Evening journal., 1912-04-23
RE FAIR no orr yOLItNTEERs.

IT HE Volunteer Fire Department Of the city of VIII
mington has an enviable record for self-sac-
rhcng achievement. That must be admitted
by those who favor a discontinuance of the volun-
teer service and the establishment of straightout
paid Fire Department directly responsible to
central municipal authority. The best proof OF the
efficiency Of the local volunteers is that Wilmington
never has had a great conhagration Other cities,
with paid Fire Departments, have been devastated.
There have been thousands of fires here since to
volunteers elected to guard city. In instance
have they permitted fire 10 get beyond their con-
troll to such extent to compare with fires that
have swopt Chicago Paterson and many other places
Nor those who opposed to the volunteer
system advance the plea that local volunteers
have worked under unusually favorable conditions
for preventing the spread o1 flames Our city bristles
with inhammable buildings which constitute a mem
TO surrounding properties And yet, our voun-
teers invariably have come to the front in time Of
emergency and held the situation in check. Often
that was done in the olden days with apparatus that
would have been scrapped long before by advanced
municipalities such as New York, Philadelphia. Bos-
ton and Chicago. What volunteers have lacked
in apparatus. however they have supplied in enthu
sasm and heroic endeavor. The result has been that
Wilmington never has been fre-swcpt
II unquestionaby is true that inter-compauy fights
for supremacy in the. volunteer organization have
impaired at times, the efficiency of the fre-hghtng
II also is true that occasionally thore has been
"A lack OF discipline not creditable to the department.
Nor IL be denied that there have been ndlNdual
nremen whose demeanor toward the public has not
served TO increase the popularity of the organization
as "A whole Those criticisms might be made, how
ever. of any organization composed of of diff
fcrcnt temperaments and taken from different walks
Of life 1t is as whole that Volunteer Fire De-
partment should be considered It exists TO put out
fires and human life aud property If it does
that it performs the function for which it called
into being
There unquostionably times when those who
stand in the background think that fire could be
handled differently and better advantage. It must
be remembered, however, that few jobs under
taken i'm public that not surrounded by onlook-
ers who with hands in trousers pockets. think they
could do the job much easily and effectively
than those who are engaged in the work That is
a human falling that never will be cured. It ex-
lists every city matter whether the hremen be vol
unteers or paid Such criticism too often has good
foundation and is made by who would be woe
fully deficient il put TO the test
The time will come Of course. when it will be ne
cessary for city to have paid fire department
under direct municipal control and with the civil
service governing it from the chief down 20 the
lowest man in the ranks. Until that time comes,
however. il is the duty of Wmingtonans to uphold
the volunteers who for many years have stood be-
tween them and confagration. They are entitled to
a fair deal and not to unwarranted criticism II also
may be said that until the time for a paid department
comes it is the duty Of the volunteers to do every
thing they TO popularize themselves with the
people by giving the public that courteous treat
and fair consideration that they ask for them
selves With roasouableness, fairness and courtesy
displayed by both Sides the feeling in our community
will be much better and the good services Of the
volunteers will command greater recognition in all
sections Of city.
! Courtesy begcts courtesy and fair praise begets
good service II only is Il, instances that ou
volunteers fail In the performance of their full duty
either in the way of courtesy toward the public Of
in doing their best cope successfully with eNigen
cies created by outbreaks Of fire. II should be re
membered that with many old buildings in GU
city the volunteers often are confronted by situa
tions that much more desperate than those whic
confront paid fremen in many larger cities. vher
so-callod dre-proof construction of buildings has pre-
vailed longer The mere fact that no section OF on
city has been hre-swept speaks for itself and re
bounds to the credit OF the volunteers.