Evening star., 1924-06-16
new RULING IS ASKED
ON LEAVE ALLOWANCE
President Informed of Hitch in
"One-Day-0ff" Proviso for
Police and Firemen.
DENIED BY THE CONTROLLER
Privilege Excepted When Deficien-
cy Bill Was Considered.

Effort to procure for the District
police and firemen the one day off
In seven, as provided for in the act
approved May 81 to become effective
July 1. was started today in an ap-
peal to President Coolidge, the Dis
trlct Commissioners and Controller
General McCarI.
In his ruling, which found that the
new salaries could be paid to police
and firemen and public school teach
ers, even though the deficiency ap-
propriations which Congress intend
ed to make for paying the difference
between the old salaries and new
salaries were not actually made owing
to one-man filibuster on the def
cheney appropriation bill, Controller
General McCarl gave his opinion that
the increase in the forces of the
ponce and fire departments so that
each member might have one day off
In seven could not be allowed at this
time.
MIR. Blanton's Letter.
representative Thomas L. Blanton.
ptnlocrat OF Texas, the ranking
minority member of the House Dis
lrict committee which handled the
ponce and firemen's new salary sched-
, upe legislation. today wrote the
rrIdent. the Commissioners and the
cnnToiier general. pointing ont tbat
tits provision OF the law is mandat . tnrv
acd Trat the objection of the controller
seue.ai Is not we'll founded His letter
TO the President is as follows:
oes.re' to call your attention to
vides: "eh pro-
That is lieu of Sunday, there shall
and al fiteo 70 the metropolitan police
fna fha 80 80 each officer and member of
re nre department of the District
or 'oiumbia one day off out of each
week or seven days, which shall he
IN ADDITION to his annual leave and
sicK .s, ieave now allowed by law etc
the proviso, relative to emergency
conditions. has no application what.
ever, with respect to the present situ-
ation. What Congress had in mind
@wnen @ adding the proviso. was un-
uaen, condltions threatening the
lttE or the city: but there are no
such unusual conditions now existing
as would constitute any emergency.
me ABOVE provision is not part Of
en- annual appropriation bill, and has
".ns hnt ss 10 10 90 with appropriations.
Ine SUBSTANTIVE law of the land. and
l reel sure that you will agree with
me that it is mandatory upon the
nment to grant this day off, pro-
-V1ded for by law.
n
overlook this provision. / thought it
aoFlsable to call your attention to II
knowing that you would take such
steps as are necessary to execute this
law. so that our worthy policemen
ana hremen may get their one day off
each week. which they need more in
the hot weather than at any other
season of the year. All other EN-
pioEeS of the government except no
lice and hremen, already enioy one
day OF each week"
ID. c. Heads Also Advised.
Almost identical letters were sent
70 the District Commissioners and to
the controller general which con-
cluded: They have been granted this
boon by law. They are entitled to it.
They should get it. And there will
be no excuse for denying it"
The proviSo in the law referred to
by Representative Blanton in his let
ters is as follows:
That whenever the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia declare
that an emergency exists of such a
character as to require the continu-
Gus service of all the members of the
metropolitan police force and the
members of the fire department, the
major and superintendent of police
and the chief engineer of the fire de-
partment shall have authority, and it
shall be, their duty, to suspend and
discontinue the granting of the said
one day off in seven during the con-
tinuation of such emergency"