The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-17
JOSEPH MAS, sEGREIARy &C I1e- BoARp ct EsTlMA7E
FRARcis BENZ sesEH7SeN MR s S HE RScH

: tirement age is 90 years, 1-66th of the an
nual salary and thirty three years of service.
In neither case is 1t required to complete the
years of service given to get proportionate
allowance.
Continuing, the pamphlet SAYS: "You do not
have to prove disability financial depen-
dency or anything except your age and years
OF service. No one has the discretionary
power to hold up the grant of your allow
ance."
Conting encies All Are Met
Employees joining the service must con-
tribute one-half the cost OF the benefit for
the years of service given after joining the
system; the city pays the other half If an
employee joins within the first year after the
system begins to operate, the city pays the
entire cost of the benefits allowed by reason
OF service performed prior to Oct. /, 1920.
All possible contingent yies are provided
for. Besides a pension In the case Of dis
ability In the performance of duty, pro-
vision is made for ordinary disability, and in
the case of death, resignation or dismissal
the entire amount of contributions with com
pound interest at per cent, Is returned.
City employees joining the system are re-
quired to contribute a certain percentage of
salary, based on age at the nearest birthday
at the time of membership The percentage
rates are computed to remain constant
throughout service
makes retirement
pulsory at the age of 70 years
Although the centre of an ever increasing
deluge Of figures and devoting his spare
energies to working out a satisfactory pen
sion system, Secretary Haag. In 1905 be-
camc candidate for Borough President OF
Manhattan. He ran on the Democratic
ticket with Mayor Gaynor, but was defeated
by George McAneny, the Fusion candidate.
This was the year William r. Hearst en-
terec the race for Mayor which resulted
In the election of Mayor Gaynor and the
defeat of the rest of the Democrat tic ticket
One of the results of the election was
movement on the part of the Fusion mem
bets of the Board of Estimate to dispense
with the services of the city's financial
wizard. To show that he hasn't forgotten
the experience, he recalled certain uneasy
feelings that disturbed him at the time. and
produced clipping from THE SUN of Feb.
s, 1910, which reads:
After the conference yesterday between
Comptroller Prendergast. President Mitchell
of the Board of Aldermen and Borough
Presidents McAneny and Miller, il was
learned that the case of Joseph Haag. secre-
tary OF the Board of Estimate, will be
brought up at next Fridays meeting of the
board The Fusion members Of the board
have been anxious to GUST Mr.. Haag. Who
was the Tammany candidate at the last
election for President of Manhattan.
Of Mr.. Haag in the belief that Mayor Gaynor
has kept a vacancy in the Department of
Accounts open for him."
1T was a near thing" the secretary re
marked with a smile.
From $40 Month to $4,000 Year.
A clerk at $40 a month fifty years ago, to-
day high city official at $4,000 year and
going strong Is the history of the career
of Joseph Haag, the friend of a long list of
Mayors and Comrtroers many OF whom
nfe dead and few remembered by the public
to-day. Veteran Haag recalled many inter-
esting Incidents in the administration Of
The city In the old days. some pathetic, many
of them humorous.
ut has made me a philosopher" he said.
Whoever enters public life must reconcile
himself to inevitable criticism, sometimes
warranted. but most often unjustifable
have seen newly elected officials enter upon
their task with rare zeal and effort to ac-
complish great things, and become discour
aged under unjust criticism which does more
to hurt an official than the thousands Of
other disappointments he meets with In Off
cial life"
The man behind the figures of the city's
accounts Is a great booster for municipal
service. He says career In the city's ser
vice offers great attractions for the ambi-
tious and Industrious
Politics as generally understood" he said,
lis n less important factor in a mans career
In public office than the efficiency and relia
bility he develops as he goes along. A new
head OF department looks to the competent
and qualified assistants for aid to make his
administrator congena and successful
This is why one finds Republicans and Dem
ocrats OF almost every stripe or faction In
the departments OF the city government"
who do you figure will be the next
Mayor" Mr.. Haag wns asked.
Well" he replied, taking OFT his glasses
and reaching for his hat that's one case
where my figures don't count"