The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-16
FIREMEN TO join
LABOR FEDERATION


Continued from First Page.
unskilled labor Is receiving double that
amount and
Whereas such conditions are entirely
unjust and breed discomfort In a body OF
faithful and patriotic public servants
who ask only the treatment accorded
men In less perilous work and
whereas the uniformed firemen nnd
themselves working under conditions
that existed when the paid Fire Depart
ment was organized In 1865, while the
uniformed firemen OF Chicago. Philadel-
phia. st. Louis. Boston. Ptttsburg, New
ark and other cities have obtained relief
In platoon systems and higher pay and
Whereas the uniformed hremen Of
those cities are affiliated with the Inter
national Association of Fire Fighters
and have invited the uniformed firemen
OF the city of New York to Join same
therefore be Il
Resolved, That the Uniformed Fire
mems Association, Fire Department
city Of New York, hereby declares Itself
In sympathy with that great brother
hood Of fire fighters and approves the
recommendation of the executive COM
mittee that the u. F. A. apply for a
charter as a local OF the international
fhbooSidtioH vi HC = ib
Men in Deadly Earnest.
Vera Cruz Hall was crowded to sufro.
cation with uniformed men who had re.
ceived postcards with a red ink line tell
ing that important business was on
hand. 1t was one OF the biggest meet
ings tho Uniformed FIremen's Associa-
ton has had. In addition to the men
regularly representing their companies
or battalions as delegates there were
many who represented only themselves
and who were using some OF their
precious day of or their meal hour TO
take the big Jump with the rest Of the
boys.
1t was noticeable that not a word
was said In criticism of any city or de-
partment official. The men were deadly
serious. They had weighed the conse-
quences and knew what they were doing.
To them Mr. Spellacy. who was formerly
a captain in the Schenectady Fire De-
partment. was introduced by President
Guinness Mr.. Spellacy bore witness
that he had the fight Of his life before
he got the consent OF the associations
officers to speak to the men. He said
that the first city to Join tho international
Association of Fire Fighters was Pitts
burg.
AT that time" ne said. 'some Of US
looked with horror upon the idea that
men In uniform should affiliate them
selves with the common labor movement.
We had felt ourselves to be exalted and
set apart. But Pittsburg was followed
by other cities and the number Of cities
has grown to ninety-four. with a total
membership Of 1880 men,"
The Value of Organization.
He told how he had been converted.
He had been in the Schenectady depart
ment fourteen years without a mark
against his name. The firemen had had
no salary increase in Ave years. Before
the Board of Estimate he made q plea
for a $50 advance.
THE Mayor (Lunn) told me he had
never before realized the condition Of
the fremen's life and used his influence
to have the board give favorable con-
sideration to our petition. Then he
body and asked What do you repre-
sent? The local union Of ash and
garbage collectors said the spokesman.
Why said the Mayor. you have had
a raise every year for four years
"'What do you want the Mayor
meant. do You want the EARTH But
the spokesman for the ash can and
garbage men said. One hundred dol
lars"
Well. the upshot o, I. was. said Mr..
spellacy. thai because the garbage coli
lectors were in n union and firemen were
not the fIremen we're asked 10 wait
a while until the garbage cleaners got
tb.ir Increase
"I realized continued Mr. sne,,acv
that What 7 needed wa. education
u,hIoh tha o,rho 90 49,, rossassad ~,
-, I;e.
hant,a ,,,., 80. T.,
~ -. P
.'e suee' eais ie'il"i A'',s y" eFeo, III
III hferhei were hiiieu Ut lh,u,eo
vi sasseu' iou near 'hei,i saying wha'
great Joo tne nremen dio last night
anu praisins TINS Wohoeriui hre loree'
but came 10 the conclusion that We
hao received SO many bouquets that We
were hteraliy buried under them, and
that doesn't buy shoes and clothes for
the children or educate them. 1t Is our
duty to bury false pride and get into the
swim.
Cheer for Three PlatOons.
Last wear tho International A,,o.;.-
ton of Fire Fighters received a chartsr
from the A. F. O. l.. and Mr. SneIlacv
was made general president. He said
aifillation had produced great results.
He told the New York fremen II was
time for them to set aside sentiment and
seek something material.
He insisted that II the three platoon
system was good for the cops 1t would