The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-12

tne eatisfaction OF knowing that, what
ever happens to him, his family will be
taken care Of out Of the new pension
fund started with the receipts Of last
July's police games.
This fund now amounts to more than
100000. Frederick A. Wallis, Fourth
Deputy Commissioner. who had charge
Of the games, told THE SUN yesterday
that he will not be satisfied until It IL
increased to $1,000. 900, 30 that the prin-
cipal may endure ana the interest rev.
enue may reach at least $4,000 year.
II Is likely that the games will be an
snnual fixture until the million Is
achieved.
II was announced recently that police
men would be permitted to borrow from
the fund at low interest rate to pay
for their uniforms and equipment, which
proves that Il II to be n general utility
as well as a pension fund. THE SUN
asked Mr.. Wallis how this would work
out.
May Borrow From Fund.
when this administration of the
Police Department began" he said, I'VE
saw q great chance to help the patrol
man. He was not getting enough money
to live on. and at the start he had to
provide himself with uniforms and
equipment costing about $175. He
should not have to do this; the city
should equip him from head to foot.
think this will come in time, but 1t
requires action by the Board Of Es-
innate. Well, we found that many
policemen right at the start had to bor-
g. III
to get ahead, kept on borrowing either
from loan companies which have a
scientific but high interest rate or from
sharks who charged exorbitantly. and
In some cases had to pay a premium
to broker In order to get a loan at
ALL We thought 1t would be fine
thing IL we could establish right In the
department fund from which money
could be borrowed at a low rate. say
8 or 4 per cent. and repaid out of the
mans salary in semi-monthly install
ments. II a business concern could
manage its affairs In this manner we
could.
1--WE found also that families Of po-
licemen who had died were in distress.
You know there is no widows pension
unless the policeman has been in the de-
partmcnt ten years, excepting in cases
where his death was caused in some way
by the discharge of his official duties.
Moreover. there was hardship in the
cases OF some policemen who had long
spells of sickness. For these and other
reasons q considerable fund was needed.
THE money raised thus far ID depos-
tied to the account of Rodman Wanna
maker. the treasurer. When all the ac-
counts of the police games are closed it
will be turned over to the executive COM
mittfe of the Police Department and
win be administered by a permanent
| treasurer. according to the written rec
concentrations of commanding officers.
THE present idea is that policemen
will borrow from the fund only for their
first year equipment. The department
will see to It TINT the money lent will
actually. be spent for uniforms and the
other essentials. Probably the police
man will be required TO give note to
I that all the equipment conforms with
the regulations.
Aid for Their widows.
Heretofore when a policeman's fam
lily was in trouble and the provisions of
| the established pension fund did not
cover their cases 1t has been the prac-
tice to beg money for their support or
to arrange a private subscription. I
| nave seen rfne pltilul cases. A patrol
mans widow vino came To see me re-
| Gently had nine childran. AS her hus-
band had died before completing his
tenth year in the department she was
destitute. In the single month OF No
vember last year ffty-four policemen
| died Of influenza and not one of their
families was entitled to the widows pen
sion, as the breedwinner had not been q
ten year man. In all such cases II is our
purpose to make an outright gift from
| the new fund-a regular payment to be
continued as long as the need exists. As
a general rule, we shall do anything we
can to help out the family of man who
has given good service and who has be-
come Ill or died through no fault of his
own.
| ut is our belief that any policeman.
knowing that his family will be taken
care of IL he Is taken away. will render
better service than the man who Is
constantly tortured by the thought that
he has nothing laid by that he will be
more disposed to risk his life IL neces-
sary in the performance of his duty
For their part the me. who administer
this fund cannot but be benefited by
the knowledge that they are doing good
They will know that children who might
otherwise be separate are being kept
together, that mothers will not have tc
go out to work. that the morale of the
department is being improved. No, sir
that fund has got to be at least 81, 000,-
900. and there's no stopping short of it.
A cooperative store, hospital fol
l policemen and their families and a cen.
trail policemens club are also being dis
cussed in the department by those who
are studying the welfare question. bu
none of these projects is more thar
tentative at present. 1t has been sug
gested that instead of having a separat,
hospital of their own the policemen
might, through an enlargement of tn
fund or private benefactlon, be enable,
to add wing to an established hos