Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-16
AGAINST The DOUBLE SHIFT
Commercial Club Opposes Bill and Appeals
to Douglas Delegation.
OFFERS MATTER OF EXPENSE AS REASON
Declares FIremen Are Not Anxious for
IL and Agitation IL in
Reality Political I'm
Character.

Resolutions declaring against the idea of
double shift for firemen and calling on the
members of the Douglas county delegation
to oppose il in the legislature were passed
Tuesday by the executive committee of the
Commercial club as follows:
Whereas, The executive committee of the
said Commercial club of Omaha has made
thorough, complete and comprehensive
examination into all matters and things
relating to and in connection with the fire
department of the city of Omaha as It now
exists, and also the effect thereon of the
so-called double shift and
h Whereas, The said executive committee
0f said Commercial club of Omaha finds
that the additional burden of taxation for
an additional force of men necessary TO
make double shift in the said fire depart
inent would amount to $500, and that
other expenses would be made necessary
by reason of said double shift aggregating
In all approximately the sum of 100000 In
creased taxation upon property in the city
OF Omaha for the purpose of putting into
effect the so-called double shift employ
ment IN said fire department. and,
Whereas, This committee finds that the
efficiency OF the said FIFE department of the
city of Omaha would not in any respect
be increased, and that in our Judgment
the discipline and benefits to be derived
would continue to remain better in its
present condition than with the so-called
double shift In force; and,
Whereas, We find that the labors of the
men employed in the fire department ara
not burdensome, but on the contrary their
actual employment in labor does not eN-
coed from three to four hours a day, In
Guiding all time in active service in the
suppression of fires; and,
Whereas, There Is little demand for thu
so-called double shift by the officers and
members OF the fire department, and the
agitation for said double shift Is In reality
political agitation; and
Whereas, In other large cities of the
country the double shift theory has been
put in operation. found Intellectual and
abandoned, as imposing useless taxation
and not increasing the efficiency of the
Whereas, The compensation now re-
ceived by the officers and members of the
fire department of the city of Omaha are
fully adequate to the services rendered by
the men In the department, and the COM
pensation paid for labor performed Is SC
attractive that there Is always large
waiting list of men seeking employment ir
said fire department, and,
Whereas, The Fire and Police board OF
the city of Omaha has within the last veal
conceded to the members of the hre de-
partment every sixth day of twenty-foui
hours as layoff with full pay, and In ad'
ditiOn thereto ten consecutive days In eacf
year as a vacation on full pay, making
total of seventy-one days without being
required to perform any service TOT tn'
Resolved. BY the executive COMMITTEES
OF the Commercial club Of the city o.
l. That we disapprove the so-calleC
! double shift theory in the fire department
| of the city of Omaha as a useless and un
] necessary burden of taxation upon thu
l-people of the city of Omaha and as addinl
nothing to the efficiency and competence
| OF the force of firemen.
2 That the members of the said legisi Iturt
| from Douglas county particularly, ana al
members of the state Legislature, are mere
/ by requested to use all honorable means II
their power TO prevent the enactment OF an
| law by the legislature Of the state OF Ne
braska putting into effect the double shif
/ employment system in the fire department
/ of the city of Omaha
g. That the conditions now surrounding
the members OF the fire department. includ
ing the hours of labor and their com
pensation, and the character OF thei
| services do not require at the hands o
the state legislature any legislation In thei
! behalf
| The resolutions were presented by j.
Carpenter, appointed by the executive com
mittee for such purpose.
A committee will be appointed to go t
Lincoln in the interests Of these resolutions
VIII L. Yetter was elected chairman o
the executive committee at the meeting
Tuesday. Frank N. Clarke was reelected
treasurer of the club and ]. e. George sec
rotary.
w. II. Malarkey. Mosher Colpetzer ant
II. B. Beatty were elected to membership
In the club