Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-19
PATRoLMEN REFUSE TO WALK
BEATS PENDING WAGE DE.
MANDs HEARING.
RESUME BEATS ON PROMISE
OF CONFERENCE TONIGHT
Walk Out Short Lived, Councilman
Good Agreeing to Hear Wage De.
mands This Evsnlns-Poiios Declare
$50 Is Not Living Wase-Four Nom.
bsrs OF Force In Walk.out.

Failure Of the city council to pro-
vide for an increase In pay for mem
bers of the police department resulted
Wednesday evening in four patrolmen
handing In their stars. The walk out
was Of short duration. the men resum-
ing their beats when Councilman Roy
M. Good. superintendent Of public
safety, told them he would meet them
at 8 o'clock this evening to hear their
grievances and consider their demands,
provided they remained at work.
The four officers to leave their jobs
were Freeman Wertenberger. Thomas
Marley. ]. C. Coffman and c. A. Has
kins. Wertenbereer and Marley have
been members Of the police force for
several years, but Coffman and Has
kins are new men, having recently been
employed in the attempted reorsaniza-
ton Of the force. "a.
AS result Of the walk out Wednes
day evening the city was left with ont
man on duty. Desk Sergeant William
Lage remaining at his post. The men
soon resumed their duties, however
and the possibility OF the city being
unprotected for the night was passed.
Chief srseI<sl On Duty.
With the surrender of stars by the
night force. Chief Breckel was con
fronted with the necessity Of taking
up night beat, with Special Officer
Mack as. assistant. The motorcycle
policeman was off duty because his
motorcycle was out Of repair.
The men notified the council early in
the evening of their intention to quite
and after some parley consented to re-
sumo work provided their demand for
increased wages be given consideration
today. Councilman Good agreed tc
confer with the men this evening and
he hopes to be able to notify the men
what the council will do with refer
ence to wage increase
Can't Live on Wage.
The men declare they can not live on
the present wage. $50 a month The
desk sergeant receives $S5 and the
chief 500. They say that their wages
have always been the same as the fire
mems, and that they should have been
given an increase when the wages of
the fire department was Increased SIC
a hiohlh. IIcy CldlIH the wage SCdle
of the city is not equitable, pointing
out that the ASSISTANT city engineers
salary is fixed at $500 a year, COM
pared to $1,000 paid the chief of po-
lice. $1,000 paid the desk sergeant, and
$3.50 paid other officers. AS further
comparison of salaries they point to
the fact that the deputy city clerk is
employed at a salary of $1,000, as
against $3.50 paid the patrolmen.
These salaries are pronouncedly un-
equitable. they declare. when it is con-
sidered that most Of the city employees
work eight hours day for five and
one-half to six days q week, while pa
trolmen are on duty twelve hours daily
for seven days a week.
Policemen Look Shabby.
1t is pointed out by the officers that
they are criticized for their shabby ap-
pearance but that they can not afford
to buy uniforms at the wages paid.
The element Of danger in their work,
they aver. also should be taken into
consideration when salaries are fixed.
The council, in reply, contends that
provision was not made in the appro-
priations to increase the pay Of the
police and that it will he difficult to