The Washington times., 1912-05-02
CLERKS AMAZED At
BOLD FEATURES OF
LEGISLATIVE BILL
Singing Blow Dealt En-
ployes Who Have Reached
65 Years of Age.
BY THEODORE TILLER.

1s the United States Government to
prove less conslderate of faithful en-
pioyes than the corporation or the pri-
vate business concern?
thousands of Government employees
went to their desks this morning
asking the question. In fact, there
nave been many questions of similar
purport asked and unsatisfactory an
,sWered since yesterday afternoon, when
the amazed Government clerks of WASH
ington grasped the full purport of that
section of the legislative, executive, and
judicial appropriation bill, which direct
ly affects the classified service
As fully explained in The Times Of
yesterday, the Democratic economy
plans IN the House contemplate victim
izing; among others, the army of Gov
ernmeht employees in the various execu-
of Columbia.
!. In brief, the legislative bill proposes
x tHat hereafter persons from the classi-
ned service shall be appointed for only
-havior"
Furthermore and here a stinging blow
is dealt the employees, no employe is to
be eligible to reappointment after June
90. 1914, ~ that employe shall have
reached the age of sixty-fve years"
which not only the clerks but those
on Capitol Hill who have been fighting
Tor retirement legislation. the follow
Ing Will result:
The thousands of employees who we're
appointed to the executive departments
In Washington prior to July /, 1912, are
, to be divorced automatically from the
service on June 30, 1914
Employees who have not attained the
age of sixty-five years are eligible for
reappointment, in five year periods, II
their records are clean,
xryhr t,.A,
older are ineligible for reappointment
They are cast out with nothing for the
future unless a bill more generous than
the one now pending in the House shall
retirement system.
The advocates Of such a pension sys-
tenn, who have been proceeding slowly
would realize the justice of the demands
or the old clerks. today realized that i'm
mediate action is necessary. If remedial
Legislation is to be obtained.
There is hope. of course, that the SEN
ate will decline to accept the House
I"oyision in the legislative bill, but the
Democratic House has formed the habit
Of standing by its committees and a
deadlock will ensue. Democrats talk
quietly of holding up indefinitely all
appropriation measures unless the Sen
ate acquiesces in the various economy
plans proposed by the new House
Still another section of the legislative
bill. reported yesterday, provides that
Ate after July !; 1913, all appointments from
situated in Washington, shall be for
period Of only five years.
This reaches all new appointees, for
an accompanying proviso is to the eff
feet that during the fiscal year 1913"
there shall be no appointments from
the classified service except promotions
and transfers from one department to
another.
Reduced to its final analysis, there
fore, the legislative bill automatically
rettres every clerk two years; makes
ineligible for reappointment the old en-
ployes, and requires that every five
years any clerk may be subject to re-
moval "in the discretion of the head
Of the department
Those entering the Government en-
ploy heretofore have been told that
as balm for the low salaries there
was the permanency of appointment.
II the House bill Is enacted into law
ployment, even under the civil service.
and the servant of the United States
Government whether he receives $72o
D, or $4,000 year, can actually count on
= but five-year tenure of office.
With this prospect ahead of them,
many clerks are wondering today II
bookkeeping job with some of the rail-
roads and Industrial corporations. most
of whom have long ago instituted the
pension system. Is not to be preferred
to the empty glory Of becoming a coz
in the great machinery OF the Federal
Government.
There is considerable irony in the fact
that the House bill, so far as 1t relates
to the classified service changes. affects
only those clerks who are employed in
the executive departments located In
this city.
Republican members of the House, for
political ends, perhaps. but with a
grain of truth, are already preparing to
point out that those classified service
employees who work outside of Washing
ton, in States where votes count, are
not molested
AS published in The Times yesterday
the bill reported by the Appropriations
Committee for the legislative, executive,
and jud&cial expenses of the Govern
ment for the next fiscal year is fraught
with radical legislation. 1t slashes SAL
aries, abolishes 406 positions eliminates
several bureaus in the departments, and
deals a death blow to the recently
created Commerce Court, which is to
be abolished July next.
All this legislation Is in order under
the Holman rule. invoked since the
Democrats came into possession of the
House, which provides that legisla-
tion on an appropriation budget shall
not be subject to "a point of order"
II such legislation tends to reduce
expenses.
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