Evening star., 1916-05-06
Order Reducing Mail Collect
ors' Salaries Said to Be
Aimed at Retirement.
FORMER BROOKLYN P. N.
TELLS CIVIL SERVICE MEN
National Association Votes to Have
a Committee Call and Get the
Presidents Views.

Action of the Postmaster General in
| ordering the reduction of the salaries
| of collectors of mail in the postal serV-
| ice is nothing but an attempt TO de-
| feat retirement, according to William
! f. Kelly, former postmaster of Brook
| lyn. He spoke today at the annual
convention of the National Association
of Civil Service Employees in the Elks'
Hall
Mr. Kelly resigned as postmaster be-
cause of the. action of the Postmaster
General, and he challenged statements
of that official that the postmasters
| were cooperating with the department
| in that regard. He quoted Postmaster
General Burleson as saying that the
sick ening sentiment" in dealing with
old employees must stop.
A number of resolutions indorsing
various retirement measures pending
in Congress were adopted.
The association also voted to have
committee of five appointed to wait
upon President Wilson and get from
him public statement on the question
of retirement. The committee Will call
on the President the first of next week
| The convention heartily indorsed the
leight-hour day for all people who work
| for living, as well as retirement for
them.
Representatives OShaunessy of Rhode
F, Island and Hicks of New York spoke
in favor of retirement.
Mr.. Hicks Makes Opening Talk.
Representative Frederick c. Hicks Of
New York opened the morning session
| of the convention with an address on
retirement. He spoke in favor Of the
straight retirement measure for civil
| employees, and Endorsed the activities
| of the organization before which he
was speaking.
| George C. Kleffner, chairman Of the
resolutions committee, introduced a
large number of resolutions. They
dealt principally with retirement and
Improvement in the civil service. The
| resolutions. all of which were adopted,
| are: Instructing the board of officers
| to work for the passage of a on-con-
tributory retirement measure; indors-
| ing the Keating bill for trial before
demotion or dismissal from the fed
eral service; wishing the President and
| his cabinet health and happiness as
they strive to improve the merit sys-
| tenn in the public service: urging the
enactment of the Kern -McGillicuddy
bill. providing compensation for
sufferers from occupational diseases;
petitioning the President and members
of the cabinet to withhold the removal
| from the service or the reduction Of the
| salaries of civil service employees, who
have devoted the productive years of
| their lives to the service of the gov
| ernment until such time as Congress
enacts a law providing for retirement; !;
1 indorsing the Grimm bill providing for
! indefinite leaves of absence for civil
| employees; indorsing the Tinkham bill
bringing all postmasters under the
| day for all persons working for
a living and also retirement.
for them: urging the passage Of the Lo-
| beck bill for standardizing salaries OF
| employees of the bureau of animal in
dustry; thanking all publications which
| have assisted in the retirement propa-
ganda; providing for the appointment
| of a committee to secure placing of
of civil service employees in the party
platforms; pledging support to the
! Sherwood bill for pensfoning all Amer
| lean citizens who have reached the age
| of sixty five who are incapable of man.
| ual labor and having an income oI 1858
! than 5000: urging revocation of the
| order requiring special examination for
| appointment as ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| carriers: instructing the delegates to
organize ladies' auxilia1es to promote
/
| minimum wage bill.
Retirement the Humane Way.
If there is to be efficiency in the gov
ernment service. said Representative
George F. O'Shaunessy Of Rhode Island,
| the service must get rid of all those
who have become infirm in the service.
IF we must do that" he said, I'VE
must get out of our hearts that tender
\ ness planted there by God almighty
| himself. But | am not believer in
savagery. There is better way. a Chris
| tian way, more business like way
| and that is by retirement"
| He compared conditions in the bust
ness world with those in the govern
| ment service, pointing out that it was
the large initial salary which was the
| attraction. Once in the government
against g. stone wall. Opportunities In
the business world are greater, he said
| There should be system whereby
the wages of the old employees should
be kept at a decent level, and when
too old to work to be gratefully re-
tired by a grateful government
The time Is near at hand, he said,
| when something is going to be &C
complished in the direction of civil re-
tirement. He told the delegates that
there is now present In Congress a
splendid sentiment in favor of retire
ment.
Must Stand Together to Win.
If the employees stand together they
are going to win, William Z. Kelly
| county clerk of New York, former post
master of Brooklyn. n. Y. and former
president of the National Association