New-York tribune., 1919-10-03
President Stans6eld Says
Adverse Criticism of Mu.
nicipal Employees Asso-
citation Is Cause of Move
More for Street Cleaners
Budget Committee Said to
Have Decided on Pay In
crease of $500 a Year

The recently formed Municipal EN-
ployes' Association, said to have been
sponsored by Mayor Hylan, has ceased
to exist. 1t was formed only two
months ago, and it's avowcd object
was to unite all the city departments
under one head for the purpose of
getting salary increases. Since the
Civil Service Forum was already in
existence, forum members felt that
the M. E. A. was an attack upon their
own organization. The forum hits back
at the new association vigorously.
Forum officials said it was "an inside
Joo', and a resolution was passed at
meeting of the forum condemnng it.
A recent meeting of the Municipal
Employees Association brought out only
twenty-five members, and yesterday
George Stansiield, treasurer of the
body issued the following statement
announcing its dissolution:
I'm winding up the fnapces Of the
Municipal Employees Association, we
have concluded to return TO the diff
ferent departments the paid appl-
cation cards and to distribute pro
rata the balance on hand after de-
fraying all expenses, such as rent
of hall, printing, etc.
an view of the MANY adverse
criticisms regarding an association
so large as the one contemplated, we
have decided to abandon the prof.
ect"
Climax Comes Next Week
Public hearings before the Board of
Estimate and the regular monthly
meetings of the Uniformed Firemen's
Association and the Patrolmens Benev-
olent Association next week are ex-
pected to bring the city employees
drive for salary increases to it's eli
max.
The Budget Committee is expected
to complete its deliberations this week,
and report back to the full board early
next week. Public hearings before
the board will begin, it is thought,
about Wednesday. On Tuesday, the
patrolmen and firemcn will hold their
regular meetings, the police at Maen-
nerchor Hall, 2O5 East Fifty-sixth
Street. and the frcmcn in the Pulitzer
building. The situation with regard to
the salary increase drive will be dis
cussed at both meetings, and the men
Will be asked to SO on record as sup
porting the action of their officers in
continuing the drive, regardless of the
Board Of Estimate Committees init
asked by the men would be granted.
report current Yesterday that the
Budget Committee had agreed to
recommend substantial advances for
the street, cleaners was seized upon by
the tiremcn and patrolmen as evidence
that tn" committee was favorably in
clined toward the Civil Service Forum S
programme. which includes the schcd-
ules asked by the patrolmen and fire.
men.
An Increase of $500
Officials Of the mems organizations
said they were credibly informed that
the Budget Committee had decided to
recommend an increase Of $500 a year
for the mon Of the Street Cleaning
Department and also to establish the
section foremen and stable foremen
of that department upon an equal foot
ing as to pay. Previously stable fore
men had received more than section
foremcn. although the two grades per
form similar duties. The fight of the
section foremcn for this change has
extended over twenty years, officers of
the forum said.
1t is the opinion of the New York
liremen and patrolmcn that the weak
ness in the budget committees recon-
mendation lies in the fact that the in
crease it supports for the men Of the
lower grades is not sufficient A rate
which cave the men of the second and
third grades mere, and left the FIRST
Grade mans salary at 81 800, would be
acceptable in a far greater degree shan
8 tho present recommendation which
leaves the salaries in the third and
second grades at 81 45O and $1,000.
respectively. 1t is one of the ircon-
Gru ties of the present system, the men
claim, that ii saddles the man who is
lust entering the department with
ncavy mandatory expenses for uni
forms and equipment, which in the case
Of the higher grades are not so great,
bat pays him at the lowest rate