Evening star., 1920-06-24
ONLY TWO Of 265
ATPR|NT|NG OFFICE
WANT RETIREMENT
Departments Are Split Over
Question of Retaining
Employees Past Age.

Only two OF. a total of 265 employees
at the government. printing office who
have been served with notices OF
separation from the service want to
retire.
This statement today by D. "
Chisholm, acting public printer
served to forcibly bring out the seri-
business of a question which sls now
splitting government departments
ITO retire or not to retire., that
is the question. 1t is causing ex.
treme doubt to arise in the minus OF
many department officials as to just
whether or not the desire OF many
government employees. eligible for re-
tirement, to remain on duty Will not
work unhappy. results to the entire
government service.
Departments Disagree.
Government departments seem to be
divided on the question i,of retention
of the old employees who are eligible
for retirement. but. want to stay IN
the service. While the Post ONCE
Department and the city post ofhce
have laid down a policy OF absolute
retirement when the age is reached,
most of the departments seem IN
clined to recommend many superan-
nuates for retentiop.z
it was found that forty-nine employees
have been recommended for retire
ment and thirty-six for retere>on,
these numbers including the field en-
ployes. OF the total of eighty-five,
thirty seven are employed in the Dis
trict.s --.,- ! .a-s. .
1t is not known just what per cent
of the 265 who are eligible for retire.
ment at the government print shop
will sbe recommended by the public
printer for retention, he-@being out
of the city today. .-
Unhappy Eject Seen.
1t is regarded as likely, however,
that the public printer will recon-
although it is not expected that any
such per cent of the total number
will be recommended for continuance
as has been done in some of the other
departments and establishments.
A distinctly unhappy effect on the
process of being created by reason
of the requests for retention and the
recommendations of administrative
heads for continuation OF old en-
ployes. it was declared today by some
who have made a close study Of re-
tirement here.
Two great harms are likely to be
done by the split attitude Of the de-
partments on the whole question, it
is held In the first place, it was an
ployes would start a flow outward
which would, year by year, even
month by month. make opportunity
for the advancement of younger en-
p1oyes.
~. Intended as nm Incentive.
This process of breaking up the
damned wood" as it has been call
ed. and allowing the young wood to
drift into the higher positions WAS
going to bring a great incentive for
the younger people in the government
service. it was believed.
In fact, the success of possible re-
classification legislation would be
built somewhat largely upon retire
ment, it is declared, and plans are
even under way now by the recently
formed organization known as the
joint conference on reclassihcation to
work for reclassification on the basis
of retirement. The latter is regarded
as essential to the former.
The second unhappy effect of the
policy of retaining a large number OF
superannuates, It is believed, will re-
suit when Congress comes back to
town next fall and finds that scores
Of federal employees, after asking for
retirement legislation for forty years,
have not availed themselves Of it.