Abstract

Serving the People for Pay

Advancing old age has its claims, and, unfortunately, the United States Government has not yet seen fit to pension the men, who have grown gray in its service, as do the English and other European Governments. When judges and Governors are paid something more than what is just enough to attract mediocre talent, when a system of civil pensions offers public servants, a guarantee against old age, it will still remain true that on a mere money basis the Government cannot compete with the private employer in commanding the services of the highest talent in the community. The problem is complex with so many factors, personal and public, ethical and prudential, that no man can be criticised for acting up to his own knowledge and his own conscience.