Evening star., 1925-12-03
Increase the Annuities,

In his annual report Secretary Da Wis
Of the Department Of Labor urges an
increase in the pay of retired Govern.
ment employees. He points out.
strongly. that the present scale OF
compensa ton for the snnuitants who
have by reason Of aee and length OF
service been removed from active duty
is Inadequate for decent maintenance,
and that in consequence many who
have thus lost their status Of full
salaried Government employees are in
want and are suffering
This is not new presentation. The
situation was realized Immediately
upon the enactment of the retirement
law. 1t was evident from the form in
which that legislation was finally
adopted that the pay scale was made
quate and disproportionate. Ever
since the passa ge of the bill and the
beginning of the process of retire
ment efforts have been made to Sc
cure amendment, but thus far with
out success. Secretary Davis adds his
his observations as the head Of one
e the Federal departments. There is
hope that 1t may bo Needed.
In its inception the retirement Ia "
was designed as an aid TO both Gov
ernment and employees. g a means Of
permitting the clearance Of the Fed
cral service of superannuated workers
without injustice or injury to them
and as a means of enabling the elder
workers to leave active service with
out danger of distress through made
uuate income. As il has worked out
however, the second object has not
been accomplished. The Government
service has been cleared OF many of
the elder workers who could not main.
tain their former standard of ef-
ficiency. but they have been relegated
to inactivity in circumstances Of real
distress. Retirement has become A
menace rather than a boon.
inasmuch "a the cost Of the retire
ment system is almost wholly borne
by the employees themselves through
deductions from their pay while in ac-
tive service, ii is not seemly that the
nited States should as both payrnas-
ter and trustee allot to those who are
retired q pittance which permits only
the barest subsistence. In the first
place. the retirement system should
not he financed on this basis. The
Government should contribute much
larger percentage. If not all, of the
cost. Retirement should not be found
cd on the principle of forced savings
by the employees. There is no gen
erosity in making the active workers,
regardless Of their prospects and their
intentions as To continuous service,
pay virtually the entire cost of re-
lieving the service from the incubus
Of approximation. Congress. how
ever. has adopted that principle. and
in working it out in practice the Gov
ernment has both imposed the burden
of fund maint enance upon the body
of active clerks and denied to the an
nuitants sufficient allowance for de.
cent subsistence.
In the present conditions there is
no incentive for Government workers
10 remain in the service on the
strength of assurance of decent liv-
ing after reaching the age of retire
ment and separation from active duty.
The prospect ahead of the Govern
ment employe is dreary. Instead OF
making for stability OF personnel the
present retirement system makes for
insta bility. An increase Of the annuity
rate would effect change in this re-
spect and encourage permanence Of
tenure, thus accomplishing one of the
purposes of the original plan. This
matter should for the sake Of both
Government service and the retired
personnel be considered a the coming
session of Congress, with the result Of
a material increase in the annuity.