The Washington times., 1913-12-06

'Cnu service employees of the Dis
trict, OF America, TO all OF you-every
one of you-I say this: You must unite
on some kind of retirement or pension
plan or Congress will not give you any
thing, and. my friends. you must secure
some kind OF retirement or pension
plan. Understand me, you must do
Jhis IL you hone to raise an effectual
bulwark against the invidious attacks
Of those who ride against civil service
it'll the Cry of limited term OF serN-
ice
This was the note sounded BY Senator
Thomas Sterling of South Dahott g
;ne mass meeting of civil scry;r, H.
ployes last night In the Public :. ....y
Hall. under the auspices of the U4.tuG
States Civil Service Retirement $50
Ciaticn.
Senator Sterling, a member of the
Civil Service Committee of the Senate,
promised his earnest support to any
concerted move the Government en-
ployes might make. He also promised
to bring TO the notice of his committee
the necessity OF action on retirement
plan. Congressman Richard W. Austin
OF Tennessee promised his earnest and
active support and Llewellyn Jordon,
secretary of the Retirement Association
read letter from Congressman Hsnni-
bal L. Goodwin, chairman of the House
Reform in Civil Service Committee, Civ
ing assurance that the committee would
take up the questions on retirement
and reclassification of salaries at the
earliest possible date in January.
Do Their Best.
Each OF the four speakers did his
level best to impress upon those pres
ent-and through the meeting-uDon the
ae.ooo civil service employees of the Dis
tTict that the factions within the ser
Vice must cease their pickering ami con-
solidate il they hope for success: that
some means must be found TO whip the
great body Of employees into active par
ucipatloE in the movement fc- retire
ment regulations.
contribution of the employees was fav-
ored by all the speakers. Not one had
word to say for the straight pension
as measure to be fought for now.
". E. Andrews, auditor of the Treasury
Department declared that the straight
pons-on plan is the rock upon which all
retlrement movements thus far have
met defeat, that the annuity plan is
success In Congress.
Llewllyn Jordan, chairman Of the
meeting, introduced Congressman Aus
TN as the first speaker. The latter used
The comparatively small attendance,
about l50, as an example of the failure
Of Government employees TO appreciate
the value Of demonstration of power
and numbers.
Are Selfish.
You will not get a retirement BILL"
ne said, and you will not get much
OF any consideration from Congress
simply because you deserve it. Con-
sressmen are selfish. You are not
voters They have plenty to attend to
IN looking out for those back home who
are voters.
you must profit by the example of
The rivers and harbors congress and
The conservation congress. Organize
ferent States as those congresses
nave organized their friends Hold a
Dig mass meeting in the Capital with
representatives from every State in
he Union-for all Federal civil serv-
ice employees are interested iE retire
nent, and those out of the District
are voters.
Then, when you have done that.
Congress will sit up and take notice.
my friends, just as IL does now when
the conservationists ask considera
iiou- or the river and harbor people
Eant something done"
senator Sterling. who followed Con-
Eressmsn Austin. dwelled largely up
'H lEe retirement measure as some
hing which the Government en-
ployes deserve and as something
which would relieve the civil service
Of most of the attacks made upon il.
Once the retirement measure is in
force" he said. .'it will eliminate the
argument noW used by those really
opposed to civil service. that the
Government has an army of in
efficient TO support-in other words,
he sUperannuated. Those who are
'rying this want the limited term
plan.
Both those who attack civil service
openly in favor Of the spoils system
and those who hide behind the limit
81 term idea are lahOring for sys-
lens that would be dcmoraliZing to
'hc Government departments a
limited term plan IS wrong whether
re term he for five. seven. or ten
N-ars, because the man who has seTv-
ID ~ a depa artment for I'VE. seven. or