Denver labor bulletin., 1915-03-20
Reasons Why Denuer Churches
Should Aid 2-Platoon System
Secretary W. Hickey of State Federation Of Labor
Addresses Open Letter Ministers in Behalf of City Fire
men and Urging Cooperation With Organized Labor

womel, unguided or half f-guided children,
and are not in keeping with what So
ciety is trying to do.
Is it any wonder that the percentage
OF divorces runs SO high among firemen
the country overf Is it to be marveled
at that women will try to exist for a
time under such unhappy conditions,
hoping they may succeed where SO many
failed, only to give up later and seek
the legal separation which may be the
stepping stone to more complete home
elsewhere, Is it any cause for surprise
that many men of the fire department,
kept from their homes, grow to think
little of those homes, as they think little
ON the question of religion, social obi
cations and such things, and that they
mourn not much when that home is dis
ruPted by dissatisfaction and discontentf
And do you know, sir, that statistics
establish beyond question that OF all the
cases coming before the juvenile courts
IN the large cities those concerning the
children of firemen run three to one OF
the children of men in other walks, This
must be due to the fact that the fireman
is not able to give proper attention to
the upbringing of his children. But such
things should not be.
Denvef VIII keap 6eneIlt.
We pin the hero medal on our firemen,
yet hold him away from his home so
that his wife and children may never
see the honor paid the husband and ia
ther- We pay tribute to his courage and
self-saerifice, yet ask him to go beyond
human courage and forsake all that life
holds dear, and to outdistance even self
sacrifice by sacrificing everything that a
man, husband and father should have
and enjoy. We work him all day and
night; no time for religious worship, no
Sunday at church, no hour for his lodge,
or society, and no moments with his
friends.
There Is the municipal uplift side, as
well a. the moral aspect. to the question.
Denver has long pleaded for greater pay
rolls. for more salaries in the pockets
OF more people But Denver can never
reap a harvest from such things while
she works men twentyfour hours and
permits others to walk her streets in
idleness or stay away because of lack
of Jobs. Every dollar OF the $4,000 or
sto.00l involved would be paid to Den
yer citizens. 1t would go into the build
ing OF better homes, into the tills OF
storekeeper<, into every avenue of trade.
Ii would be Denver money for Denver
people. Will you think of these points
in connection with this wise. timely. hu-
mane and not expensive charter amend
ments And, after considering them and
realizing their truth. will you please call
the attention Of your congregation to
them. either publicly or privately,
otler cities have adopted this two pla-
toon system, and in none of these has
ithe Snnsratio1 failed. Denver surely is
NOT behind h~r sisters when questions
of right and Justice are up. From out
the Dass Of laws for human and social
and religious development and from the
proposed smeliorating reforms which
seen to he the order of the day, the
firsnan-everybody's friend in time of
stress- asks you for moments thought
and consideration.
Yours respectfully.
w. T. HICKEY.
r. s. The city firemen are under the
civil service and this work must be car
ried on in their behalf by their friends.