Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-15
FIRE CHIEF MURPHY
IIPHOLDS CAMPAIGN
rgorts of Men to Enlist
public Support Evokes
superior's Praise
ruEIR ARDENT CHAMPION

,..,,or NJ philadelphia in their cam
Ins ~. =, increase OF ralary and scale
Fsisss,-g hours tnnt will permit more
,s,ss hours OF duty out OF every
a... .g,tr have no stronger champion or
.s frlsnd than william II. Murphy. the
....nt chief engineer OF the Bureau ot
Fir .,.-,.
f..,. nbases Of the campaign OF publicity
,gasinr in the fremen's behalf has not
-, .e avs In the slightest degree 10 any
100 ~ sympnthy on hts part Neither
t, had its origin in any feeling that he
= chief engineer has not received proper
so,sldaraton In the formulation on propo-
s,,Ion aiTecting n bureau OF which he is tho
executive head.
rn, the contrary Chief Murphy him
=, ,odav defined and explained his views
- AZ. caupalgn. I'm only afraid OF one
.s,n,," a,id the chief, smiling as he sat at
~. dssk In fire headquarters, Juniper and
nee streets Il am afraid that no man
.sr nut into words strong enough how heart
n, ard sincerely l am with the men OF the
h.,,ssu in this campaign. I can't tell myself
~ ,hts campaign. can't tell you myself
- strongly | am for them and for what
,hsv are asking. II II lay within my
s,gsr 10 grant them the request for moro
time TO spend at their homes than the three
sours daily they now get. they would have
h.d Il the instant became chief engineer
URGED REIMBURSEMENT
.aefore this movement began. In my first
snort 10 the Director Of Public Safety
advocated a rsadjustment in the working
kouys OF the bureau That was three years
go and what | said then expresses my
sentiment today At that time I wrote. ms
van may read in my report: The two-pla.
soon system and the every fourth day OF
svstem are under consideration at present
l.. H.. N...a.1 -
drrtnen may he reduced Many advantages
would be gained over the present plan OF
twsnty.four hours day. with every sixth
Aay OF and the entire bureau would be
henented These long hours OF duty seem
an Unnecessary hardship. especially as a
very small increase In the membership
would permit Of the Introduction OF plan
which would give the men in the service
opportunities for family and home life now
denied them
That was written for. and Is part OF my
1914 report At that time. as you see, my
nrst thought was for my men. II is still
my first and most prominent thought.
Anything | can do today that would
help TO bring about the success OF the pres
snt campaign ] will do willingly and gladly.
have been fireman twenty-five years.
have served in the ranks, and up the lad
der through the several degrees TO my pres
snf poaition l am familiar with all the
phases OF a hremans life through per
eonal experience No one In the service
knows better than how much an addition
TO his opportunities for home life means 10
9 fireman. And no one is reader than
70 work toward the accomplishment or any
plan that AIMS to lessen the long tour OF
duty at the fire station. want every man
IN tho bureau to know and to understand
this
"when this campaign began the men
came to me and told me what they wanted
70 bring about, / told them approved their
eforts and when they named committee
10 represent them l did all that 1 could to
hello that committee in its work. Because
/ have said nothing publicly since the com
nllee was named and began its work there
nay be an impression that have lost inter
est or have felt that | had no part In
further movement Nothing could 'be fur
s ther from the truth and know that the
men In the bureau who know me, and that
means virtually every man in 1t, under
stand why acted as did.
Il simply do not want to do anything
that might interfere or nullify any step or
action Of the committee. II Is doing
It's work 30 capaby and 80 thoroughly
In accord with my own IDEAS in the matter
that feel that any individual action, no
matter how well-intended, might tend to
Epnl or at least hamper its own good
plans | am not "A talkcr at any time, ana
IN this present juncture / feel that ! am
eolng the proper and hest thing by sitting
hack and admring the good and excellent
way In which the men themselves are
carrying on their work.
"As TO the cause itself / do not know
worthler one. and now, | believe, the
pablic has been brought to look upon 1t
Win the same Importance as the officers
and men OF the bureau. / believe that In
short time the additional men needed to
shect fourth-day-Ofr system Will be
granted In my own opinion the fourth
Gay on is better than a twO-platoon sys-
sem The two-platoon arrangement Is a
straight day and night shift, while every
fourth day is Neutrality-suspicious. holiday
With every second day OH lasting for thirty
ta hours. This pan gives the men more
opportunity 20 be with their families than
they were working In weeks OF alter
nauns day and night duty. / am drawn
70 this opinion as the result OF observa-
non and from statements l have obtained
lfom officials In cities where the two-platoon
system 10 In operation
i haven't mentioned tho matter OF salary.
TO my mind that question is one that Is
90 evidently in need OF Teadiustment that
i seems foolish TO suggest that IL be taken
INTO confederation except In the way the
men ask for II, Under existing conditions,
Is next TO impossible for "A man In the
nFe bureau. II he has family, 10 live upon
ne present salary. and even n single man,
or one with no dependents, has little induce
lneht TO enter the service, But am con-
aaent that Councils. when they get the
regular budgets out OF the way and turn
thslr attention to the surplus at their dis
posal will see that the men of the bureau
ef hre have the first consideration.
As Tor myself. there is no man In Phila-
esiphla, within the bureau or outside OF II.
sho has the interests Of the fremen or
nell welfare more at heart than l,
aha want TO assure them. one and all.
saal they have no trueT friend in this move
nenI nor one who Is more ready 10 help
thelr cause, than Chief Murphy"