New-York tribune., 1922-03-30
Mayor Vetoes
Police-Fmen1en
" age Increase
Declares State Bills We're
Passed TO Embarrass Him:
Won't Sign Pay Raise Acts
Voted Upon in Albany
Denounces Interference
Association Officials Assert
Hylan's Idea Wrong; Need
$500 for Good Men

Mayor Hylan, who recently approved
| crease his salary and that of the Comp
troller from $15 900 to $25 900 a year,
yesterday vetoed two similar bills
which would increase the salaries of
first grade patrolmcn and hremcn from
$2.290 to $500 a year.
The bills were passed just to cmbar-
rass him. the Mayor said, and added
"The question of whether the police
| and iremen should receive another
raise in salary is one with which the
Board of Estimate can deal without
interference from Albany. In the last
four years the city administration has
added $3.50 to the annual salaries of the
police and fremen. No legislative bill
calling for pay increases to city en-
ployees will receive consideration from
me in instances where the Board Of
Estimate already has power to grant
the increases"
Say Mayor Mistakes Purpose
The Mayor is mistaken as to the OBJ
ject of these bills, officials of the Pa
the Uniformed Firemen's Association
declared yesterday. The two associ-
| ations, representing, it is said, almost
100 per cent Of the city's Uniform ed
forces, have been acting jointly in sup
port of the bills. Their leaders say
they went to Albany for statutory au-
thorty for the increase to $1,000 a
year because they wished to estab-
lsh that figure as the permanent rate
for first grade men and to avert the
possibility Of a salary cut in years to
come.
1--WE feel that $4,000 as a fixed
salary for first grade men would i'm
prove the personnel Of the departments
skilled mechanical trades" said an of
fetal of one of the organizations. GAS
long as skilled mechanics can make
more money than patrolman or a
fireman we cannot expect them to de-
sert their trades for the city's service.
1t is generally recognized that the
skilled mechanic of the required physi-
cal equipment makes the, best police
man or fireman, because he has the
necessary intelligence, but $3.50 year,
with the possibility that that amount
may be reduced by some short-sighted
Board of Estimate, is not enough to
content such men, especially when it
is less than the men in other cities
get.
Men Won't Form Union
"There is another angle that is
worthy of consideration. Unionism is
not known in the New York fire and
police departments, and will not be
known. The men have steadfastly set
their faces against such action as
would make a strike of police or fire
men in New York possible. This is a
handicap which does not affect the men
of mechanical occupations, who are
able to resist any attempt to reduce
their wages by the use of the strike
weapon. AS things now stand there is
nothing to stop wage cut for the
men of the uniformed forces. Now, if
their wages are cut they have to grin
and hear it."
The men will carry their battle for
$4,000 a year salary for first grade
men to the Board of Estimate at the
next budget hearings, their officials
said. at seems to us that that is the
suggestion contained in the Mayors
remarks on these bills" said one, "and
we will follow his suggestion"