Denver labor bulletin., 1915-03-20

Secretary Treasurer William I. Hickey
of the Colorado State Federation of La
Dor has mailed each minister in Denver
a letter outlining reasons why church
people should assist organized labor in
obtaining the two-platoon system for the
city firemen. Following is a copy of
the letter:
Denver, Colo. March Is, 1915.
Reverend Sir:
There will come up at the regular
city election in May an amendment to
charter a new section to be known as
Sec. l62A, providing for what is called
the double platoon system in the city's
fire department. May / call your espec-
ial attention to the purposes OF the sec
tion and solicit for it from you a few
kind words OF consideration.
This charter amendment which has be-
hind il the great incontrovertable argu-
meut of mortality, humanity and fair
ness can be put into effect for between
S50,000 and $4,000 year. Under Dem
ver's present valuation and system of
tax collection that would mean but a
trifle over l6 cents annually on each
thousand dollars to the taxpayer. In
other words even the small home owner
with 5000 property would not pay
to exceed so cents a year 1t is not nee
essary to point out that the large prop
erty holder would never note such In
crease.
Under the workings of the proposed
amendment the city fireman who is now
liable to duty "a hours of each "a would
serve either ton or fourteen hours each
day The members of the department
would work in shifts. the day men being
on for ten hours and off for fourteen,
when the night shift was on Each month
the shifts change. Thus man would
work ten hours in the daytime during
one month and fourteen hours at night
during the next thirty days
Firemen on Duty All Hours.
As it is now, the men actually work
twenty-one hours day, but are liable
for all twenty-fOur. The three hours
are considered as time off for meals. but
the men are at all times subject To call.
Of course, the general morals OF such
system will appeal to YOU 1t has
simply come to be the rule because no
one has taken the initiative in proposing
n change. Every worker OF the world
has his hours each day which he may
spend with his family and in decent re-
creation, physical, mental and spiritual
development This is but an inherent
right and privilege granted TO every man
who tolls. Certainly all the city en-
ployes, except firemen. enjoy such priv
ilcgcs. 1t is fact that in every other
city department where necessity calls
for night and day forces, there are three
shifts of workers of eight hours each.
The FIREMAN alone Ii not included in this
provision. sa s s.s l.a
We compel our fireman-the man Who
protects us from the dangers Of the c3e-
Il.
erty--to work while We are awake, ana
then to work again while we are asleep.
We compel these men of the strong
heart and unflinching spirit to 60 for
days and weeks with scarcely . glimpse
of their loved ones.
We compel their children to 10 with
out the fathers care, his instruction. his
gsiardianship-aimos without his love.
For child that only occasionally sees
its father must in time grow away from
all the tender regard for the parent.
We compel the wife, il the firrman is
80 fortunate as to have one at all. to go
from day to day with only an occasional
sight Of the husband. the provider, the
father of her children
The hest cannot he exactcd of men
who are forever on duty. We know that
efficiency an6 service can not emerge
from xuch conditions. Surely the men
tnl and bodily welfare OF the men is
not served. And such things are not
conducive TO mortality or the best OF
citizenship.
Leads Life of q Hermit.
In the whole year. under the present
regulations. the fireman has but seven
Sundays off. In eight years. he may
have one Christmas a holiday. lie
cannot be member of fratcrnal or
ganization. because he cannot attend to
its meetings; certainly he could never
hope to be an officer in one. Through
lack of opportunity he gets out of the
good habit of attending church. His
wife and children may 20. hut he can
not He sees and hears very little of
the finer things in life. and grows away
from that which tends to promote higher
ideals
Assuredly these conditions are not in
line with the kindlier ideas OF the Twen :
ticth century. They make for broken
homes. unhappy hearts, discontcnted