Evening star., 1914-04-07
PATHETIC PLEA FOR
CLERK PENSION PLAN
Federal Employe of twenty-five
Years Service Offers Expert
ence in Argument.

| Plea for pensions by this session of
Congress for superannuated clerks is
| made in a pathetic letter to The Star
| from a man who. after twenty-five
| years of faithful service to the govern
ment finds himself, i'll. almost penniless
and forced to give much of his meager
income to doctors and for medicine.
His record in the civil service is good.
He has never dissipated. Twice he tried
to buy modest home for himself and
family, but sickness and death took
all of his small savings.
He advances the argument that by
removing the old men from the service
on small pensions not only would they
have peace of mind. through assurance
of sufficient to give them shelter and
food in their last years. but that va
cancies would be opened for a number
of young men to replace them
His letter is as follows:
"A few years ago some government
officials recommended that all super
aunuated clerks be relieved from fur
ther service and that a pension should
time until several organizations sprung
into existence. all having different
views, and then II was not long until
there was very little heard about su-
crease of salary and the old clerks
have been lost sight of. So far as IN
crease is concerned. 1t should be grant
ed and | think it will be ere long. But
most Of those who are pushing increase
are men who are in good health and
they can afford to wait just short
time and help push little pension to
us old worn-out clerks who are sick.
Many Are Bedridden.
Many of us are in bed unable to get
to office and praying for a mere pittance
to relieve our distressed condition
II am seventy-five years old. have
worked twenty-five years. my record is
good Now here l am confined to bed
with complication of troubles incident
TO old age My suffering is awful My
doctor bills and medicine is using up my
funds rapidly and I have waited and
prayed each year for small pension. but
all in vain Unless ! can get back to my
old home, where my rent would be 81 10
IS per month. with good garden, / can't
possibly hold out until another session
of Congress meets.
You may ask where is my money.
am sorry to say I tried to buy home
twice. Sickness and death came along
death of mother. father. wife and daugh-
ter. 7 had to keep my daughter III an
institution for a number of years pre-
vious to her death because she was an
epilcptic. 7 lay sick three to five months
at a time. ] am now down. God only
knows if will ever get out. have never
dfsaipated. and my record is good.
Small Pension Acceptable.
Now. won't Congress grant US old
men Il small pension this session? Even
81 day 1t would be a great relief to
us Why, every day records death of
one or more old clerks. Please do not
put it off again. Go to work and grant
small pension regardless of what is done
by any association. II a few representa-
tives would see my condition. their minds
would change and feel sure they would
give us relief. Oh. won't YOU give us
ST a day and give all the same.
by removing many old men room VIII
be made for promotion of younger men
and leave room for new clerks, etc. In
the name of humanity. won't Congress
do something for us and not put it off
again.
II shall wait and pray and hope. Some
representative have said in the House
recently that he could not live on S1,5o.
Well now, how can We live when We are
sick half the time and no income. / tell
you our rations are cut down to scarce
ly any food and the doctor gets good
portion of what we can earn. Oh, |
would like to say much more. but ! am
physically unable. Please give us pen
sion now.