Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-23
Board of Trade, Chamber of
Commerce, Merchants and
Manufacturers Lead Move.
CAPPER AND ZIHLMAN ADD
SUPPORT TO LEGISLATION
Taxpayers Pledge Backing to In
creased Pay-City Drops in
Rank, Meeting Hears.


Commerce and Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association, in the coming
session of Congress to obtain increased
salaries for all members of the Wash
ington Fire Department, and the sup
port of 10000 tax-paying citizens in
the Federation of Citizens Associations,
was pledged by the presidents of those
organizations at the annual get-together
dinner of the City Fire Fighters Asso-
citation in the Raleigh Hotel last night.
Representative Clyde Kelley, Re-
publican, of Pennsylvania, emphasized
the need for salary increases to bring
the schedule for the District flremen
up to what Congress intended it should
be in passing the salary revision bill
four years ago which made the Wash
ington department third among the
now 1t has dropped back to sixty-ffth.
Passage Is Predicted.
He predicted that II the case of the
District f1remen is presented IN the
coming session Of Congress, both Houses
Of Congress can be depended upon to
pass the measure.
Letters were read from Senator Cap
per of Kansas and Representative Fred
M. Zihlman of Maryland, chairman, re-
spectively, Of the Senate and House
District committees, in which they
pledged their support to the salary in
crease bill.
District Commissioner Dougherty as
sured the members of the Fire Depart
ment, more than 800 of whom were
present, that when their plea for salary
increases were presented for indorse-
ment the. Board of Commissioners
would give it most serious and sympa-
thetic consideration.
Commissioner Dougherty also empha-
sized other projects which the CoMmis-
sioners have in mind for lettering the
conditions of service in the Police and
Fire Departments and particularly en-
phaSlzed that more adequate facilities
will be provided in a model central fire
headquarters in the new municipal
group which is about to be erected north
of Pennsylvania avenue between Third
and Sixth streets.
Efficiency Is Commended.
George s. Watson, chief engineer of
the Fire Department, highly commended
the morale and efficiency of the de-
partment, emphasized the need for
more adequate salaries comparable to
those paid in other cities Of similar
size, and promised to support the eff
forts Of the business men and citizens
to get increases.
Senator Capper in his letter said "all
Washington Is justly proud of the eff
f1cient and fearless manner in which
the perilous duties entailed by service
in the Fire Department have been dis
charged by the members. Only yes
terday, a great fire and disastrous
explosion called upon every resource
of the department, and the men re-
Sponded nobly in heroic efforts to save
life and property.
MY attitude toward Fire Depart
ment pay is too well known to you to
necessitate my going into details at
this time. You know that feel that
the pay Of the firemen of the Nations
Capital should be no less adequate than
that paid flremen In other cities of like
population"
Chairman Zihlman in his message
said, 81 have always maintained a close
touch with the Police and Fire De-
partments Of the District of Columbia
and have been very much interested
in their welfare and progress and feel
that the increase in salary bill should
be brought up and acted upon favor
ably at the next session. You may
feel assured Of my good will and in
terest in your problems at all times"
Menace Is Heightened.
Representative Kelley, in assuring the
f1remen that Congress would act ia
vorably by unanimous vote upon the
appeal presented by the business and
civic organizations, said in part:
Every American is interested deeply
In at least two fire departments-his
own and that of the city Of washington.
This great capital city contains a large
number of buildings filled with price
less records of the business of the
American Government. In fact, the
threat of fire here is greater menace
than in any other city In the land.
IA believe / voice the desire of every
right thinking American citizen when I
say that he favors scale of pay
which shall be In line with the value
Of the service rendered. Without any
doubt Congress desires that the COM
pensation paid here shall compare with
that paid in other cities of equal size.
THAT policy was definitely decided
upon some years ago. In the press Of
after, the washington Fire Department
had been neglected. The facts were
presented to Congress and step after
step was taken to bring the department
up to the point it deserved. Each
measure was passed by unanimous vote
1.-THE result was that four years ago
the Washington Fire Department was
third among all American municipal
tiles as to pay for firemen. That was
credit for such action.
Since that time Congress has been
| busy with many great national prob
lens. Now 1t appears that non-action
as to flremen has resulted in vast
change in standing. Today, instead of
| third, Washington Is sixty-fifth in the
list Of American cities as to f1remen'S
compensation.
"Of course, that Is not the intention
of Congress; it is simply the result Of
the inertia of Government. Now that
| the situation is understood and proper
| attention is being called to 1t, there is
! no doubt in my mind that remedy will
be effected"
Citizens Zeal Stressed.
| DR.. George Havenner, as president
of the Federation of Citizens Associ-
atoms, and chairman of the Citizens
Advisory Council, stressed the zeal OF
the citizens of Washington that the
Police and Fire Departments should be
most efficiently maintained with ade-
| quate salaries and the best of working
conditions. He called attention that
many of the citizens associations
throughout the District have already
| taken individual action in support of
the proposed legislation for salary in
creases and pledged the support Of the
10000 taxpayers in the federation, say
ing that If necessary he personally
would go to them and show them their
duty.
DR.. Havenner paid a tribute to the
late Chief Paris, whom he had known
intimately 40 years ago, and said:
"I have always thought of your de-
| partment as an efficient organization.
It is my pleasure tonight to meet you
as individuals and to make your ac-
quaintance, which, hope, will be last