Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-10
ALLEGED NIL STICE.
LAW Said to Make Distinction between
Police and Eiremen

Police and Firemen.
Schaffer and Hancock two Of the men in
jured in the accident which resulted in the
death Of Martin INLAND, a substitute fire.
man. were appointed members of the de-
partment the day previous. Their injury
has invited the attention to what Is claimed
to be an unfair and unjust distinction made
by law between the members Of the police
and fire departments in the matter of pen
sions. By the act of Congress of June IL,
! 1S6. the Commissioners are directed to de-
duct from the pay of the firemen 81 per
mcnth, which sum SO deducted is kent a .
a firemen's relief fund. 1t is invested in
United States or District bonds. and is de-
voted to the relief of ANY fireman who.
having served not less than twelve months.
shall, by reason of injuries received or dis
ease contracted In the line of actual fire
duty. while going to- at. or returning from a
flre. or having served not less than fifteen
years shall become so permanently disabled
as to be discharged from the service therefor
Provided. further. That such relief
shall not exceed for any one fireman or
his family the sum of $50 per month; and a
sum not exceeding $40 may be allowed from
such fund to defray the funeral expenses
OF any fireman dying in the service of the
District
This act, which is said to be the latest
legislation upon the subject, requires n
member Of the fire department to have been
such for at least one year, 1t Is commended
before the Commissioners are authorized 70
grant him pension. despite the fact that
fireman may. in the line Of actual fro
duty. be injured during that period so Sc
verely as to permanently incapacitate him
FOR such duty or for the performance of
such labor as might earn him livelihood
On the other hand, 1t is claimed, a member
of the police force is entitled to a pension
when injured in the line of duty, although
he may not have been a member of the
force twenty-four hours
On behalf of the firemep II fS ri tho.
In the performance Of their duty they run
as many risks as do the policemen In
deed. 1t is commended by not a few that the
duty of fireman is much more hazardous
than that of a policeman. Even on a run
to fire the life of a fireman is menacei
and the accident to No. Z company last
week is. 1t Is contended, an illustra ton of
the danger the firemen encounter or are
liable to encounter even before reaching the
scene Of fire.
But. admitting that the dangers surroun l.
ing policemen and fremen in the perform
ance of their duty are equal it is contended
on behalf of the fire fighters that such
equality should be recognized when it comes
to granting pensions, and that member of
the fire department should not be required
to serve one year before he can become en-
titled to such consideration, while Il police
man becomes so entitled a moment after
he is appointed. 1t Is said that il Is at
times a rather difficult matter to induce
men to become members of the District fire
department. and it is believed that should
every man become cognizant of this al
legged distinction in the matter of pensions
between members OF the two departments
it would be far more difficult to secure fire.
men. especially should the fact that the
firemen receive much less pay than police
men be also considered by those intending
to apply for appointment.
Just how or why this distinction came to
be made by Congress Is not known. 1t is
believed to have been unintentional in
view Of the fact that by the act OF Com
gress Of February %. 1885. the law relative
to pensions Of policemen and ffremen was
made identical. The provision in that act
relating to pensions provided that the re-
lief fund should be for the benefit of any
policeman or fireman who by injury re-