The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
BRENNAN PRAISES
FIREMAN GUINNESS
Denies Politics in Transfer or
That Mayor Hylan Was Con-
cerned in Change.
MEN FEEL RESENTMENT
Trained Men Shifted From
Long Island to Manhattan
to Fill 700 Gaps

Thomas ]. brennan, Fire Commits
sioner, scoffed yesterday at the idea that
there was any element of persecution In
the recent transfer order affecting Fire
man Alfred L. Guinness, president Of the
Uniformed Firemen's Association. who
at the head of a contingent OF
1 900 flremen in the Labor Day parade.
1t was merely a matter Of coincidence,
the Commissioner contended, that GUM
ness was transferred from Hook and
Ladder Company 40. in Long Island
City. where he lives, to Hook and Ladder
Company "a. on Thirty-third street near
Broadway in Manhattan. two days after
his appearance in the parade.
Commissioner brennan exhibited an
order showing that several other fremen
had been transferred with Guinness on
the same day. During the last few
months. he declared, about 200 firemen
living near their stations in the suburban
sections OF the city had been similarly
Inconvenience in order to combat a
great fire hazard in Manhattan created
by the serious shortage of firemen in
the latter borough. To meet this short
age, the Commissioner added, II was UNI
necessary to sacrifice the
comfort Of the men to the good of the
city.
In selecting the men to be shifted, the
Commissioner said. an official OF the
Fire Department merely went over the
list of available firemen and picked out
names without reference to personalities.
~ a
not consulted Mayor Hylan before ratify-
ing the transfer OF Guinness and that
after the shift was made he had not dis.
cussed the matter with him.
Mayor Hylan. 1t will be recalled. was
in the reviewing stand when Guinness
passed al the head of tine fremen's con-
tingent In the Labor Day parade. The
Mayor. according to bystanders, ap-
pll uded vigorously when the fire fighters
went by.
ResentfuI Feeling Aroused.
In spite Of Commissioner Drennan's
reassurances, however, there Is still
strong tendency on the part of officers
and men in the Fire Department to re-
gard the transfer of Guinness as a di
rect slap at the Uniformed Firemen's
Association. which is affiliated with the
American Federation OF Labor. The in
cident. 1t Is said. has aroused a keen
feeling of resentment not only among
the firemen but among the police as
well. There Is even some speculation
as to the possible attitude which or
ganized labor will assume in view of
the resolution passed by the State Fed
Grafton OF Labor at Buffalo last week
indorsing the flremen's organization and
calling upon all other labor bodies to do
likewise.
Has the Uniformed Firemen's Asso-
citation in any way met with the disap-
prevail of those in authority in the Fire
Department" Commissioner brennan
was asked yesterday.
The department has not taken any
official cognizance Of the organic alton
one way or the other" was the reply.
But I will say this: the department is
run in accordance to a definite set of
rules formulated for the good OF the
city, and any organization that in any
way attempts to- conflict with those rules
will have to reckon with the department.
But it is absurd to assume that
Guinness participation in the Labor
Day parade or his connection with the
Uniformed Firemen's Association had
anything to DO with his transfer. In
Manhattan, the most important FIRE
fighting district in the city, we have a
drafted into the army. or who have left
the department to accept better paying
positions elsewhere. About 500 firemen
from the Long Island districts of the
city have been transferred to Manhat-
tan and their places in the suburbs have
been filled by volunteer fire fighters.
Unframed Men In Suburbs.
AN unframed man can help fight fires
in the outlying districts OF the city, es-
peCially under the supervision of the nu-
cleus OF trained men whom We have
left In each OF the fire houses in those
districts. But the conditions in Man
haitian demand skilled fire fighters, and
in coping with this situation we cannot
he handicapped by the personal affairs
of the individual fireman, although ii is
the policy Of the department to assign
men to houses near their homes when
that is possible Under present condi-
tons, however. the vast majority OF
hromen stationed in Manhattan do not
live In the vicinity of their houses. and
only TWENTY-FIVE OF the 1sa firemen sta
toned on Staten Island live on the ISL
and.
I'm one sense the shifting of the fire.
men was for their own best interests,
for the depletion of the companies I'm
Manhattan threatened to disrupt the
system by which the men are now get
ting one day or in every 1--WE"
Did you notice Guinness's name on
the list q transfers handed you FOR ap-
proval on September A." the Commits
sioner was asked.
81 probably did. since 7 read over the
list" replied the Commissioner, but I
regarded him merely as an excellent
fireman who was needed badly in Man
haitian"
Friends OF Guinness. however declare
that his was the first involuntary trans
fer from Hook and Ladder COMPANY 40
in Long Island City for many months.
AS president of the flremen's associa-
ton Guinness was active In the cam
paign backed by THE SUN through which
raises in salary were obtained for the
hremen recently. He was opposed at
first to his organization joining the In
ternational Association OF Fire Fighters.
a branch Of the American Federation OF
Labor, and only consented to the union
ization after his patience had been ex-
hausted by the delays which City Hall
interposed before granting the pay in
Creases.