Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13

To what extent the combined effects
of greater longevity among Americans
and the speed of the machine age are
producing a class of elderly men unable
to find gainful occupations is being
studied by the American Federation of
Labor. The problem is one of tremen-
dous proportions The idea of providing
for the rainy day of advancing age is
an old one. Modern conditions seem
TO have brought about a situation in
which there are more rainy days and
longer ones.
The Presidents committee on recent
economic changes in its report declared
that today there are more jobs in
| which the vigor Of youth Is demanded
and fewer in which the sort Of skill is
needed which would increase with age"
Back in 1850 actuarial statistics
showed that the. average life span was
only 40 years. Scientific research and
patient labor, especially along the lines
of sanitation and prevention as well as
cure of disease, has increased this life
expectation to more than Sc years. But
of all the workmen in the United States
gainfully employed, only 80 per cent
are over As years of age.
The problem Is obvious. There are
more middle-aged and elderly men and
fewer jobs to offer them, in spite Of the
rapid growth of the country and de-
velopment of its manifold industries.
Many philosophers and other COM
mentators on life in general have laid
down the rule that a man doesn't have
sense enough to marry until he is 40
years old. But If modern industrial
conditions are such that soon after that
age the machine age puts him on the
shelf, his prospects for q career OF
matrimony are rather slim, for 1t has
not yet been demonstrated that two can
live as cheaply as one, and even one
cannot live without financial support.
The query arises whether, in such
circumstances, it Is worth while to make
the effort to prolong life II the chief re-
suit Is the increase in the numbers
of the middle-aged and elderly INDECENT.
Continuation of this process. inevitably
would throw burden on the state and
on the younger generation which might
prove intolerable. Already between IS
and 20 per cent of the people in the
United States over IS years of age are
wholly or partly dependent on Govern
ment or private aims. That under
existing conditions, this percentage will
show an increase with each study made
by the Census Bureau can scarcely be
doubted. In the last half century the
ratio to the whole population OF men
IS years of age and over has increased
from SO per cent to per cent. This
means well over 100000 men whose
rainy day is upon them.
Youth VIII Be Served.
It Is natural that in the trades
requiring strength and agility youth
would be served, to the prejudice OF
the lettering, and it is seen that Of
the mechanics in the country holding
jobs only 1872 per cent are more than
| As years Of age. But the white collar
jobs also have been affected. The
| spectacle of the aged clerk Is rarely
] met with outside Government Offices.
Forty-flve is by no means q great age:
| indeed. many men have scarcely
reached their prime before the half
century mark This applies, not only
to experience and skill in the job, but
| also to physical condition. With so
large q proportion of the men of the
country playing golf, tennis, doing daily
dozens and living and working in better
lighted. heated and ventilated rooms
than ever before, the average health
Of the American at so is excellent.
unless he has been careless or met
| with misfortune
Nevertheless. Of all male bookkeepers,