The Washington herald., 1913-12-12
Clerks Retirement.

REQUIREMENT OF CIVIL SClNiSS NhiPioyNS
is again to demand the attention OF
Congress at the present session. 1t IS
earnestly to be hoped that an equitable
system will be devised and incorpo-
rated into law before adjournment next
summer. 1t would be an achievement
which would bring credit to the admin
istration from the standpoint OF sound
business consideration and earn for 1t
the gratitude of those who, under
present conditions, have nothing to look
forward to but a dependent old age
after their active years have been de-
voted to faithful service to a govern
ment which is now open to the charge
of being less appreciative than many OF
the great corporations which it has be-
come the fashion to hold up as soulless
examples of greed and raPacity.
This is a subject to which an inter
esting and enlightening chapter of the
annual report of the Secretary of War
is devoted. Mr.. Garrison calls atten-
ton to the fact that for twenty-seven
years the need of some sort of retire.
ment law has been urged upon Con-
gress. Since 1886, seventy-two bills on
the subject have been introduced, OF
which only two or three have been ia
vorably reported from the committees
which considered them. The necessity
of a retirement law is undisputed. 1t
has been constantly urged by organi-
cations of the clerks themselves and
by high officials of the government.
And now comes a member of Presi-
dent Wilson's Cabinet calling attention
{ TO twenty-seven years of failure to act.
; There can be no excuse for further de-
: lay. Out of the various plans sug-
gested and discussed in the past there
9 should be no difficulty in evolving a
just and practicable arrangement on
which all interested can agree and then
enacting it into law Secretary Gar
rison refers in not disappearing terms
to the plan recommended by the Pres
s ident's Commission on Economy and
Efficiency. and transmitted 10 Congress
by President Taft with his unqualified
approval. He calls attention also to
a modified plan prepared as a result OF
conferences of bureau chiefs which
provides for the payment by the gov
eminent of annuitieS to those now in
the service when they reach the age
of retirement. Besides, there are the
Gillett and Austin bills, each, perhaps,
comprising some good features. Surely
there is enough material from which to
fashion an ideal measure.
The men to do it, The Herald be-
lieves, are the civil service employees
themselves, clerks as well as bureau
chiefs. The way to proceed, we be-
lieve, is for each member of the Cab
met toSappoint three to five employees
of his department, the whole number
thus chosen to frame such a measure
as can be sent TO Congress with Presi-
dent Wilson's request for its enact
ment.
OF one thing The Herald is con-
WINGED. The whole burden of the cost
of retirement should not be made to
fall upon the employees. Aside from
the saving to the government which
would be effected by the removal from
the active rolls of those clerks who are
incapacitated by age for the same
amount of work younger men can ac-
complish, the government has duty TO
perform toward the men and women
who have done faithful service through
out their active years. 1t can afford
to deal literally, generously with them.
The pension fund should not be. de-
rived solely from assessments levied
against the pay envelope.