Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21
PENSIONS FOR LABOR
Unions Take Steps Toward
Superannuation Benefits.
NUMBER LIKELY TO GROW
Former Senator Dick Discusses Va
rious Systems Adopted.
THE RESULT OF COOPERATION
Thinks Government Clerks Would
Be Glad to Adopt Scheme If
Paid Enough.

The steps that have been taken by labor
unions to pay approximation benefits to
their members are discussed in a state
ment issued last night by the committee
OF one hundred. which is seeking to aid
the government clerks to a practical
pension system. This statement. which
was given out by former Senator Charles
Dick, managing director of the commit
tee, was as follows:
a number of the strongest labor organ
izations in the United States are making
provision to pay modest approximation
benefits to their members. and that num-
Der will undoubtedly be increased as the
| advantages of such plan become more
apparent from practical experience.
THE International Association of Ma
chinists with headquarters In Washing
ton, has established a approximation
fund computed from June ], 1903 Ten
years service thereafter will entitle
| member to approximation benefit OF
$500 on reaching the age of 60 years, and
after twenty years service to the pay
| ment Of $1,000 on attaining the age Of IS
years A fund now is being collected to
| insure these payments which will not be
payable until 1918 and 1923 respectively.
Pattern Makers Scale.
The Pattern Makers League of North
benefit which will be operative in l5sJ.
Members sixty years Of age after twenty
| five years membership will be paid ST.
a month, and members sixty-five years of
age after thirty years membership VII
be paid approximation benefit Of Slo
a month.
''The United Association of Journey
men,, Plumbers. Cashiers. Steamditters
and Steamhtters' Helpers. of the United
States and Canada has adopted a super
annuation benefit to members of not less
| than sixty-iye years Of age, the amount
being governed by the length Of member
ship in the association. To those of the
highest class membership. of thirty years
and over, $500 will be paid; to the second
class membership. of Twenty-Five years
third-class membership. Of twenty years
and under twenty-five years, $500. TO be
entitled to this approximation benefit,
member must be totally incapacitated by
old age or infirmity from following his
| trade. This benefit is not yet operative.
Now Accommodating Funds.
"The Amalgamated Association of Steel
| and Liectric Railway Employees Of Amer
lea is accommodating FUNDS for the purpose
OF carrying out the provisions of a super
| animation pension system not yet in
operation. 1T is proposed to pay snls.-.
pensions to employees who have reached
| the age Of sixty-five years or more and
are prevented because of age from fol-
lowing their occupation as street and
electric railway employees. For members
seven and ten years. the benefit will be
81 per week For members whose serv-
Ice has been between ten and fifteen
years, S1.5O week: between fifteen and
twenty years. - per week; for service
| Twenty-Five years and more. 81 per week.
| The International Typographical Union
began the payment of old age pensions in
August. 1908 The sum Of 81 per week
| is paid any member of the union upon
reaching the age of sixty years, who has
| been in continuous good standing in the
union twenty years and finds it impossible
to obtain sustaining employment. The
lGerman-American Topographic, composed
of printers of the German language and a
part of the International TypogTa phical
Union, pays an old age pension of 500
per week in addition to that paid by the
International Typographical Union.
Salaries Remain Low.
These working mems funds show what
can be done by organization and the CO.
operation of those engaged in the same
trade Government employees In the civil
service can do as much for themselves
and would be glad to make more liberal
provision for their own needs If they were
paid adequate salaries. The present scale
of wages in the departments was fixed
nearly sixty years ago. At that time
the lowest salary for a government clerk
was 81, ZOO.
| There has been no increase whatever
in this scale OF prices, and new classes
Of employees have been created at lower
salaries. so that at the present time
| the average. salary of government en-
ployes Is below $1,000. Within the same
period the salary of congressman and
senator's has been advanced from S2.50I
| to $500 per annum. and the salaries of
the President and Cabinet officers and
many other presidential appointees in
creased in the same proportion.
"In the meantime the cost of living in
Washington has increased by leaps and
bounds Justice to the government clerks
| demands that their salaries be adjusted
| to the present high cost of living.