New-York tribune., 1920-06-29
City Employees
Tell Board How
To Slice Melon
Committee in Good Humor
as Workers Give Advice
on Best Way to Divide
$5,OOO,OOO Wage Raise
No Decision Is Reached
Mayor Hylan, Craig and
La Cuardia Amuse Audi
ence With Witty Sallies

The meeting yesterday in Comptrol
ler Craig's Office of the Finance and
Budget Committee of the Board of Es
innate, at which the question of in
creased wages for the city employees
was again taken up, was marked by the
good humor of all the committee men,
bers There was no threat of a bout
without gloves between the Comptroller
and Major La Guardia, President of
the Board of Aldermen, as occurred
at the previous meeting.
Several hundred city employees over
flowed the room. Repre- of
each class of employees present were
heard, but the committee adjourned un-
til tomorrow without taking any def
mite action as to the final method of
distributing the $5,ooo,oOo in increases.
Craig Starts the Fun
The Comptroller, Aldermanic Presi
dent and Mayor Hylan occasionally in
dulged in sallies, which caused much
laughter and hand clapping. The whole
proceeding was a merry one and one
official described it as ''the best meet
ing the committee ever held, and as
good as vaudeville show, with as
many laughs in it as Chaplin comedy"
Comptroller Craig started the fun
when he asked an inspector Of the Fire
Prevention Bureau, whose salary had
been reduced during the Mitchell ad
ministration, whether he was "a wicked
Tammany man. Before the inspector
had chance to answer, Major La
Guardia asked the man whether he was
one of those Democrats who was will
ing to do fair days work.
DO you know any who lsn't?" asked
the Comptroller.
"Yes, the Comptroller" replied Ma
jor La Guardia.
The Mayor joined heartily in the
laugh that followed. After the laughter
subsided the Comptroller advised the
inspector to write him a letter setting
for La Guardia to remark that the
Comptroller was not the whole commit
tee, and that the inspector had better
send letter to each of the members
of the committee.
The present plan of the committee is
to grant a 20 per cent increase to all
employees, low salared and high sal
aried alike, but it is expected that the
20 per cent will have to be shaved
somewhat in order to bring all the in
creases within the $1,000 900 appropri-
alton. Deputy Comptroller Frank J.
Prial, president of the Civil Service
Forum, spoke in favor Of the 20 per
cent increase, while the spokesman for
those in favor of g fiat money increase
was Patrolman Joseph B. Moran.
Flat Increase Urged
Patrolman Moran urged that sine.
the money was in the nature of a
bonus. distributed because Of the high
cost of living, fat money increase
to all employees would be the only
equitable division.
"The increases are to be given be-
cause of the high cost of living" said
Patrolman Moran. "That effects every
one alike and therefore each ought to
receive the same increase. A patrol
man has to pay as much for his food,
sites as the officer. Merchants do not
take mans position into account when
the bill is being reckoned."
Police Inspector William F. Fennelly
spoke for the men of his rank. He told
of the arduous duties of his Office and
when he had finished the Mayor re-
marked:
And you never know who is putting
up a job on you" 8
And God knows that's a fact" re-
piled the inspector.
Spokesman for the public libraries,
City College attendants, public school
cleaners, unf formed tiremen and officers
of the Fire Department, Street Clean
ing Department, Fire Prevention Blu
reau, assistants to nurses, employees
of the Aquarium and many others were
heard, each pleading for fair share
of the s5,000,000 melon
In order to avert threatened trouble
with the employees of the Street Clean
ing Department, the committee adopted
a resolution granting street cleaners
time and a half for overtime over eight
hours and double time and half for
holidays and Sundays, which brings the
pay on the latter days up to Sl1 a day.