Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

initiating against the middle-aged man
or woman and threatening to become q
| menace to our general economic well
| fare, we must first correct q general
Misrepresentation on the part of en-
ployers, A common assumption among
| those who employ others is that age
affords yardstick with which to meas
ure general experience and training, to
some extent, but 1t will not take the
measure of mans usefulness for q
particular job. There are many who
are young at so, and other men who are
old, mentally or physically, at IS. On
this point the evidence is abundant.
Where Older Men Work.
We have, for instance, the results Of
physical examination made by Drs.
Clark and Simmons of the employees of
manufacturing corporation at Wor-
ceSter, Mass, reported in THE Nations
Health" The physicians found among
the 1900 employees In the factory So
workers over IS years of age. Thirteen
Of these men were over 10. The oldest
was 70, and doing full-time work in
the drafting room. Another employe in
active service was n. The proportion
Of men In the factory able to continue
work after go was twice as great as
bAlQoC RCLlolOklCu hCCduSC Vi RtAyc1Cdl Vi
mental disability. Some were foremen,
some were elevator operators, some
sweepers, two packers, two guards, four
|machiniSts. and still others were en-
ployed actively as small tool workers,
inspectors. etc.
Generally speaking, the health Of
these older employees was good. The
conclusion OF the physicians was:
There seem to be few departments
In the factory where work appropriate
for these older men cannot be found,
In factories employing over 1000 en-
ployes, work can be found which men
of IS years of age can do without in
jury to themselves, to others, or to
property"
Take another instance.
One great company, with huge cleo
trical manufacturing plants at Pitts
burgh, has veteran employees asso-
citation composed of 3,400 men and
women who have served the company
for periods ranging from 90 to 40 years.
They are not young men and women,
measured In terms of the years of their
life. But most of them are young in
the spirit of interest in and enthusiasm
for their work, loyalty to their company
and the desire to render good service
The company Is not charitable insti-
1t continues to employ these 3,400 older
men and women because 1t finds their
services profitable to 1t.
Opportunity for Oldsters.
In practically all industries there IS
ample opportunity for the utilization of
the services Of men and women of all
ages. A Philadelphia public service cor
pOration is helping to solve the problem
Of employment for Older men by using
such men as messengers. 1t reports
that the men are rendering better serv-
ice than boys formerly did and that
they appreciate this light employment.
Men who have been in the organization
for many years are transferred to this
service If they request it,
One of the Chicago meat packing es-
adjustments reports total Of 279 en-
ployeS who have served the company
continuously for IS years or more.
What is particularly needed to solve
the problem Of employment for older
men and women lies not solely in legis-
lation or old age pension systems-de-
sirable as they might be under many
circumStanceS-but education Of en-
ployers to the real usefulness of the
older employees. A systematic effort to
that end already has been made by the
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and
Industry. The department has secured
the registration of about 1000 firms
which have agreed not to bar men from
employment on account Of age when
they are physically and mentally able
to meet the requirements Of the posi-
tions for which their services may be
required" The bureau reports that