Evening journal., 1918-08-22
POLICE AGAIN ASK
FOR wage INCREASE
Council May Divide $751;
000Unpaid Salaries Among
Members of Force
THINK CITY CAN
STAND ADVANCE

Headed by Police Sergeant William
F. Schell, a delegation Of twelve city
policemen appeared before City Council
as a committee OF the whole last even
Ing and presented a petition asking for
an increase OF s2C0 a year in wages. II
was explained that this sum meant a
wage increase OF about five and one
half cents an hour.
Although the Councilmen took no ac-
tlon on the petition, Councilman
Mearns. Atkins. Abberger and others
were Of the opilion that the officers
were entitled TO a salary raise AMI II
Is thought that the Council will ar
range with the Police Commission 10
pay TO the active men the unpaid wages
in the department this year. THIS
money has accumulated because OF va
cancies in the department. This money
amounts 10 s2s.000.
The pairolmen had secured the per-
mission OF the Police Commission TO
appear before Council with their re-
guest and Sergeant Schell. who appear
cd as spokesman for the delegation.
presented the facts
Sergeant Schell stated the proposed
Increase would ilx the wage scale as
follows:
Captains. 80 cents an hour: serssanis.
40 cents an hour: patrolmen after one
year 35 10 cents and the first year
patrolmen 80 cents This last figure
he added was less than the sum now
paid the street cleaners by the city
while the wages OF the captains at
present. which are about al cents an
hour, are one cent less per hour than
that paid street car men.
Sergeant Schell pointed out that at
the present time there were 2I vacan-
cles In the department, and while ~
men were eligible 10 retire, he did not
know OF any OF them contemplating such
a move. He added that he had been
eligible to retire himself for months,
but did not think that a man should re-
tire unless he was "sll in" and he was
not IN that class as yet, ne said.
Continuing Sergeant Schell said, 1--WE
are thankful for the grant Of an in
crease OF 500 allowed us by Council
sometime ago. but you men who EN-
ploy labor realize that the wages paid
the police are small compared with
those you have TO pay for help. Some
OF us have served IS years and others
25 or more; we have given the best OF
our lives to the city. and we feel that
in asking for this increase we are act
ing in justice TO ourselves"
He then explained that with the 2i
vacancies now in the department,
which the commissioners were having
trouble to flil, would mean that al the
end Of the year the wages saved the
city would amount 70 about $4,000,
and that with this sum. the first years
increase would not cost the city one
cent additional. He also pointed out
that some OF the patrolmen who had
been street car men 81 one time. could
all secure their old positions back at
IS cents an hour.
Sergeant Schell made u plain that
the police were not making any threats
OF quitting. however. and stated that
they were willing at all times from the
chief down 70 the janitOr TO do their
extra turn Of duty.
As proof Of this, he cited the fact
that with i25 men in the department
few years ago. the total number Of ar
rests were $500 whereas 10 now
averages about 100 per year, and
while the moneys secured through the
city court some years ago netted si.-
600 a. year. the total last year was
nearly $4,000.
Among those who appeared before
Council We're: Sergeants Keyser, Nc
Dermott. Fox, Lewis and Officers Dut-
ton. Abrahams, Payne, Barr. McGnlion,
Gaynor and Detective Fairchild.