Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-14
UNABLE TO MAINTAIN
own PENSION SYSTEM
Government Clerk Answers Speaker
Clark's Suggestion of Self-Sus-
tanning Retirement Elan.

The usual government clerk has not
enough money left over after paving for
the bare necessities Of life to contribute
to any pension fund. according to a state
ment furnished The Star by government
employe- He objects to Speaker Clark $
advocacy Of self-sustaining retirement
plan on the ground that salaries paid
government clerks are too low.
This clerk says he is receiving $1.c0o a
year, or $3.50 month. and isemizes his
monthly expenses as follows:
Room rent. $1S: meals. $3.50; laundry.
$3.50; car fare, 1920: newspapers and
magazines, s1.6O; toilet necessities. $50;
medicines. IS cents; postage. postcards
and stationery. 10 cents; dues, society,
$50: clothing all kinds, SIC 50: cigars,
tobacco, telephone. ETC.. 81; tailor, repairs
and pressing, 81; barber, haircut, 40
cents; fruits and luxuries, $50: movies,
three time week. $50; Sundays, five
per month, extras with friend sat 90 cents
each Sunday, $3.50; total. $3.50.
Disposes Of "surplrs."
This leaves a balance of s5.s3 a month,
he says. He then shows how the sur
plus has been wiped out as fellows:
'.In 1909, under orders, hal to handle
the personal and troop property of the
10th United States Cavalry, which was
then in quarantine for smallpox. / con-
tracted smallpox, was guaranteed In my
home had to call in a doctor, and the
bill was $50. In 1912. while going to
work. was injured in a street. car acct
dent and fractured my shoulder and was
80 To-
with ptomaine poisoning and vas sick six
days The cost was s.. Later was sick
for three days, at cost of o. and loss OF
pay for one month. or $SS33. I
This clerk continues:
You may wonder why / am not get
ting more than $1,000 per anslum. 1t Is
through no fault Of my own. am an all
round clerk, can fill almost any position
In any office from coast to coast in my
branch of the service. During the past
few years I have relieved men drawing
far higher salaries than l. and have done
the work to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned, and have been highly commended
for the excellent work l have done and
recommended for promotion TO higher
grade. Many of my fellow-clerks often
express surprise that I am not drawing
more pay. I assure you that it is not
my fault, 1t is the fault Of the system
followed in giving promotions.
No Chance in Commercial Life.
You might say: Well, if this is the
case, why does not Mr.. Clerk get out and
try commercial life? There are chances
there You are wrong The positions in
commercial life are fast being filled by
women. who are tired of waltz lg for some
man to come along, marry them, and give
them home. Women have sized up the
situation and have come TO the conclu-
sion that they will have to go to work
and support themselves They see that
the men of today are not getting enough
wages to support a wife and family, a,
the present cost of necessities Of life
Wages of the average government clerk
are the same as they were forty years
ago. Foodstuffs and necessities have
increased in cost from so to 200 per cent
while wages remain the same
If Mr.. Government Clerk leaves the
service, where he is just abe to earn q
fairly good living. and tries commercial
life, he Is up against a tough; proposition
He has not alone his own eek to com
pete against. but the genlei and better
looking sex-women-who are fast filling
the positions held by men IN the past
looking forward to the day: when they
will be the senators, representatives. gov
ernors Of states, and even Presidents. OF
the United States. Therefore, 1 say. give
the lOWer-SalarleG clerks an increase oil
salary; give them enough tn support a
family on, then they will each one, at
least, be able to take care Of one little
militant suffragette, and. by giving her a
home to take care Of, keep her out OF
mischief and leave another position open
that can be filled by man.
Results in Hardship.
referring to the statement of Speaker
Clark that in his opinion clerks should
have a self-sustaining retirement plan.
my statements go to prVe that if the
contributory plan is adopted the lower
salaried clerks will have to cut down
their food and clothing allowance in order
to save So per month to meet emergencies
and meet the contribution. 1t is not that
they are unwilling, it is that we have
nothing left from our pay to give. I do
not belong to the younger men mentioned
by the Speaker, as l am nearing the
forties. If the younger men expect o
get married and have families they are
UP against it. if they have to contribute.
as suggested, with the slim chances for
an increase Of salaries | have expe-
rienced and have seen. One excellent
clerk in the same Office where l am re-
ceived the same salary as myself for
fifteen years without a change