Evening star., 1916-12-07
RETIREMENT LAW 4
/. ISSTRONG[Y URGED
Secretaries Baker and Wilson
Favor Aid to Superannuated
United States Employees.
REASONS ARE ADVANCED

Two cabinet officers. Secretary Baker
of the War Department and Secretary
Wilson Of the Labor Department. ad-
vocate q retirement law for govern
made public today.
Secretary Baker makes an earnest
plea for an equitable retirement law
providing for the retirement of super
animated and disabled employees Of the
civil service. In so doing he says he
is very happy to renew the recon-
of his predecessors on that
subject. Calling attention to the fact
that various industrial and transpor-
tation companies have found 1t to their
to retire and pension super
animated employees. the Secretary of
War states his conviction that the
government Is and should be a model
employer"
Chief Thing to Be Done.
The provisions now made by the
government" he says. I'm the matter
of compensation. hours OF labor. va
cations. sick leave and holidays. are all
wisely generous both as an example
and as establishing a harmonious and
helpful relation between employer and
employe, which both conserves the
spirit and health of the employe and
secures for the employer that willing
ness and good will out of which service
Of maximum efficiency naturally arises.
There seems to remain as the chief
thing yet to be done this provision for
retirement upon superannuation.
The law ought not. in my Judgment.
n a
has sometimes been done in municipal
and state services in this country. un-
der which employees who have served
q stipulated number Of years are au-
thorized to retire irrespective of their
ability still to render competent serv-
The law ought rather. upon a mini
mum service required. to authorize re-
tirement either for disability arising
in the course Of the service or occa-
stoned by the service itself. and this
retirement should be in the hands Of a
termine the inability Of the particular
employe further to render adequate
service in his place Of employment. The
effect of such a law would be to give
Portable old age. 1t would relieve the
employe from the fear OF loss of oc-
cupation and of livelihood. would
further inspire him to loyalty to the
proving the general quality Of the
service rendered by government en-
ployes. although that Is already high
and would permit the replacement or
some employees in the various depart
ments who have long and faithfully
served the government and reached
venerable but enfeebled years without
having had an opportunity to accumu-
late any competence upon which tneir
retirement can rest.
Secretary Wilson's Stand.
Retirement for superannuated govern
ment employees is strongly recommended
also by Secretary Wilson While the Off
cials. he points out. know that the busi-
ness Of the government could be more
efficiently handled by replacement Of the
aged employees. they are nevertheless In
disposed to throw hardships on these
faithful servants.
''In a previous report of the depart
ment.' said the Secretary. attention was
drawn to the difficulties confronting ex-
ecutive officers Of the government i'm
PEELED in the interests Of good adminis-
tration to dispense with the services OF
employees whose efficiency has been ma
terially impaired by advanced years. On
the one hand they are met with the fact
that the business Of the government could
be more efficiently handled by the re-
placement Of these superannuated en-
ployes with younger and more active per-
sons, whereas on the other there looms
up before them the specter Of hardship.
and in many cases absolute want. whicn
would be enforced upon faithful servants
II they were thus to be summarily re-
moved from the only means OF gaining
livelihood for which through years Of
training they are qualified.
Will Be Deferred.
'It is inevitable, therefore. that until
such time as heads Of departments can
accomplish this change in the personnel
without visiting undue hardship upon
their subordinates they will be deferred
by a consideration Of the humanitarian
phase Of the matter from taking such ac-
ton as the situation seems to demand.
''The department accordingly reiterates
its recommendation that there be pro-
vided through legislative enactment an
equitable system Of retirement-a system
which will best subserve the interests OF
efficiency and economy and at the same
time insure fair financial provision for
those who through long and faithful
service are entitled to some consideration
in their declining years"