Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-30

Camden has demonstrated 70 phllsdei
phiA that IL can be done" Camden has
"guuc and done H."
The little city across the Delaware has
granted to she members Of iu FIRE depart
mcnt ten per cent salary Increase that
after July I next will give to tho hromen
of that municipality higher scale % wages
than Is raid 10 the hose and ladder men of
PHILADELPHIA
Tho camden frcmon are juhllAnt. not
only because ~ the individual beueht they
VIII enjoy from the additional yearly pay,
but The new scale litta thcu to a position
in tho matter ~ salary above their phila.
delphln brethren. Tho Camden firomcn at
ready cnicy one day on IN hvN an conn
Pared 10 philndelphia's every sixth day
on"
BY the terms of tho yearly budget which
has just eccn passed by Camden city Coune
ellis the Fire bureau appropriation Is fixed
at tlG0 o0O THIS sum will pormit after
July / the introduction ot Eradcd salary
system starting az $500 aud Increasing at
the rate ~ si00 annually until the maxi.
mum ~ $500 u reached Tho present
salary for hrst.class fireman Ia Camden
IN fl0so. which ia $40 less than Philadelphia
hose and ladder men receive In the Same
class
Unless Councils take action speedily TO
grant tho pending appeal IN behalf of tho
lremcn of this city, Philadelphia aftcr July
! will be forced into q poBitiOn behind Cam
dem both In salary and working conditions,
IN her Bureau OF Fire
civic pride the partEans ~ tho nremena
campaign now hope, may lead phladel-
phi0ns TO demand that their city IN it's
treatment ~ the men In It's bureau ot Fire
rlBo at least To the level of Camden, even
n tho position held by other large American
cities Is stil far superior 20 that or their
own
New York city considers 1850 fair
annual salary for the man In the ranks OF
It's Fire bureau.
Philadelphia flftoen years ago set SlioO
aH tho maximum yearly compensation for itb
first grade hoac and lRddermen. md has
stood fast 20 that figure In the fnce OF tho
heroic, solf-sncrlhcing service at higher liv-
INK cost performed by It's nrcmcn,
New York firomen enjoy a day on after
three days continuous duty ut their sta
tlons
Philadelphia grpnts--ns II has done these
forty-flve years without changc--twenty-
four hours off after Ave days consecutive
station duty
LESSON IN NEW YORK
Now York city nrcmen are dissatisfied
with the conditions which compel their con-
stant presence mt their stations for three
days, Sevcnty-two hours OF duty arc uu-
fair they contend, In these days Of unlver-
sally applied elght-hour periods devoted to
labor. a two-platoon system II urged na
amordng relief from tho irkaOmc conditions
now prevailing, and somo advocates OF
reformation are suggesting the application
OF the cight-hour day TO the Fire Depart
ment,
Philadelphia deems tlCee meal periods Of
one hour each sufficient daily interruption
and relaxation In routine that ombTaoeH
the entire twOnty-four hours daily and
since 1871 the mon In the Bureau Of Fire
have submitted uncomplaining 60 the rlgora
and domestic isolation demanded by such
system.
To-day IN n campaign supported by popu'
lar approval they are aalSlnR Councils to
readjugt thoir working conditions 20 thoy
may enjoy that for whose abandonment as
autiquRted their New York brethren are
clamoring every fourth day At home with