New-York tribune., 1910-06-11
GOODWIN ANSWERS CROKER
Says Chief Took Strange Time to
Attack Force.

Elliot H. Goodwin, secretary Of the Civil
Service Reform Association. replying yes
terday TO the criticisms of the service made
by Chief Croker. said:
Chief Croker chose a strange time to
condemn the system which led TO the ap-
pointment of the two men who bravely
went TO their death in the performance of
duty at the disastrous fire last Monday
Cotter were both Civil Service men, appoint
ed in 1907, through the regular competitive
physical physical and mental examination.
AS recent Civil Service appointees to the
department they fall within the class
which Chief Croker characterized as weak
The uniformed force of the Fire Depart
ment is Civil Service force. Less than
1884, when the Civil Service law was ap-
piled to IL. Such wholesale criticism Of
the fire fighting force as Chief Croker in
morale New Workers have been proud of
their Fire Department. 1t has appeared to
in contrast to the Police Department, been
comparatively free from graft and pollti-
cal influences The officers appointed
through competitive methods have proved
capable The standard of discipline has
been high and the esprit de corps strong
Yet Chief Croker, with all the prestige at
taching to the office Of Chief of the larg
est Fire Department, heralds to the coun-
try at large that the majority of the men
in this department are WeaklingS.
Much must be allowed for overwrOught
feelings at such time, but loose and
wholesale condemnation Of this nature, If
untrue or TO a large extent exaggerated,
cannot fail to injure the force. 1t is not
constructive criticism. Chief Croker. after
delivering his TRADE was asked what could
be done about ii and had nothing to offer
further than to state that he was lighting
a plan to lower the minimum height re-
Quirement from feet inches to feet n
inches, which Is obviously change Whlch
can have no very marked effect
The facts in regard to the Civil Service
examination for fremen as now conducted
are these: The physical tests are given
weight of 90 per cent-not . per cent. as
stated. The strength tests are as severe
as IL is possible to make them and at the
same time secure a sufficient number of
men to meet the needs of the department.
II is the medical and physical examina.
ton which throws out the great body OF
applicants, not the mental examination
This is clearly illustrated by the figures
for the last examination, held in August,
1909 OF the 3,39S applicants who appeared
for medical and physical examination, 1,Sol,
or g. per cent. were rejected. OF those who
passed this test and entered the suose-
Guent mental examination. 50 per cent were
accepted. The average for physical condi-
tion of those who failed in the mental test
was 7227 per cent AS 20 per cent is the
minimum IT is clear that the mental exam
inatfon did not lead to the rejection of any
considerable number who were desirable
from a physical standpoint OF the finest
physical specimens-those rated over 90 per
cent in the physical examination-there
were 1Os who entered the mental eXamina-
ton and Of these only nine failed.
Chief Croker says he wants truck drivers,
soldiers bridge and iron workers, men VINO
live in the open, not indoor clerical men
Chest expansion. not height and weight. is
the chief requisite for a fireman. The civil
Service rules require q, considerably greater
chest measurement and chest expansion for
fremen than for policemen OF the 1923 men
who passed the physical test and entered
the mental examination their employment
at the time of examination was as follows
q note those employrnents only which fur
nished ten or more candidates for the men
tai examination):
12s: laborers. IS: machinists g. carpenters,
So: ironworkers. %; electricians, Al, motor
men. 45. stokers. 3s; painters. 30; brick
LAYERS "a: conductors. %, soldiers. %: por-
tiers, %: printers. %: hlacksmithS. Is: butch-
ers. 13. brakemen. II; patrolmen Gre), II;
chauffeurs Il. stonecutters, Il. tinsmiths,
10: general mechanics. 10. and seamen, 10
The mental examination. according to MI.
Goodwin. leaves much to be desired. and
the association recommends that a thor
ough revision be made of the subjects and
questions and that new tests OF general in
telligence be substituted. He admits, how
ever. that such tests are not easy to devise,
but says something must be done, as the
fireman's work calls for more than brute
strength and lung capacity. The secretary
emphasizes the fact that all the higher Off
GERS of the department are recruited from
the lower grades. In his opinion the fig
Ures he has given show that the questions
are marked so ieniently that only a small
number who are eligible from a physical
standpoint fail TO pass.