The Washington herald., 1912-04-15
THE PEOPLES FORUM
civil Service retirement BIN.


days issue OF The Herald that there
Is a possibility Of the cummins civil
service retirement bill being reported
to the Senate as originally drafted.
with some unimportant changes only.
When the bill was nrst brought to the
public notice, some time ago, I looked
into II. and came to the conclusion that
It could hardly be considered an ideal
retirement measure. But thought the
Senate committee would be likely either
to modify II or recommend some other
bill instead. As there Is now some doubt
about this. wish TO call attention to
one or two things in connection with the
bill
In the first place. It's main feature. the
compulsory savings plan. is decidedly re-
pugnant to many minds, not alone be-
cause the beneficiary would thus be pro-
viding his own pension. but because Of
the 'tfe-up" Of his money. whereby he
would be unable to use all his resources
in case OF need. The system is also cal
culated to be very unwieldly and compli-
Gated In its workings. This compulsory
applies only TO the new employees who
enter the service after the passage Of
the bill. II is optional with those who
are already In. venture to predict.
however. that should the latter ever be
called upon to exercise this option, ex-
ceedIngiy few under the age Of nfty
would elect to avail themselves OF the
savings plan So much by way OF sug-
gesting that there Is nothing in the bill
that partakes Of the true pension" idea,
or that can be construed as liberalIty
to the employees, except in the case OF
limited class. which will be referred TO
later.
Perhaps the chief cause Of criticism in
the bill lies in the fact that. while Il
disposes satisfactorily of the old clerks
At present in the service. It makes no
provision for the really deserving ones
OF the future. This. OF course. is a vital
defect. since the main object Of all the
proposed retirement bills is to make
some provision for those old clerks who.
after a lifelong service In the govern
ment, may be without suficient means
at the age Of retirement. All the present
employees that have reached the neces-
sary age are at once retired by the bill.
with a bonus Of 5000 to each one, which
bonus Is reduced by $50 per annum TO
those retiring afterward. For example,
a clerk aged sixty-nine would be eligible
for retirement in one year, with a bonus
OF $3.50; q clerk aged sixty-eight would
retire in two wears. with a bonus Of
S2.7Oo. and so on until We come TO the
clerk aged ffty-one, who would retire
in nineteen years, with 6 per cent Of his
salary saved for him and. in addition.
the magnificent bonus Of $50! Truly, II
this bill goes into effect It will be a good
thing to be at the retiring age when Il
happens
All this, however, applies only to en-
ployes at present in the service. Re-
garding the new employees. We ind the
bill (section p requires compulsory saw
ings only when the salary is S,s0O per
annum and upward. Now, 1t is conceiv-
able. of course. that under these condi-
tons there will in the future be num-
bers OF these new employees who will
reach the retiring age without having
ever received as much as 1850 salary
and naturally these would be the most
deserving cases; yet they would have to
retire without either savings or pension.
The bill, therefore, Is lacking in this
most essential particular.
Lastly. word on the general question
Il
eminent Is bound TO come around to the
principle Of these pensions sooner or
later. Nevertheless, many people no
doubt will argue that civil pensions
should not be necessary; that the gov
eminent clerk Is. or ought to be, paid
enough salary 50 that he can provide
for himself when old age comes. All Of
which works out very well as a theory,
but We know that II quite fails to meet
the actual conditions. There are many
persons in the civil service who, from
one cause or another-temperame per-
haps. or unavoidably heavy expenses,
misfortune. &c.-are unable to save any,
thing for retirement purposes These in
dlviduals present a strong argument IN
favor OF a pension system to cover their
reeds, not to mention its justice as a
reward for life service in all cases. But
Congress seems to be singularly averse
to doing anything that sayors Of gener-
osityy TO the governments civilian force.
Is II q crime to reward faithful ser
want after long service? do not Int
agine that Senator Oummins, or any
other rieht-ninded man. would turn
adrift even an old horse that had become
worn out In his service Why, therefore,
should there be any din Guilty about in
jecting the pension principle-or at least
some modification Of it-into civil re-
tirement bill?
We 10, in fact. find the pension idea
permeating all civilized countries. both
In governmental and business AFFAIRS
Even our so-called 'soulless" corpora
lions recognise the claims Of long serv-
ice and provide a suitable reward for It.
Shall the United States government do
less7 Sincerely. J. +