The sun., 1919-10-08
ALDERMEN SUPPORT
CITY SALARY RAISES
All But One Vote for Report
Recommending Higher Pay
to Board of Estimate.

After many Democratic as we'll as Re-
publican members OF the Board of AL
dermen had denounced it as being toe
conservative. all except one member
voted yesterday for the adoption of the
report OF the special committee on the
increase of the salaries of city en-
ployees. That one was Alderman Abra-
ham Beckerman, who supported the So
cialist minority report. which advocated
a minimum of $500 for all adult en-
ployees of the city.
The ma jority report recommended to
the Board of Estimate (the Board OF
Aldermen has no affirmative powers in
making the city budget) that:
The three 81 AIDES OF patrolmen and
firemen receive $500. 81 500 and $4,000,
respectively. as demanded by them.
Police matrons receive an increase of
$3.50 a year.
All employees getting less than 50. 900
year get a 20 per cent. Increase
All employees above $4,000 get an in
crease of 10 per cent.
All laborers should get 81 day.
Al mechanics should get the prevail
ing rate of wages.
Alderman Held. who introduced the
minority report for the Socialists, said
that common justice dictated that the
20 per cent. increase all along the line
for men getting $4,000 or less. with a
minimum Of 81 500. which It suggested,
was no more than riEht.
The Roard OF .lldermen should de-
clare ITSELF he said. ''and take the
stand that IL will not approve any
budget that does not carry these recon-
mendations."
This report does not satisfy me II
does not mean anything" said Alderman
Haubert Of Brooklyn, but. being a
Democrat and good organization man.
| shall vote for it."
The Alderman told a story of a man
who last year was getting a salary 80
small he was ashamed to say Just what
it was This man was supporting a family
of FIVE two sons were fighting in France
And" said Alderman Haubert, that
man got an increase of just $24 a year"
Equalization of salaries was what was
needed greatly, he said, and spoke OF
many instances where men in Brooklyn
were getting only $1,000 for the same
work for which employees in other bor-
oughs received $500.
Alderman McGarry, also Democrat,
severely criticised the report He had
employed many men all his life he said
Men who twenty-five years ago he gave
s1.75 a day to were now getting 81 a
day, he said. Men who were getting as
much as $4,000. he asserted. could get
along at this time without an increase
in favor of some OF the lower salaried
men.
What is the use of passing this rec
ommendation said Alderman Quinn,
Republican, sarcastically. "It does not
mean anything. The Board of Estimate
will not pay any attention to IT, knowing
that the supine majority in the Board
of Aldermen will favor any budget that
the Board of Estimate may adopt.
The Board of Estimate continued its
hearings on the budget in the Comptrol-
'ler's office yesterday.
Stenographers OF the City Magistrates
courts sent an appeal to the tax budget
committee yesterday for an increase in
salary from $2160 to s2.590. The 10
per cent. increase voted recently is held
to .be insufficient to meet living costs.
Magistrates Frederick r, House and Jo-
seph S. Schwab have indorsed the plea.