Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-15


retaining incapacitated workers is an
unnecessary burden on the pay rolls
of the government: that large cor
porations interested in maintaining
the highest efficiency have adopted
liberal retirement systems, in the in
terests of larger dividends; that every
civilized government in the world ex-
cept Turkey. Venezuela and the
United States have the retirement
system in operation; that the small
retirement annuity would be cheaper
than the present plan. Of virtually
pensioning those In the service at
full salary; that civil service retire.
ment has been Endorsed by state
legislatures, city councils, boards Of
trade, labor organizations and both
political parties.
While doing something for mankind
at large. stop long enough to do this
thing which Congress has for years
been in favor of doing, but always
just fallen short of accomplishing.
Amen
- \ X
Uncle Sans essay at running the
railroads brought good times to some
body, accord
RAILROAD ECONOMIES ing to the
HARD TO LOCATE. figures that
are being dug
out in Congress while the committees
are working on various phases Of the
railroad problem. The new toy was
expensive to the taxpayers. and states
men on the hill are taking to heart
ton hereafter for continuance Of gov
eminent control. Senator Pomerene
brught out in the Senate the fact that
there are 141,000 more employees on
the railroads pay rolls under govern
ment management than there were
before, which leads to the thought
of how many more there would be
if government ownership were to pre-
vail for ever and ever.
There was a good deal Of talk at
the outset Of government management
about economy in high salaries, but
Senator Pomerene has failed to locate
it. He said that on the stan Of the
ave officials who get $4,000 q year
each; two receiving $4,000. and SO on
down through $as,oeo to $4,000; q to-
tai Of ssveaty-tya officials who draw
$1.aee.les. He didn't like it, hscanse
the Chief Justice OF the United States
only draws $4,000 ! year. a. com.
parsd With some Of those big rxilWsy
salaries.
,*s++
Yet, with the tide Of sentiment set
49, ership. the ru-
ISSUE WANTED NOR persists that
BY MR.. BRYAN. William J. Bryan
intends to be a
candidate for the presidency. on a
platform Of government ownership,
woman suffrage and prohibition. The
latter two issues may be dead before
1920, however, as woman suffrage
probably will be authorized by the
Constitution and prohibition goes into
effect next January the country over.
1t is thought among the politicians
on Capitol Hill that Mr.. Bryan may
find an issue in the rigid enforce
ment Of the prohibition laws to be
enacted by Congress to carry out the
mandate Of the Constitution. There
is every indication that there will be
political division over enforcement;
that one group of voters will advocate
constituting the Intoxicating bever-
age" clause literally enough to per-
nit beer and light wine to trickle
over the top of the dam which the
Constitution is to erect against alco-
hol. That can be done, of course, in
the enabling acts to carry out the con-
stitutional amendment; on the other
hand there will be stern-visaged COL
lection of voters who will want to
build that dam SO high and caulk it SO
tight that nothing alcoholic can get
over. through. under or around it.
Statesmen apprehend another clash
between states rights and federalism
in the en-
FEAR To-TRUsT forcement
STATE ENFORCEMENT. of prohibi-
ton. The
constitutional amendment provides
that Congress and the states shall
administer the law concurrently
There is no question how some states
and many communities will admins
ter 1t If the government does not ex-
ercise overlordship. In the states Of
a
counted upon to wink at evAsions, to
listen to the voice of reason" as
the vets say. What the prohibition
lists in Congress are intent upon, and
Mr.. Bryan advocates, is to have the
federal laws so strict and so COM
prehensive that the strong arm of
the federal government can be in
voked against weakened admins
tration of the law by state and local
officials.
New York democrats in Congress
are chuckling over the prompt action
of Gov. Smith
GOVERNORS BID of the Empire
FOR WOMAN VOTES. state in sum-
moning forth
with. almost post haste. an extraordi-
nary session of the legislature to
rattfy the woman suffrage amend
ment. The democrats want to show
to the women Of the state that the
democratic party Is the real friend
of woman suffrage, say what you
please. To be sure, it is q republican
legislature that is to ratify, but q