Evening star., 1916-08-04
Senate Provision for Police
men and Firemen's Pensions
Gratifying to Citizens.
COMMISSIONER NEWMAN
STRONGLY COMMENDS 1T
Officials and Others Express Hope Of
Favorable Action by
the House.

No legislation proposed for the Dis
trict in years is believed to have
! aroused such unanimous support or
the part of officials and citizens alike
as the provision for adequate police
| and firemen's pensions, included in the
District appropriation bill passed yes
terday by the Senate.
| Commissioner Newman, heads of
Washington's big trade and commercial
organizations, representatives of a
number Of citizens associations and
just plain friends of the men who give
the city police and fire protection
joined today in expressions of hope
that this legislation. long sought. will
| be passed by the House as decisively
| as it was adopted by the Senate.
Words of Commendation.
You cannot state too strongly my
! desire that this meritorious measure
shall become law" said Commissioner
| Newman. the only one of the three
| District heads now in the city.
The bill is fair and just and I be-
| lieve will be SO recognized by the
House." said Frank J. Wagner. chief
OF the fire department..
1T is the right kind of constructive
legislation. / consider it a model bill,
and one that will accomplish much for
the police and fire departments" COM
mented Maj. Pullman. chief of police.
The police and f1remens associations
OF the District have not had an oppor-
tunity to formally give their views on
the Senate's action, but expressions TO-
day by members of these bodies indi-
Gated that the bill is generally ap-
I
the provisions which the associations
had recommended.
Outside official circles enthusiasm
over inclusion of the Senate bill of the
pension recommendations ran equally
high. Practically every citizens asso-
citation in the District is on record ia
voring this legislation.
Backed by Civic Bodies.
Edward F. Colladay, president of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
said that he would Immediately assem-
BILE the special legislative committee Of
the federation for the purpose of maxi
ing an appeal to the House to retain
the pension provisions of the bill
This is legislation that has long
mously approved. it is up to the citi-
zens Of the District TO make every ef-
fort to complete the victory partially
won." said Mr.. Colladay.
Similar views We're voiced by P. T
Moran. president of the Chamber of
Commerce. This legislation appeals
to all our citizens" said Mr. Moran.
and would like to see every citizens
association that is on record in favor
of it reaffirm its position by passing a
special resolution for immediate pres
entation to the House.
Officials of the Board of Trade and
Retail Merchants Association also ex-
pressed qualification over the new de-
velopment in the pension fight, and in
clined to the view that the House will
vote in favor Of the bill.
John G. McGrath. president of the
Park View Citizens Association; Will
liam Nick. Clayton of the Brightwood
Park Association and other represent
atives of civic bodies voiced enthusias-
tic approval of the Senate's action.
System Classed Inadequate.
Washington is known to have the
most inadequate retirement and pen
sion systems for its police and fire de-
partments of any large city in the
country. fact that was commented
upon in recent report by the national
board of fire underwriters, and this
condition, IL is believed, will strongly
impress the House with the desirability
of concurring in the Senate recommen-
dations.
Not only are the pension amounts al
lowable under existing law small as
compared with those of other cities. but
the provisions for meeting these pay
ments are so inadequate that large de-
fciencies in payments have occurred,
doing grave injustice. In many In
stances, to the dependent families of
deceased pensioners.
Since 1911 the total deficiency in pen
al ant II hn fro dny,l rfr
has amounted to $22930S2; that for
the police department for the same
period. S45, ,4S0.05, making a grand de-
fciency of s6S,410.s7. The bill passed
by the Senate does not provide for the
wiping out of this deficiency. but it
makes impossible shortages in the fu-
ture.
Payments Under Present Law.
Under existing law payments are
made from police court fines. dog taxes.
assessment of 81 per month per mem
Der and other limited revenue-produc-
ing sources. The Senate measure
changes the assessment rate to IL per
centum of the monthly salary of each
member OF the police and fire depart
ments. enumerates some other sources
from which revenue shall be obtained
and provides against a deficiency by
stipulating that should the fund at any
time be insufficient the collector of
taxes shall pay into the Treasury of the
United States. out of the general rev.
enue of the District collected by him.
such sums as may be necessary to meet
deficiencies
The provision for retirement at so
per cent of the salary received while
in active service viii place Washing
ton in the same class with practically
every other large city, as there are few