Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-29

Taat tlme-worn habit of slumbering Sc
renely until the hour of imminent danger
and then calling upon the hremen to re-
enond and to re-establlsh safety and Sc
eilrity ia again being applied.
The latest application OBTAINS within the
bureau of Fire itself. and is made neces-
eary by the negligence of previous city Of
hcials who failed to provide for the welfare
N the faithful firemen through fear that
nroper means of such provision might ex-
cite some opposition of ''penny-wise-p e-poune'
foolish" city flnanciers
Now in desperation the fremen them
selves are being appealed to. In the name
of charity to their dependent brethren, to
make further sacrifice from their meager
stipend. That the provisions of the Bullitt
hill would be violated by compliance does
not seem to affect the situation. Either the
fremen must come to Its assistance vol
untary' the pension fund must go out
Of existence. and some 252 members of the
bureau thirty-seven widows and eighteen
dependent children be left without support.
That this theatened calamity may be
ayerted appeals have been sent out to every
member OF the Bureau of Fire asking his
favorable vote to proposition to Increase
the monthly assessment of every man in
the department. Just now this pro rata
share of the pension fund Is fixed at the
nit laid down In the Bullltt bill, or two
per cent of the annual salary. This assess
Tnent is the chief income of the fund.- with
the exception of an appropriation OF $4,000
from Councils and share in the proceeds
II the State tax on foreign insurance COM
panies
To levy more than the two per cent on
annual salaries would be illegal, but the
men, II they wsh may make whatever
donation they wish to the fund. The cir
cular appeal now sent out to them asks that
they donate" one days pay out of each
months salary for that purpose, 1t is ad-
mitted that even n unanimously favorable
response will fall far short of a sufIiciency
II the fund is to endure.
A monthly deficit of $4,000 is eating into
the capital of the fund to an alarming de-
gree and the maximum of relief that
days pay n month would afford would
lessen the deficiency less than $1,000
month.
Public appeal in behalf of the fund with
n view to benefit might be suggested, but
there is little likelihood that an order OF
the Director of Public Safety issued In
1911 forbidding such benefits. will be an
nued at this time The fremen, the rank
and file are being called upon, as they
have been in the past when financial aid Is
needed, and to their credit II may be said
a majority of them express willingness
TO pinch their meager incomes still harder
rather than that their retired brethren and
the widows and orphans of their fallen
comrades shall come to penury,
The nremen themselves are striving to
keep secret this call upon their charity
They are ashamed to place themselves In
position that appears to be one to excite
pity But today with this additional de-
mand staring them grimly In the face, the
desperation of the Philadelphia fremen
and the seeming apathy with which that
condition is regarded by citizens and Coun-
cilmen alike. cannot be kept hidden.
EITHER Councils must do something
speedily to relieve the situation or condi-
tons within the department Will become
intolerable to the younger men," declared
veteran member of the bureau today.
I'VE canpot keep up our pension fund
much longer, that is evident, The increas-
ing cost of living is making the salary OF
the newcomer, $75 a month, less than the
needs Of single man. How can mar
ried man support family and keep himself
In proper condition in the matter OF cloth
ing and pay the various assessments out
OF that amount? The bureau is short OF
men now. one engine company having but
Six men and a new company Is TO go into
commission as soon as the men are Sc
cured. The eligible list handed down yes
terday by the Civil Service Commission
contains 1913 names. But will all OF these
1913 men accept places in the bureau at the
present salary and with every prospect that
the pension fund will be exhausted long
before they become eligible to retire? II
Isn't pleasant prospect, It seems TO me.
why the business men OF this city do
not rise IN force and demand from their
Nouncllmen n prompt ana JUST treatment
for the men OF the Fire Bureau is beyond
me. We have laid our case before the
Counellmen. but they tell us to be patient
and they will take care OF us In proper
order. How long must we wait? II is up
70 the citizens and business men OF Phila-
delphia to say. Their joint pressure upon
the Mayor and Councilmen would make our
condition the first business in order at the
next session OF Common Council.
Let our friends call upon the Mayor and
Councils in our behalf during the remainder
or this week. Our committee Is working
nohiy 10 stimulate this sentiment and
know that much individual work has been
done. We are going 10 stick together and
pour high pressure stream OF public opin-
Ion into these Counellmen until the smoke
OF their indifference clears away, and then,
with the people behind us, We viii go In
ana win"
Letters indorsing the position OF the fre-
men In their campaign have been sent TO
members OF the Finance Committee OF
Councils from real estate owners In vari-
Gus parts Of the city. These letters up
hold the fremens request for shorter hours
and fair standard Of pay on the ground
that such a readjustment Of conditions
would provide the city with a higher nre
protection. and render property owners more
willing to submit to increased taxation.
Members OF the committee, individually,
nave given the hremen much encouragement
pY promising that, with the tax rate dis
posed or consideration Of nremens sala-
Ties and betteFment OF working condl-
lions will be the first measure anecttns
N.n..