Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-02
Wholesale Slaughter Proposed.

For a good many months representa-
tons have been made to Congress
through committees of the two houses
to demonstrate the need. from pubic
point of view, as we'll as the Justice
Of system of clerical retirements.
whereby the elder employees of the gov
eminent might be relieved from active
duty after reaching a certain age with
out becoming objects of charity II has
been shown TO be the almost uniform
practice of foreign governments, and OF
large industrial establishments in this
country. to provide in this manner for
the elder workers, both for the sake or
the individuals as matter of humane
treatment. and to increase the efficiency
of the service. 1t has been thought that
in the face of this overwhelming demon
stration Congress might at the present
session work out a project of clerical re-
tirements that would permit the release
from active service of all the govern
ment employees who by reason of years
or i'll health have passed the point OF
economic performance of duty.
The answer rendered by the House
committee on appropriations to the viz
tually unanimous request of the admin
istrative departments of the government
is paragraph in the legislative appro-
priation bill which provides for the alb
solute dismissal of all clerks over sixty
five years of age after October l, 1917.
The committee appears to have reached
the conclusion that the retention of en-
ployes over sixty-fve years of age is a
handicap upon the government. but that
1t Is none of the governments business
what is to become of them when they
have been cut adrift. If they have not
saved enough from their salaries during
their years of service they must starve
or accept charity at the hands of others.
In short, this committees reply to the
requisition for a retirement system is an
order of execution TO be summariIy en-
forced
Will the House itself approve this dras-
tic measure? Will it stand for the cruel
and inhuman treatment of the elder en-
ployes proposed by the committee on ap-
preparations? The subject is fairly ia
miliar to every member of the House 1t
has been discussed at great length in the
newspapers and the magazines at public
meetings and in the course of hearings
before committees, the hearings of which
have been printed as documents. Every
member doubtless knows that the gov
ernment service is more or less congested
with men and women who. after years
of intelligent. faithful and valuable dis
charge OF duty. are now at the point of
decline, incapable of doing now the work
they once did SO WELL but still useful as
guides to precedents and for purposes of
reference.-They have. in many cases.
drifted down the lines from higher po-
sitions to the lower as their physical
powers have waned, and in some in
stances are held on the rolls through
sheer charity and out of consideration
for their former worth. Many of them
are veterans of the war, who bear the
scars and wounds of battles fought for
the preservation of the Union. All these
are to be driven into the shambles of
official slaughter six months hence if the
bill as now drawn becomes law.
1t must be taken as the committees
conclusion that the government Is under
no obligation to these elder clerks. 1t is
evident that, according to the committee.
the United States cannot afford to treat
them with humane consideration or I'M
dertake in any degree to encourage the
federal service workers to remain at their
duties or to regard employment by the
United States as a career. Let 1t be
granted that there is no legal obligation
on the part of the government to con-
slider their welfare. Let it be conceded
that there is in truth no moral compul-
sion to make any sort of provision for
the retention or the decent retirement
Of the people who have grown gray and
feeble in the doing of its work. But
there is an obligation of the most urgent
character for Congress. to provide against
the deterioration Of the service, not
through the retention of elder workers.
but through their dismissal and the con-
sequent notification to all who accept
employment under the United States that
there is no prospect before them but ulti-
mate discharge.
The House first and then perhaps the
senate-if the House fails to meet this
emergency properly-must decide as to
this policy with consideration both for
the workers and for the welfare of the
government If the provision of the
House committee is enacted into law the
splendid organization of the American
civil service. is threatened with demorali-
zation. :
Let US have peace is not among the