The Washington times., 1912-05-03
FRIENDS OF AGED
CLERKS RALLY TO
F.. SUPPORT IN HOUSE
Strong Opposition Develops
to Dismissal of Employees
65 Years Old.

That there Is much opposition to the
plan of the Appropriations Committee
To- dismiss in 1914 all sixty-five-year-o
Government clerks AMI to provide that
appointments from the classified serV-
ice In Washington shall be for only five
years, was evidenced as soon as the leg
,islative. executive, and judicial appro-
fpfiation bill took. the right of way in
tie House.
The friends Of the underpaid Govern
ment clerks rallied to their defense
late Yesterday and gave notice there
would be a stiH fight before the COM
Inittee provision is enacted into law.
Congressman Johnson of South Caro-
lima, chairman of the subcommittee IN
charge of the bill. sought to defend
the action of the committee.
IF superannuat91 Government em-
Iployes are to be pcnsioned,' he asked,
why may not the aged W orkers of the
fields. the mines, in the shops and fac
tories demand an old-age pension?
II am perfectly willing that the Gov
eminent should pay these clerks good
wages ard let them provide a retirement
fund like everybody else.' said Mr..
johnson.
Although the legislative bill contains
most drastic provisions aimed at the
Mr.. Johnson surprised the House when
Pie said he was willing to have the
tsixty-five-year limit stricken out" Re-
Tpublican members were scoring tue
democratic economy plan, intimating
THAT II was proposed to terminate the
positions of all clerks in 1914 for politi-
cal reasons. In other words. Congress
- man Hill OF Connecticut intimated that
ithe Democrats had hope of controlling
the next Administration and reappoint-
led Democratic employees from the class
flied service.
Congressman Hamll of New Jersey,
a consistent advocate of pension sys-
tenn and higher wages for the Govern
4 ment employees, roundly exCoriated the
plan of the Appropriations Committee
to discriminate against the Government
clerks employed in the department in
Washington. He asked for ten minutes
in which to denounce the bill and haT
mered the scheme hard. Mr.. Hamill
said:
THE bill which has been introduced
represents In it's scope the old spoi!s
System carried to the ultimate degree.
The clause giving the right of dismissal
after five years of service is worse than
the old spoils system; for In the old
.spoils system the employe had the right
to petition to his legislator. In the
present system he has not that right
This most iniquitous provision-this
clause which would be considered alb
surd were 1t not so important-tries tc
shackle the man and deny him the right
of proving that he was unjustly dis.
missed from the service.
"As to the question of dismissing mer
without pensions when they shall have
passed the age of sixty-fve years, p.
cannot share In the fear so eloquent,
expressed by the gentleman from Souti
Carolina-that the Government shoult
not pension its employees because it J!
not q general custom. Since when did
this Government count money in doint
an act of plain and evident justice? Be
cause men IN other corporations do no
receive pensions. is the Government
warranted IN refusing them? Does
wrong committed by a private indi
vidual excuse the Government for com
mitting a no less grevous wrong? Th
AGovernment should be the first to pen
sion its employees, and by its example
should teach the rest of the nation
After we have pensioned our owl
clerks. we may look to the treatment o
employees of others.
This provision inserted in this appro
tpriation bill Is a direct and damagin
blow at the system of civil service, AM
a blow az the very foundation and con
Iditions which are needed to carry 1t o.
successfully; and that, although W
pirate very much about our devotion I
a sound civil service system, we ar
here very obviously taking the mean
by which we would undermine the CIV
lBervice system"