New-York tribune., 1922-03-13
Fire ami Police
Forces Ask Paw
OF + - 500 ear
CesIs $50 ~ 10 Maintain
Family, They Say, Giving
Statistics to SHOW Higher
Ratio in Oilacr Big Cities
Thousands Arc Borrowers
Efficiency Here Greater, but
Budget u Smaller Than
Elsewhere, Survey Asserts

Statistics showing that first grade
ratro,mcn and fremen of New York
City arc underraId by comparison with
The salaries paid by other leading
cities Of the Jnltcd States were made
public yesterday in a survey issued by
the Labor Bureau, Incorporated, which
Is letting as economic adviser to the
ratrolmcn's Benevolent Association
sud the Uniformed Firemcn's Associa-
;ion in the joint campaign which is
being organized by these groups for
higher pay for fremen and policemen
Of the first grade The present rate
is s2.2S0 yearly The men arc asking
for s2.5oo.
The comparisons arc based on
figures collected bv the iabor bureau
~ Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit
Cleveland. ST. Louis Boston, Baltimore
Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. The men
insist salaries paid them ia New York
are inadequate. judged by q decent
living standard; the services per
formed as compared with the services
required by other stiles, and Judged
by the Comparatively large salaries
paid to higher Offices in the two de-
partments.
S2,342 Average Family Cost
The survey estimates that it costs a
fireman or patrolman in New York an
average of S2,342 a year to maintain
himself and his family in ordinary
health and decency. This appraisal is
arrived at through applying the Of
fetal estimate of the United States De
partmert Of Labor of the quality and
quantity Of goods and services re-
Quired to support u workmans family
at present prices for these goods and
services in typical sections Of Harlem
and South Brooklyn. The survey de-
clares the present salary basis falls
short by S62 yearly of the amount
necessary to maintain the lowest
standard Of living.
Support for this claim is found in
the statistics Of the Morris Plan Com
pany, which is extensively pa,ronized
by the men. Figures show, the report
says, that 6,402 loans have been made
10 firemen and policemen between 1915
and 1920. Fifty per cent of tho uni
formed forces were borrowers from
the Morris Plan Company during the
period named.
Figures are given to support the
contention that firemen and patrolmen
go -'N' ~ ~ >~ANJ ais ObiiEtu u GC-
cept much greater sponsibilities than
in other large cities, conclusion
which is reached by comparing the
statistics on the size of the hazardous
fire area in New York with other cities
and the assessed value OF real and per-
sonal property assembled within New
lork's borders with that elsewhere.
Efficiency Here Is Greater
The efficiency of the two depart
ments is greater here than in any
other city surveyed, the report says
though the proportion of the annual
budget spent upon police and fire sal
aries is much smaller. Where New
York spends SAT per cent on salaries
for police and firemen, Cleveland de-
votes 16.9 per cent OF it's budget 10
this purpose, and the lowest ratio
found in the other cities mentioned
is that Of Philadelphia, with per-
centage OF %
If New York fremen, The report
shows were paid as much for each fire
IS those in Philadelphia they wou d
receive $3.50 q year; if as much as
Cleveland, S9,008 a year, and Pitts.
burgh. S9.535. BY the same reasoning
the salary of New York patrolmen per
arrest, if paid in the same ratio as