Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-06
their organizations and do their ut
most to obtain ratification. Thus,
final break is still deferred.
THE OLD AGE QUESTION

THE OLD AGE QUESTION
IN THE HOUSE
Washington Star: 1t is gratifying
to observe the vigorous opposition
that is manifested in the house of
representatives to The proposal OF
the appropriation committee that all
government workers over sixty+five
years of age be summary dismissed.
In the debate this feature of the
Legislative" APPROPRIATION bill was the
object of attack from all sides. with
out regard to party. 1t was manifest
that there is no general disposition
in the house in favor Of this drastic
cruel method of relieving the govern.
ment service of the superannuated
employees, and there is now reason to
hope that the house will eliminate
this feature of the bill before 1t
goes to the senate, this, how.
ever, would be only a negative &C.
ton, preventing a grave mistake and
SAVING the government from the re-
proach of even advancing along one
of the legislative stages so inequit-
able and short sighted and inhuman
plan of administrative reorganiza.
ton. With the house voting down
the committees proposal, which is
to be expected in the light of the
strong opposition already manifested
the problem would remain unsolved
of how to relieve the service of the
superannuated.
The government canno~ 60 on In
definitely without making some read
justment that will enable it to retire
its veteran employees after a certain
number of years of service upon q
competence. This may be done by
means of a straight out pension,
granted in recognition Of the faithful
service of the workers as business
like investment by the government
in continuity and hdelity, or it may
be done on the basis of clerical con.
tributions with the government stand
ing part of the cost and administer.
ing thief unds. Just at present there
is more sentiment in favor Of the
contributory plan. The clerks them
selves naturally prefer a straight-out
government provision, but they recog-
nize that in view of the opposition
to any form of civil pension system,
they would be more likely to get
something in the way of contribu.
tary arrangement, and so they have,
through their chosen representatives,
indicated their willingness to accept
such method involving the feature
of compulsory contributions. Objec
ton was raised in, the house house
in the course of the debate to the
maintenance of a "lobby" in the in
terest Of the clerks retirement plan
If the United States were intent up
on conserving it's own interests there
would be no occasion whatever fol
any form of lobby" to press the sub
ject of a retirement plan upon the at
tentior of congress: But unfortun
ately this important question has
been neglected year after year, and
it has become necessary to press the
matter before tn house and senate,
to make representations of actual
conditions, to show the committee
wherein the government is losing an.
nually in terms of economic service,
to point to what has been success
fully undertaken by other govern.
ments and important business cor.
porations in the way Of old age pen:
sions and approximation schemes.
Congress should be grateful for these
suggestions and urgings instead of re-.
sentful.