charge. and
could not state II as an absolute fact.
bat thought he could get the proof and
Law II before the committee. The com-,
mittee after the chairman suggested that
COL McE1roy should not have made such
z. statement until he could prove Il. sug-