Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-14
FIRE CHIEF HEEDS
CHILD'S APPEAL
Members of Department
Will Have Extra Hour Off
Christmas Day
rvAMpLE FOR PUBLIC
Mary Doran's Unaided Effort
Suggests Power of Com
munity Demand

,.,,. Mary poran. sinsle-handed. has
s-.,,il.hed more for the nremen OF Phila-
+.i..ia than has been done thus TAR on
sless ~ those underpaid and overworked
s....ie,ral ssrvnnts by tho entire citizen
s.sy of this community. She has obtained
- nsr fireman father and for all OF his
..nraass IN the Fire Bureau ilessening OF
tksir hours OF duty so that on on'is''''ss s W.
r.y the 500 fathers now enrolled IN tine
s,,,,.n Of Fire may for Just this once
.-s,v In 80 far as present conditions per-
~ = christmas dinner at home
,fasv.s victory was accomplished through
,s,,sr addressed TO chief Engineer Muir
- N the Bureau OF Fire. In his reply
f,,.e Murphy not only expresses his inten-
-. "a grant TO Mary's papa and all the
....tors OF the Bureau an extended time
y - C,hriatuas Day, but he voices the
-. ,hst next year will find the men In his
..ss,,,nd able TO enjoy more time NJ home
80 thstr '1ittie Marys' than the three
r'',.. dsiiv leave OF absence which Is now
=. y,,xIrnum allowance for men on duty,
rhIsf Murphy's letter was obtained from
n,,is Mary today. In hor childish PRIDE
~. .,sb,-year old champion of the Bureau
.sr,,s was loath 20 part with her cherished
,.,,., from the chief. II was only In the
..sssa m her 10Y over the unexpected In
s.s...a,,on that her father would be able
y sss,o in tho Christmas festivities for the
s,.t- lime that sho was induced to allow
~ treasured note TO go out OF her possess
slon even temporarily.
ADDITIONAL HOUR FOR ALL
Ana Mary has good right to feel proud
f-nief Murphy today declared that he In
,snded 10 issue general order for Christ
va pay permitting the men OF the Fire
pureau 10 enjoy an additional hour for
meals.
r,au will be In such condition that II will
4. noSaIble for every fireman to be of duty
and with his family more frequently than
i now the case" said the chief.
m every citizen Interested In the btu
srsu had written TO his Councilman or to
tbs Mayor as this little girl has written TO
se feel that the campaign for shorter
hours and better pay would have been won
bafore this.
1,But this little eght-year ar-old girl has set
an example simply could not resist her
pta on behalf OF her papa To let him
chaail day would be unfair to the other
fathers In the bureau, but to let all the
fathers have an added hour for their Christ
mas dinner seemed to mo to be the fairest
solution of the question. So In my reply
told her that I would issue an order to
lhst effect And will send 1t out in
feS days,
Il only hope that this letter imprcsses
eur friends outside the bureau as much as
h Impressed me. Our cause would be won
Immediately II II did.
Even now II has reached n stage through
o. publicity we have obtained that some
coanclnen appear TO be really ashamed
70 discuss the hremen and the way they
have been treated.
Let the Mary Dorans of Philadelphia
eur friends big and little-write' or call
ssoh their Councilmen, especially the MEM
tefs Of the Finance Committee. and see
~ long these men would hold out against
~ Expressed wishes of their constituents
Today l believe, the outlook is unuau-
aly favorable for our campaign. but the
day Of putting into effect the proposed new
ahedule Of salary and time could be has
tened considerably II pressure were brought
% bear upon the Mayor and CouncilmanIc
lsAders They viii give the public what
1 wants II II makes its wants known
snphatically enough.
~ Mary Doran, eight years old. and
aRAided. can accomplish what she has, one
Aow additional time off duty for one thou
And men, can you Imagine what would
fellow II the business men, the private
ritlfenF, men and women OF our city, would
Hfiie or petition the Mayor and Councils
in our behalf? We have received splendid
support and encouragement In our cam
paign.
Can you imagine tho effect II every one
q those persons were to address an in
aNldual note to the Mayor or to a Council
n.hf Big as IL is, the effect OF Mary Doran's
sse would be infinitesimal IN comparison.
xasfe wouldn't be a member OF either
nEAnch OF Councils who could hold out
asainst such an appeal