Evening journal., 1920-01-15
DOUBT LICENSES
FOR ENGINEERS
Opposition Develops in City
Council to Measure as 1t
Now is Drawn
TO HEAR ALL SIDES
BEFORE ACTING ON 1T

Important changes Will DC Hlduo ohN
public hearings held at which all par
ties Interested will be given opportun-
i,y 10 express their views before any
Gcilon IS taken by City Council to
license stationary engineers.
This much was decided last night
after Council in committee OF the whole
had listened for an hour and half to
advocates OF the proposition. So much
time did the hearing consume that
Council had no time TO consider any
thing else In the absence OF President
Lyon, who is ILL., Councilman Charles
Forward. chairman Of the finance COM
mlitee. presided.
The ordinance for Licensing station
ary engineers was brought up by Percy
W. Green. deputy attorney general. who
explained he appeared only as a citizen
and as representative OF the Delaware
Safety Council The license provides
that a board Of three members shall be
named 10 examine applicants fof license
a. enqineers and Issue certificates. NO
pe~son without a license Will be per-
mittod 10 operate a boiler carrying more
than - pounds per square inch pres
sure. except enSinemen employed by
railroads. members Of the city fire de-
parimpnt men In government service
motorists and citizens operating heating
plants In private residences.
Any one who has been operating an
engine I'm Wilmington The past three
Naars would be 0eanted permit but
not n license. without necessity OF an
eyamlnation on presentation OF a cer-
tihcaie from their employer or employ
ers iestfv'ng 10 their service tnat
lengih Of time. an
II was estimated there are 400
enq'neers in the city who would De al,
fectcd by the ordinance. These woulu
nav 81 for their examination and license
IN, first year and $50 a year there
ofie- The money thus received would
he used 10 pay the expenses OF the
examiners who would receive siOO
1rar and for office work. etc. Any
funds left over would go 10 the city
f.,e,s,lrv. In event there was not SUI
ccicnt money TO meet expenses, no
funds could be asked Of the city.
A hoard OF appeals Is provided for
,prVcsnts who may dispute ruling
ly the examiners as to qualifications
for a license.
Several representatives Of the National
Association Of Stationary Engineers
smoke for the ordinance. Among these
were W. J. Reynolds. past national pre-
sidcnt: George Starr, OF the national
license committee; John Reddings'
chairman Of the national license COM
mittee. James d ROstron an engineer
from Chester, and w. J. KNOTS, who mas
charge Of the machinery In general at
ths Atlantic Manufacturing Company
in this city.
Councilman James Kane asked blunt
lv II IL were not a fact the ordinance
was designed to increase the salary OF
tbe engineers OF the city by the forma-
lion OF a union throusl the agency OF
Councu. He said he had so been told.
NJ. Kane disclalmed any opposition 10
labor unions as unions, but declared ne
d.d not see why engineers should De
licensed any more than carpenters,
bricklsyers or other workers. 1T Is
special legislation for a special class.
he declared. land as such am opposed
TO IL in principle
Mr.. Kane also questioned II such q
system would not give the engineers
oppo~tunity to tie up every plant IN the
citv If they so chose. This the engi-
neerS pres nj vigorously denied, say
ing The licenses were desired only as a
safeqiard for the public and not with
any idea Of Increasing salaries by force
or using il as "a means TO dictate 10
employers.
Alr. IA Rynolds, the past national pres
ident OF the Engineers Association, read
from its constitution to show IL not
only was not a labor union but was
not affiliated with any nor could be.
Spokesmen for the engineers gave
lengthy descriptions OF the dangers
from explosions in the handling OF high
pressure boilers, comparing them to
powder magazines. They also cited the
adoption in other tSates and cities OF
license systems and declared that in
New Jersey, where the license act was
passed by the Legislature In 1913 not a
single explosion had occurred since
that time. They also declared that
no license system has ever been re-
pcaled once It was established, but that
manufacturers would not go back TO
the old unlicensed methods.
The engineers themselves pointed ou'
several defects In the ordinance as pre-
sented. chiefly with regard TO except
ing engineers already engaged in mills
and factories, and Mr.. Green took the
ordinance for revision.
Mr.. Forwood stated that when the
ordinance was returned Council would
lold public hearings 10 give everyone
ine fullest opportunity 20 express theil
fs,N's