Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-06


tive departments and offices at Washing
ton. where the loss from approximation
is the greatest. While any plan IS in its
experimental stage it should be kept with
ton in Washington il can be extended as
the needs of the service require.
Cost to the Government.
1T being conceded that no immediate
benefit 20 the government could accrue
k7ithoUt some temporary help from it.,
( ERECTED the commission on economy
>ld efficiency to make an investigation
OF the loss due TO approximation in the
service at Washington. Its report sets
forth in detail the result of this investiga-
tion. II has involved al. exa' lination of
the efficiency of -. l54 emb..ses as such
efficiency was reported by the depart
mentS- At no other time has such
thorough investigation been made of the
service in WASHINGTON. An earnest eff
fort was made to ascertain and to state
in money the financial loss which is sus-
tanned from the inetnciency of aged per-
sons IN the service.
While the loss shown as the result of
the investigation IS undoubtedly much
less than the actual loss from superan-
e.atiCn. the figures are sufficiently large
10 Justify the government in giving tenn
Torary a ID in putting the plan into opera
ton. Accept ng the very conservative
tislres as 10 the loss now sustained, the
\ efi3cienev in the service which is due to
y Il age can be wiped out Immediately and
h :us nentiS in Washington by an aver
4 se annual expenditure during the next
eNeEty years OF S22'.G:6 over and above
Pc annual loss that will be sustained
ON approximation if no plan is adopted
-sr avoiding il. The accompanying re-
Tort shows further that the saving to
the government that will result from
the adoption of the proposed plan will
sixteen years. the entire cost of inaugu-
rating the plan.
Straight Pensions Not Advisable.
Il am firmly convinced that the pro-
posed plan is superior TO any form of
straight PENSIONS in that an employe
upon retirement at any time may avail
himself of his savings with the ac-
crued interest, or his representatives
may do so in the event of his DEATH
whereas any form of pension or gratu-
ity from the government must newt
ably be considered as a part of COM
pensation and is available only to those
employees who succeed in living to a
given age, in remaining in the service
TO that age, and in living a sufficient
time beyond that age 10 receive in pen
sion payments the value of their de-
ferred pay. Avoiding. therefore, the
dangers and disadvantages of the
straight pension, the proposed plan
commends itself as satisfactory from
the viewpoint of the government and
the viewpoint of the employees
1t : advantageous to the government,
since the efficiency of the service will be
increased by providing the means of re-
tirlng those who have reached the age of
decline. II is advantageous to the en-
pioyes. since il protects them from want
in old age with the least interference in
Their private affairs. and makes the serv-
ice more attractive TO the younger en-
ployes by facilitating promotion to higher
salaries and grades at earlier ages than
is possible under present conditions
A careful study of the existing situa-
ton with reference to superannua ton
and a consideration of the worse condi-
tons that will appear in the future
lead me again to commend the sub
ject to the earnest consideration of the
Congress. l believe that the plan pro-
posed in the commissions carefully pre-
pared and exhaustive report is the best
that has been devised for meeting the
present and future needs of the service
and therefore i urge the enactment OF
the necessary legislation to put 1t into
effect at an early date.
''tSigned) WILLIAM H. TAFT"