The Washington herald., 1911-02-04

A bill for the creation of a police ant
fireman's relief fund in the District o.
Columbia and several other items of leg
islation for the District were reported
favorably to the Senate yesterday by the
District Committee.
Answering the appeals OF the Commits
sioners for additional income for relie1
funds by permitting the receipts from
all licenses except excise licenses to be
come available for police and firemen's
pensions when considered necessary, the
District Committee reported the bill OF
Mr.. Smith, of Michigan, which passed
the House nearly year ago.
Need of LeKislation.
In various letters sent to the commit
tee recently. the Commissioners have
pleaded that the legislation was needed
so that the pensions of veteran retired
members of the two forces and widows
of former members of the two depart
ments could be paid in full. Covered
into the fund, according to the terms Of
the bill. are all disciplinary fines imposed
upon the firemen and police, all re-
wards that are not allowed to be re-
tanned personally by members receiving
them. receipts from the sale of unclaimed
property. ~ per cent Of the monthly sal
ary Of each member of the fire and police
and all fines paid into the
Police Court
Should the fund, under these appro-
priations, be insufficient at any time to
defray demands upon it, a sufficient
amount of money to meet the deficiency
is to be paid out of the receipts Of all
licenses other than liquor licenses.
The measure provides a complete sys-
TEN Of retirement and pensioning OF the
members of the fire and police forces of
the District. Under it's terms. a member
of either department. upon disability in
the line Of duty or the contraction OF a
disease while on duty. shall receive. in
addition to his salary. his necessary ex-
penses during his disability. to be certi-
fed to by the retirement board and ap-
proved By the Commissioners.
Surgeons as Members.
The retirement board, the bin provides,
is to be composed of the surgeons Of the
police and fire departments and two Off
GERS Of each Of the two departments, the
officers to be appointed and to serve dur
ing the pleasure Of the Commissioners.
The heads of the District government
are given authority to approve, disap-
prove, or modify the findings Of the re-
tirement board, and their decision is to
be final.
Every two years the pensioners are to
be examined. SO that the Commissioners
can determine IL their allowances should
be increased or decreased, and II a PEN
sioner fails or refuses to be examined, the
may reduce or discontinue
his pension.
One of the final sections Of the bill
gives the Commissioners the right to call
for the services Of retired members OF
either department at times Of unusual
The District Committee reported IA
rorably the bill to relieve fireproof build
ngs Of the necessity Of erecting IRE es-
.apes.
The provision In the measure b TN It
such buildings as are defined under the
building regulations Of the District Of Co
umbfa to be fireproof are exempt from
he requirement OF this act - to llre es-
:apes and guide signs when the stair
Ways, elevator shafts. and means Of egress
ire reasonably safe In the Judgment of
Lho Commissioners.'
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