Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-20
OFFICIALS FAVOR
POLICE PAY RISE
All Approve Suggestion,
Except Finance Com
mittee Members
NEEDED, SAYS CATTELL

City officials aside from those dir city
in charge of municipal finances, are out
spoken in their approval Of the sugges-
ton Of the EVENING PUBLIC LEnGGa
that policemen receive $5 a day as the
lowest living wage for efficient men
under existing conditions, Keep up the
standard of living IL you expect the men
to respect themselves and their posi-
tons, was the sentiment expressed by
number Of officials.
Opposition to the plan. If it should
reach Councils, is little short of certain,
however. as members Uf the Finance
Committee recently pleaded lack of
funds when Select Councilman Harry
Trainer of the Third Ward, begged that
the officers have a tifty-cent-a-day IN
crease instead Of the twenty-fve-cont
one just allowed. Chairman Gaffney,
Of the Finance Committee, who is re-
garded as Mayor Smiths mouthpiece on
financial matters, when asked about the
So suggestion, said
II have nothing to say. Now, get m,
right. l have nothing to say"
James T., Lennon. president of Select
Council and member Of the Finance
Committee. after hearing of the Dlan to
increase the pay of policemen, said:
ut has been my experience that you
cannot pay a good man too much for
his services. but in return he must give
the best in him and proper value. In
this case I am forced to ask the ques-
ton. Where can we find the money Just
at this timer"
Dollars Power DwindIes
City Statisticlan CatteIl, who has
made an exhaustive study of living con-
ditions in Philadelphia, in discussing
the suggestion, said:
you must consider the purchasing
power of the dollar and how IT has
dwindled This is the only way 10
measure compensation in times like
these. Wealthy people can cut their
savings, but policeman living on $3.50
day Is not likely to have any savings
to cut, and must cut his living You
cannot lower the standard of living for
a man, his wife and children without
lowering the standards of the commu-
nifty II is broad question that has
to be considered in the light of present
conditions. A man is entitled to a
living wage, and II the purchasing
power of money cuts his wage below
that figure some one is bound TO suffer,
and he quickly loses interest in his
work. Present conditions call for emer-
gency remedies. and there Is nothing
more certain than that living cost has
mounted far in excess of wage return
not only in the case OF policemen, but in
those OF many other workers. Then,
too, II Is necessary 10 stop and think
that a policeman can leave the force
these days and get a great deal more
money from many private lines Of en-
deavor."
Policemen for Il, Of Course
Naturally the suggestion was most
welcome to members OF the force. who
were much disappointed when Councils
= few weeks ago decided TO allow them
only a twenty-five-cent increase from
their old regular pay OF $325 a day.
One big patrolman after reading the
editorial proposal whistled and said:
THAT would be too good TO be true.
but even at that II would only place us
somewhere near on a footing with the
money that our neighbors are getting"
The question Of financing the plan
was one that no important member of
Councils Finance Committee would dis
cuss, other than TO say II would cost
the city more than S1,O00,0O0 for the
remainder OF this year. and that no
such amount OF money would be consid-
cred at a time when there is awaiting
action on some forty other requests for
salary increases When the proposition
to transfer the funds from an unused
item and repay them with a temporary
loan at the end of the year was sug-
rested by one member he was promptly
met with the assertion that the tenn
porary loan borrowing capacity Of
81, goo, 900 will be needed for other pur-
poses than increasing the pay Of police
men