The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-26
APPEAL MADE FOR WORKER WHO HAS PASSED 40-
 YEAR MARK

Editor of The Democrat;
 The Veterans of Foreign Wars of The United States at their state convention in Waterbury last week pledged themselves to leave no stone unturned to influence legislation to remedy the condition existing in ifi- dustry today, which bans from em- ploymsnt workers who have reached the age of 60, Naturally the veter- ans who are growing older yearly sense the threat Of such il condi- ton to themselves. and the workers of the entire nation. In no other country does one hear so much talk of too old for employment.' hs forms the daily topic Of converse ton in America today. If such m insane idea Is not put to rout, where is the industrial life of the c0in- try going to drift to7 What is ahead of the worker if he is condemned to the scrap heap at only 70. m age when he has gained the full tower of his strength and etfieiencyl old nge pensions cannot and should not be the answer. and are an Insult to the intelligence Of every ambl- Liots active American.
 One of the reasons is group ln- surance. That ls the attempt on ths part Of employers of labor to insure their workers In group which of late years has spread to almost all American industries. More thnn e000.000 workers are covered ib this way. Students of the problem say that. IS group insuf- ance has grown. ths older workers hold on his Job has become siirer. because the greater average age of the factory personnel collectively the higher the premium under the group insurance policy. Whlle pr0b- ably few employers would discharge all old employe on this account, t is plain that, other things being equal. they prefer to pick young workers when hiring help.
 Again the introduction Of each new machine involves the rsduc. ton of the employees and the dis charge of men. Because the older workers find 1t harder 10 adjust themselves t6 tisw processes of work they are the first to bs let out. And it Is sn admitted fact that modern American Industry docs not want tnsn or women past mid. dle age. Many Of ths large indus trial concerns have a frank and above board rule against the em' pioymsnt of new workers who have passed the age 0f 40 or 45. in some instances the age Is set hs low as sS and even 2S. A recent study by the National Manufacturers Asso. eihtion showed that 70 per cent oi ths concerns investigated admit the adoption Of h definite age limit ranging all the way from 2b to 70
 In ths words Of Henry Ford mod ern industry prefers the plastic human being without kinks lh him to unlshfn."
 Tho manufacturing plants hti. swsrlng tbs questionnalfs Of the National Manufacturers Association cited among the important reasons for ths Inauguration Of ati employ msnt age dehdlins, the adoption 0i private industrial pension plans, the adoption Of group insurance policies the declining CifiGisbgy Of middle agsd workers, and the liability oi the older workers t1 greater Injury and so to larger compensation.
 Not long ago Abraham Epstein executive secretary Of ths Am5fl. can Association t0f old Ags Becur. fly. In a letter to the New York | Times flatiy denisd tbat the pres. ent bar against the employment 0l inIddIe-aged workers Is dis to thsii declining efficiency, lie said' "1'ht employment age deadlins Is ( re' suit Of definite economic s0elA conditions. It Is not | result Of tht declining efficiency ot workers al | middle ago. We gre healthier t0daj at this period than ever befofs. Ger. 1 tainiy t Is absurd 10 talk Of af 'aee of incapacity' at sb and dt years. periods by some concerns ~ the age limit Of hsw employees" Tn regard t0 the middie.ageG workers greater liability to aecl' dent. Mr. Epstein says. "Examlna. tions which have made of tht industrial accident statistics lti tht flies Of the Pennsylvania Depart inent of Labor do not show ths slightest increase Of accidents witt