The Washington times., 1919-10-15
FIREMEN ASK
SAME WAGES
GIVEN POLICE
Union Delegates to Present
Claims to House Subcommit-
tee This Afternoon.

Members Of the Warrington Fire
Department will contend they are en-
titled to the same basic pay, voted
by the House for police privates when
hearings begin this afternoon be.
I fore the House subcommittee inVsti-
eating pay increases for firemen and
/ policemen.
The salary increase bill prepared
BY the District Commissioners does
not meet with the approval OF the
! firemen, in that II abolishes the posi-
tions Of engineer, assistant engineer,
marine engineer, assistant marine
engineer pilot and marine fireman.
! and further provides for basic sal
aries that are lower than those
/ granted the police.
Under the provisions OF the Com
/ missioners' bill the firemen, whose
! jobs would be abolished, would be
/ transferred to the positions Of priv
ates OF class one, two and three. The
! position Of class three would be a
/ new position in the department, as
/ there are now only two classes Of
privates.
Present Basic Salaries.
At present, privates Of class one
are paid a basic salary Of $500. The
/ Commissioners recommend this be in
! ~ESasSu 70 e4Bo@O. Inc Llrenens
union will ask that the increase be
/ to 81 .46O, which is the basic salary
! Of class one privates OF police.
Class two privates in the Fire De-
partment are now paid S1,14O. The
/ Commissioners recommend an in
1 crease to $1,440, while the fire ask
Tor $1,56O.
Class three is the new position the
! Commissioners would have created in
the department to carry q salary OF
%i,56o. The firemen are asking that
this position carry q salary Of s.. SEQ.
Fifty-four For Glass Three.
The twenty-seven engineers and
| tWenty-seven assistant engineers,
whose jobs would be abolished Il the
/ Commissioners bill is adopted, would
1 be put into class three. Many Of
them have been in the Fire Depart
ment from ten to twenty years, and
they resent being made privates now.
The position OF engineer now pays
$1,000. The Commissioners want the
job abolished, while the fremen are
asking that the salary for that posi-
ton be increased to 81 500, and that
the salary Of assistant engineer be
increased from S1,14O to 81 $50.
The chief engineer now receives
| $500. The Commissioners and Fire
should be raised to $4,000: they also
| agree on a raise for the deputy chiefs
from $500 to $1,000. and a raise for
the eight battalion chiefs from $1,000
to $500.
DiheFenees As To Others.
There Is a difference in the matter
Of increases for other Officers. The
Commissioners recommend that the
Fire Marshal be increased from 50 1000
to $500. The firemen contend the
job should pay $4,000. The deputy
hrt marshal would be raised from
$1,4OO to $1,000 by the Commissioners
bill. The firemen want his salary in
creased to 2,25O.
Other increases advocated by the
Commissioners are: Increase the
chief clerk from $4,000 to 81 500: the
other clerks from 81, 400 to 81 $40.
The thirty-eight captains, now be-
ing paid $1,000, would receive 50. 900
under the provisions OF the Commits
siOners' bill. The fremen ask an in
crease to S2,25O. The Commissioners
recommend that the forty lieutenants
be increased from 81. .32O to 81 1,72O
The iremen contend this job should
pay $1,000.
Increases for SerEeants.
There ere forty-one sergeants who
would De increased from $1,000 to
$1,000 under the provisions of the
commissioners bill. The fremen are
asking $1,92O for sergeants.
The superintendent of machinery
now receiving $1,000 would get 81. 500
under the Commissioners bill. The
dremen ask $1,000 for this position.
The assistant superintendent of ma
chinery would be increased from
$1,000 to $1,000.
| Captain O'Conner, president of the
hremen's union, and several priyates
in the department will outline to the
House subcommittee the fremen's
views.
Chairman Norman J. Gould has sIso
asked Commissioner Louis BrownIoy1z
and Fire Chief Wagner to appear be-
fore the committee.
Walters Was Fireman.
Congressman Anderson H. Walters
member OF the subcommittee il
taking an active interest in the plea
OF the hremen. Some years ago nc
was an engineer in a volunteer fire
department at his home city Of Johns
town, Pa.
The committee has asked the Con-
gressional Commission on RecIassif-
cation Of Salaries Of Government EN-
ployes in the District for coupara-
i've ngures showing salaries Of fire
men in other cities.
1t Is probable that a special meet
ing Of the entire House District Of
Columbia Committee will be called
early next week to consider the hre-
| mems bill, in order that Il NAV be
taken 'iOre the House for considera-
ton before adjournment is had.
HOLD CARNIVAL THIS WEEK