The Washington times., 1919-09-30
TESTIFY
AT HOUSE HEARING
congressman Told That Men
Must Do Outside Work to
Make Enough Pay.

without doing outside work It
\ would be absolutely impossible for
me to live and keep out of debt PO-
I liceman Theodore Deleveign today
/ told the House subcommittee investi-
I eating police salaries.
The testimony of DeleveiEn was IN
I substance that given by several mem
I bers OF the police force heard by the
committee. The burden Of their tes-
timOny was that they had stood by
the department in the hope that Con-
gress would reward them with a Iiv-
ing wage.
il is rather embarrassing, Dele
veign told the committee, ito have to
give tips 10 the garbage man when
he comes and gets your garbage"
particularly when you know that he
gets more pay than you do"
"NO Fear OF TesdfylnE.7
Before members Of the force were
heard, Commissioner Louis BrOwnlow
made. a statement in which he de-
clared that the statement I'm a morn
ing newspaper to the effect that the
police were afraid Of. being disciplined
u they appeared before the commit
tee and told the truth was false and
as far removed from the truth as was
humanity possible to be-"
William J. Kern, president OF the
Police BENEFIT Association. told the
committee that the first he and other
members knew OF the alleged threats
or discipliuing OF policemen for testi-
lylng before the committee was when
paper.
Chairman Norman J. Gould. OF the
committee. asked Kerns II the men
oeileVed they were barred from going
olrect to membFs OF Congress.
Roosevelt q 'cr In Force.
PRESIDENT ROOs, 70, Kerns said. is
sueo an order TO TIE effect that mem
Der sof the force saOuld first take
their grievances or suggestions TO
their superior officer and have ft an
proved before going 70 members Of i
Congress. President Taft later an
proved Of the order, he said.
80 iar az know that order is still /
In ehect, KeTns told the committee
DO you feel perfectly free, to go to
members Of Congress and talk over
police matters? asked Chairman |
Certainly replied Kerns, "I have
talked 70 many men in the cepart- |
ment and know that all OF them do" |
kerns has been on the force /
increased in the past four years 100 |
per cent, and police salaries have in
creased 30 per cent, he said.
Uniforms Cost 800.
The first year a man IS on the force /
his uniform costs him 800. He may
get along on $75 a year after that. 1
kerns wife became III last sum-
mer. Doctors said she must be taken /
out OF the CITY for a few weeks II |
was necessary for Kerns to draw on
ton. There are more doctors bills |
to meet, and he said ne would have
TO again go to this fund.
Many OF US thought Il our duty to
stick to the force during the war,
but he expected that Congress would /
look out for US later he said.
Asked what he considered a fair
salary for policemeP, he said, 81 500.
$500, and $4,000 as basic salaries
would MI the quota OF the depart
ment and would insure a good per-
manent force"
IF you want hlgh-grade police
men start them on S1,8OO," he sug-
gested.
Must Sell Liberty Bonds.
Policeman Joseph Stroaman told
the committee that recently, he was
forced TO sell $3.50 OF $4OO worth Of
Liberty bonds to get funds to repair
his home, which he Is buying. The
present police salary makes il almost
impossible for a family TO live with
1ut privation, he said.
Chairman Gould announced that
the committee would take up the
natter OF salary increase for the