The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-14

. @he"NS AiO vi hHOWtHk II TN
names on the list handed me BY III
grievance committee of the fireme
| represent the men themselves" sal
edgar, but l am offering the name
Tor publication in The News Scimita
N order that the men may decide /
action and If they authorized the let
ter OF resignation containing their sig
| natures.
There is Just this about It: The cit,
OF Memphis is not going to be withou
protection from fires. II any OF tn
designations wish to withdraw thei
names they may do so between thi
time and Thursday noon.
If they do not withdraw their name
viii know that the signatures ar,
authentic and that they are determined
on notice that they viii never be re
employed by the department The.
will sacrifice all benefits to which fire
men are entitled. / will have a new
department and / will not have a single
man on It who goes out Thursday
This thing has come to the point
where .it must be fought out and
am willing to make the test. The
city can not surrender after II has made
every reasonable effort to assist tht
firemen."
Robert r. Euis, president OF the
Chamber Of. Commerce, issued call te
every member of the chamber and al
citizens of the city to place themselves
at the disposal OF the committee that
has undertaken the work of organizing
a temporary force.
Mr. Ellis expressed himself as as.
tonished and dumfounded at the actor
of the flremen and expressed the hope
that they will yet come to their senses
and reconsider their intention of resign.
ing, which is nothing more than q vel
for a strike"
"There is no statement which we
have to make" A. J. Schaefer, secre-
tary of the firemen's union declared
gone in and the only question with the
firenlen now is whether or not the city
of Memphis will pay us living wage.
I'VE haven't taken snap judgment on
anything. For the past year and a
half we have not been earning a liveli..
we have. had this matter up for some
time and have @vpn the city commits
sion end the business men Oh Memphis
ample opportunity to provide suffi-
Client funds for us and having failed
to do this, it is the consensus Of opinion
among the firemen that in Justice TO
themselves and their families they
should seek employment elsewhere.
u want to correct the statement in
which II was said that about 80 men
would not go out, his is not so.
affectad is s the chief h W. ana RE ee
sistants. All of the other employees
of the department have resigned, eff
fective at noon Thursday and unless
we are given a living wage by that
time our employment with the city
ends.
Termed a "Runout."
we want to emphasize that this
isn't a strike or walkout. 1t is run
out. The city should not have a fire de-
partment If 1t isn't willing to pay for
the protection which the department
affords. The resolutions of condemna-
tion against our action doesn't worry
US in the least nor do the mass meet
lngs or any other meetings.
THE present members of the fire de-
partment are entitled to earn a living
wage and unless the city gives it to
Us for our work in the fire department
we will cease to be firemen and take
up other lines of work.
1T seems to us. that If the business
men OF the city and commissioners want
property protected by trained de-
1artment that they would be willing to
the department that. would enable the
men to live" Mr.. Schaefer said in dis
,ussing this feature. 1--WE are not ask
ng for fancy salaries. We simply want
o live and want our families to be en-
ibled to have sufficient clothing, food
md shelter. The firemen do their work
and assume the, risk of losing their
ives, If necessary and we believe that
or this we are entitled to be paid
,nough money to support our families"
The members OF the union have no
comment to make on the resolutions of
that have been passed nor
my remarks to make concerning the
ity other than has already been said. |
sufficient pay from the present time
ntil the January session Of the legis~ |
ature is all that they ask
THE action of the firemen,' said |
lr. Ellis, who is confined in his apart |
nents in the Chisca hotel on account |
+ illness, ARE neither justified nor |
l consider that they have |
roken faith with the president and |
'hamber of Commerce, with the COM |
missioner of fire and police and with |
he citizens of Memphis.
Everything reasonable was proposed |
0 the firemen. They placed their af- |
airs in the hands or the president of |
he Chamber of Commerce and in the /
ands of the commissioner of fire and
olice unreservedly with the under
tanding that everything possible would
e done for them until the converting of
he legislature and then efforts would
e made to give them permanent re-
eff
We did everything possible for them
lr. Edgar proposed to buy their equip
tent and furnish other things the fire
zen We're accustomed to provide for
lemselyes