Evening star., 1933-10-31
PRESIDENT ASKED
T0UPSET AGE RULE
Cochran Protests M.Year
Limit and Is Joined by
Several Others.
Continued From First Page.)

! will follow the Governments example.
He pointed out that generally through
out industry group insurance Is pur-
chased and the lower the average age
| Therefore, he argued. the employer
will have this In mind when hiring
younger people so he will reduce the
premium to be paid for insurance on
| all of the employees and the Govern
ment will be responsible for that idea.
1T is bad time. especially during
this time Of depression" said Cochran.
policy, since many employees of ad-
vanced age are being furloughed who
| would never have an opportunity to
get back into the service. This Is
especially true in railroad employ
ment."
Prefers Older WorkerA
Miss Perkins In her statement said
she did not regard the action of the
Civil Service Commission as a danger
Gus precedent, expressing the belief
that industry itself has more or less
set the precedent, but she was en-
phatic in her belief thc. there is plenty
Of good service in people over 40.
I find I'd rather work with older
heads, people who have maturity and
experience" she said.
Miss Perkins explained it was her be-
| lief that the Civil Service Commissions
action was an attempt to cut down the
number Of persons taking examinations.
She expressed the view 1t was q heavy
expense for the Government to conduct
examinations where there would be. for
instance, 500 applicants to Gll two jobs.
"Of course" she said, they can draw
the line various ways. They can bar
men and they can bar women. They
can set the age limit at so or 40 and
hire only those above or below. That
is their affair.
Urges Balance Of Age.
But, personally, should be opposed
to 1t. Older people have q maturity
OF judgment that is necessary to bal
ance the snap judgment and daring of
younger people OF course, it Is neces-
sary to have younger people in any
service to fill the lower positions, but
they need the sobering influence of
older hands"
AS universal industrial policy. Miss
Perkins said she regarded any rule
which would set the age limit for 40
years as very short sighted" She
pointed out, however, that there has
been in various industries a tendency
to turn down the cider man or woman
in search Of job in favor Of the
younger person.
Representative Randolph. in his let
ter to the White House said:
Il take issue earnestly against this
4O-year-age limitation" II am a firm
believer in the words of the Poet Long,
fellow, that:
Age is opportunity no less
Than youth Itself
Though in another dress
Fears Morale Will Break.
IF a man is capable of passing an
examination in open competition. no
matter what his age, he is capable Of
doing the work. and should not be
denied a chance to honorably earn his
livelihood. instead OF being thrown on
the industrial Scrapheap and forced to
eat the bread Of charity.
Such ruling would break down the
morale OF the entire Federal service and
the manhood OF the country. The Gov
ernment's course would be followed in
private industry with destructive re-
suits. We now have a distressing eco
nomlc condition which can only be
made worse by such ruling Any man
able to work should not be prohibited.
and the Federal Government should not
set the inhumane example Of refusing
TO- even see II he Is capable. Congress
will hot sanction any such course"
Couzens' Attacks Move.
At the Senate end of the Capital,
Senator Couzens. Republican. of Mich
igan, was one Of the first to come out
in opposition to prohibiting persons
over 40 from competing for Govern
ment positions. The Michigan Sena-
tor, who has devoted time to civil serv-
ice problems since he came to the Sen
ate. took the view that qualificati ons
rather than age should be the deter
mining factor. He added, however. there
should be adjustment OF the retirement
schedules to maintain equality as re-
tween those who might enter the serv-
ice early in life, and those entering at
middle age
There is no justification for such
a young age limit" he said. I'm fact.
all citizens should be eligible who are
competent and can pass examination.
There should, however, be an adjust
ment of retirement schedules so as to
put them all on an equitable basis"
Senator Mcclellan. Democrat of Ten
Civil Service Committee for a long
! time, announced he intends to look
carefully into the commissions new
regulations on age limits. He withheld
comment until he has studied the COM
missions new policy.
Although Senator CouzenS is not on
the Civil Serfice Committee at present,
he was on that committee for a num-
Der of years until committee assign
ments were rearranged at the opening
OF the special session last Spring.
Labor Attack Quoted.
In its attack on age limits for en-
ployment, which dealt also with remov-
ais for age. the Executive Council of
the Federation of Labor said:
Developments in the last few years
have brought no relief. In fact, this
policy Is, If anything. becoming more
widespread. It had at the start def
mite connection with the spread of
employe benefit plans financed by the
employer, such as group insurance or
old age pensions; but age limits have
now extended far beyond the fields of
such benefit plans. The practice is so
general that workers over IS in many
localities find 1t practically impossible
to get job. and workers of 40 and even
IS also are finding age limits applied
against them.
The far-reaching effect Of this in
justice to the worker is not fully real
lied. Men who have spent their lives
in honest, conscientious work for an
employer. who have developed skill and
experience with the years, may be laid
off and literally thrown on the scrap
heap at 40 or As. BY the time man
has reached this age, his children are
at the age when education and prepara-
ton for the future will determine the