The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-01-14
P.PROVAL
Of RAISE
LIKELY
Subcommittee Hears District
Commissioners, Who Urge
Favorable Action.


Proposed salary increases for
District police and f1remen will
be approved by the special sub
committee Of the House District
Committee, it was indicated to-
day during the course Of the
hearings Of the salary bill.
The hearing was not completed
today and the committee will
meet again at 10 o'clock tomor-
row morning.
District Officials Heard.
Among the District officials who
appeared before the committee to-
day were Commissioner James r
Oyster, Major DanleI Sullivan. Fire
Chief George s. Watson, and In
spector WllIam Shelby. Of the Pc
lace Department.
Members OF the committee voiced
approval of every salary increase
recommendation made by the OF.
ficiais and, in one instance, pro.
posed increase above the fig,
ures submitted by the COMMITS.
SIonerS.
Major Sullivan took the stand
first and testified that the Ponce
Department was seriously handI.
Capped by lack UT men anu by the
low salaries paid the officers and
men. He declared Lnat at least 1SO
additional men would be needed DO.
fore members OF the force could be
given one day off each week.
Oyster Testifies.
Commissioner Oyster then took
the stanu and declared that he
voIceo the views OF the board OF
Commissioners when he requested
hlsner rates Of compensation Tor
the district ponce anu IRE depart
ments.
Tine District Commissioners
were seriously handicapped by the
tact that rney We're forced to cur
TAI tiIeIf estimates tor the coming
fiscal year from $38.OO0,O00 to less
than $Z1 ,U0O,UUO," said Mr.. Oyster.
I'VE regard our police force as
well disciplined ana physically TIT
10 perform such duties as are IN.
trusted to them. We have, how
ever, only 9VU men tor the entire
DlsLrlct, anu when TINS lIiauS4 uaLe
force is split into three shifts we
tlnd that we have only 800 men to
shoulder the burden o. polIclnH the
entire district. Our men are taxed
to the limit to do what is required
Of them.
Suffers By Comparison.
Washington by comparison with
other cities in the manner of
police pay is source II a dis
appointment to everyone VINO has
tIie WeII-Deiug Ut Lne 4<aLIUIIdI Gap.
ital at heart. We pay a policeman
d saIary OF only ,4vJ a year, anu
1, tor one, feel like a crnnlnal
when l compel these men to work
as they must and to shoulder the
responsibility they must carry Tor
this meager compensation.
For my own part I feel that
the whole city win appreciate any.
thing you can do TO better the
cOnuItiOn Of Inese faithful men," -
At this point, Congressman Ed.
WARD M. Beers or Pennsylvania
declared that in all his experience
he had never seen a better police
force or a better policed city than
Washington. He said that he
would support any measure to bet
ter the condition Of the service.
Commissioner Oyster told The
committee that the District fire de.
partment is short of men and
equipment.
1t is criminal" he said ito, put
men on the apparatus we have"
Says Danger Increases.
Inspector Shelby testified that the
hazards facing policemen is continu-
ally increasing and this factor Of
danger should be taken into consid.
GRAFTON. in fixing the salary scale.
tie said that within the past ten
years q total of 597 District police.
men have been killed, or injured. In
the conduct of their duties. Fifteen
policemen were killed outright and
rwenty.three seriously injured by
criminals they were attempting to
arrest, he stated.
At this point Congressman Blan.
ton declared that there should be a
law to prevent the assembly or a
crowd around police officer who
was making an arrest. declaring that
the greatest number of police casual.
ties resulted from mob action.
Inspector Shelby stated that the
District should set the standard for
the nation in the matter of police
service.
THE District police force should
be second to none In quality" he
declared. I'VE cannot hope to nj.
tract the proper men without the
proper pay. Under the present ar.
rangement We must send out RrNan,