The sun., 1918-07-17
Move on Foot to Affiliate PO-
licemen With American
Federation Of Labor.
PAY PROBLEM AT CRISIS
brennan Can Offer No Remedy
for Hardships-KenlOn
Backs Men.

caused amazement and concern among
city officials yesterday. No word came
from the Mayors office, the occupant OF
which himself holds a union card. but
there was a long consultation, the SUBJ
5ect Of which was supposed to be the
sew kink in tho salary question curled
BY the firemen when on Monday night
they decided to affiliate with the Interna-
tional Association of Fire Fighters.
As organized labors newest recruits
have not made any declaration of inten-
tion beyond that of enrolling in the
a. =. Of l.. as soon as a charter is
granted them, which will be in few
days, the members Of the Board of Esti-
mate have little to go on in their effort
10 decipher the fresh problem that Is
presented. They don't know how strong
q club the fitemen will be able to WELD
or whether they expect to WELD any
club at all. All they know Is that Or
Ganized labor has taken the blue shirts
10 It's bosom and that for the first time
tine city government has a labor union
in its midst.
Tho Central Federated Union heard
yesterday that the International Asso-
citation Of Fire Fighters expected to In
crease its membership to 100000 by
bringing in the firemen OF all important
American cities. 1t was also said that
there Is a movement afoot to animate
policemen with the American Federation
Of Labor. 1t has been understood that
under the constitution Of the A. f. OF
J., policemen were not eligible to MEM
bership. difference of opinion on TINS
point was recently referred to President
Samuel Gompers for settlement.
The Labor Federation, encouraged py
the friendly relations existing between
st and the National Administration is
striving to bring its membership up 10
10000 Plans for the organization or
all enfranchised workingmen even set
the goal at 5000, 900. The affiliation OF
the bricklayers and locomotive engineers
who for many years held aloof from the
federation, was hailed as master
stroke on the part of the labor Or
ganizers, and the winning of the hremen
of the world largest city means
another feather in their cap.
Firemen Move Slowly.
The firemen here are moving slowly
and taking counsel. 1t Is supposed that
the modest request for a 10 per cent. in
crease which the Board of Estimate has
been pondering on for about six weeks
will he greatly increased II 1t is not
granted before the administration
summer recess. Some members OF the
board said yesterday that the situation
was 80 novel they didn't know what 20
think One member added that It was
crave question in his mind whether or
not the administration could AFFORD TO
have any dealings with a labor union as
such. He was afraid that 1t might
open the door, to all sorts of labor
demands, and that before the city knew
St other groups Of employees might de-
"a tl.a n "a r.
half of the firemen 1t was suggested that
the administration would keep right on
dealing with the firemen as firemen. and
that only under extreme conditions
would the men endeavor to invoke the
aid Of union brethren in any campaign
that might be undertaken.
In the Fire Department the erect OF
THE SUNS exclusive report of the fire.
mems meeting and of their unanimous
decision to become members of the In
ternational Association OF Fire Fighters
which is a branch of the A. F. OF L., was
especially stunning because the men
who direct the fire fighters hadn't the
slightest idea until they read The Sun
that a meeting had even been held
Commissioner brennan said that. while
he had not had time TO study the situa-
ton thoroughly, he saw no objection 10
the action of the firemen as long as they
continued to obey the rules of the de-
partment. which he was sure they would
do Chief Kenlor, who was brought up
In a school to which the idea OF trade
unIorism in Fire Department Is nat
urally abhorrent. said he was so astori-
ished that he was unable to make COM
plete statement of his views. He felt
certain that the men would listen to
reason, as they had always done, and
said that the idea Of a strike was
unthinkable. He predicted that while the
firemen might not get their requested
advance this summer, they would get al
least is per cent. beginning January /.
Fire Heads Surprised.
Mr.. brennan. who. like Chief Kenlon
has given strong support to the men ir
their fight for salary relief. said that he
had read THE SUNS story Of the fire
mems meeting with great deal OF In
terest and that as the news was not ex
pected 1t came TO him as III out OF the
clouds" He was asked IL he had any
objection to the step the firemen haC
taken.
We'll" he replied. IT have not haC
time to study the whole matter, but JUS
now IL seems to me that there can bt
no objection as long as the men keep OF
obeying these" tapping a red book
let, on which was printed in gold let
ters. RULES and Regulations of thu
>"In going into organized labor, hav'
the men violated any of these rules" thu
Commissioner was asked. He answered
mot that know Of"
"If fremen come here as representa-
tives of a labor union to negotiate will
you will you receive them?'
Mr.. brennan begged to be excuse'
from answering this question. 1T is al
so new that | can make no defnit
statement" he said.
Speaking of the day in ten regula
ton whereby on June / the member
of the department were deprived o
half their days OFF. he said he com
pletely realized how hard 1t was, Blu
that under the conditions there was n
alternative. So many men had bee
taken by the draft and had resigne
that the city could not be protecte
without a change in the schedule an,
extension of working time.
1T is wholly question OF ma
poweT." he continued. at Is too ba
that fremen were not exempted fror
the>draft. think have written abou
twenty letters to Washington on thi
, subject. and 1t has also been suggeste
that II firemen cannot be exempted the
should at least be detailed by the Wa
Department to the protection Of the vas
amount of Federal property here. Thu
far nothing has come OF It. And eve
the Legislatures action In raising tn
age limit for candidates for fireme
from 80 to 50 years has failed to SUP
ply US with men. A few years ago sew
eral thousand young men took the exam
inatlon whenever one was announces
on the new list now being prepare