A TIMELY WARNING
What the Association is; What it Ought to be; Who Should be Elected Secretary.
To THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE ENGINEERS.
先生们:当这个协会脱离the restraints thrown round it by the “unwritten law” that prescribed that no man could aspire to the office of president but one who extended an invitation to it to hold its annual convention in the city from which he hailed, and succeeded with the aid of his fellow citizens in raising the necessary amount of money with which to entertain the members in a more or less lavish manner, it made one of the wisest moves that has been made during its existence—one that I believe was hailed with feelings of profound satisfaction by all those who had, and have the interests of the association at heart. The barter of the highest office in the gift of the association for promised entertainments was not an inspiring spectacle, and the practical election of a president one year in advance of the allotted time was not conducive to its success. By the provisions of this unwritten law some of the ablest men in the association were forever debarred from the presidency, some of whom at least would have added lustre to the position. While the fact that the convention being held in a city or town should not debar the chief of that department from the presidency, providing he is eminently fitted for the position, 1 hope the unwritten law above referred to will never he revived or enforced.
The selection of two vicepresidents, each supposed to he qualified to fill the position and perform the duties of the president in his absence, resignation or disability, was another move in the right direction; and, while I believe in long terms of office for able and efficient presidents, I also believe that, in case of vacancies in that office, the claims of the vicepresidents for the position should not be overlooked.
With your permission, 1 will now take up the most important part of this communication— namely, that relating to the position of secretary, which you will be called upon to fill, owing to the death of the man who had filled that position faithfully and to the best of his ability almost from the time of the birth of this association, the late Henry A. Hills.
I do not propose to discuss at this time the manner and methods of his administration of this all important position, or whether they could be improved or not; nor do I propose to offer thj words of well-deserved praise that I feel his memory deserved, as the task of pronouncing a fitting eulogy at this time has no doubt been assigned to others.
1坚信没有办公室在胃肠道ft of this or similar associations so important as that of secretary; he is the only real executive officer to whom the members must turn for information ; he is relied upon by the other officers for the information and data necessary for the successful administration of its affairs, and. most important of all, he is the only one that can by his efforts increase the membership; he is the only paid official (and poorly paid at that), and the only one who can he expected to give his undivided efforts to the promotion of the welfare of the association. It is unfortunate that hut a mere handful of the active and former chiefs of the United States and Canada are enrolled as members or take an active part in itaffairs; but it is a fact that cannot he ignored. The association should be able to attract ninety-five per cent, of those to its ranks: it would then lie a power in the land, instead of dragging out a precarious existence, exerting but a tithe of the influence that it should for the benefit of its members and the fire service. The time should come, and I hope it soon will come, when the fire chiefs of the country will be attracted to the association because of its real value to them and the departments under their control; when its annual reoorts will be of such great value that they will he eagerly sought for by every chief and obtained through membership in its ranks: when municipal officers will not have to be humbly besought to send their chief to its conventions, but they will be expected to attend the same, and considered “not up-to-date” if they do not.
In the annual destruction of property by fire there are three important factors to be considered —namely, the people wdio, in any event, sustain this tremendous loss, the fire underwriters and the fire departments. On the two latter the people lean, in the one case, not for indemnity for losses by fire, as is popularly supposed, but for the distribution of the losses, so as to make the burden as light as possible to the individual, for property consumed by fire is in all cases a loss that must be sustained by some one. Upon the fire departments lean not only the people, but the fire underwriters, as well for protection against extensive conflagrations and the reduction of fire losses and fire hazards also. Without well-organised and equipped fire departments the business of fire underwriters would have to be abandoned or greatly curtailed, as the rates of premiums would in many cases be prohibitive of fire insurance.
The influence wielded by the fire underwriters is very great indeed; their mandates are implicitly obeyed by the authorities of the smallest hamlet and the largest city; improvements in the water supply and fire departments, when demanded by them, are made, and, if not, the burdens imposed on the people are made too great to be borne. This is one of the most conspicuous examples of well-organised and well-directed effort on the part of men banded together for mutual benefit; hut it must be admitted that many of the demands made hv them result in great benefit to the communities on which such demands are made.
Compared to the influence of the fire underwriters’ organisation, what is that of this association? The answer must be, PRACTICALLY NOTHING. IS there any reason why these twin interests, that must go hand in hand in order that the one shall enable the other to exist, should not have equal influence among the people of this country? Surely not, and no thoughtful person will say aught to the contrary. Why, then, should not this association exercise that influence that is its due? Because in the past it has neglected its opportunities.
Let us. therefore, now turn over a new leaf now, and let us do it in the best way possible, by selecting the best man that can he procured for the position of the all-important position of secretary, and let us pay him a salary in proportion to the ability he must possess and the work he is expected to perform, and that work, when well done, will he of incalculable value to this association and the fire service of the country. His office should he a bureau of information for the members; a means of communication between the older and more experienced members and the younger and less experienced. When he has not the information at hand to furnish, when called for. he should seek it from those who can impart it. as is done in other organisations where each member feels in duty bound to assist his fellows. He shall seek out during the time intervening between our conventions those who are both able and willing to impart useful information. instruction and entertainment to those in attendance, and make the reports of the proceedings of real value to them and to those who are unable to attend, and cause it to be sought by libraries, institutions of learning and municipal governments.
Article 2,of the constitution reads as follows: “None but active members are eligible to the office.” Can any member who is at the bead of a fire department, no matter how well qualified, devote the time necessary to the duties of the office of secretary? I contend that he cannot, and that the secretary’s entire time should be devoted to the duties of the office and the interests of the association, and the right man in that position will succeed in bringing it to a higher place than it has ever reached before, and increase its sphere of usefulness to a degree not heretofore dreamed of. Under the present circumstances. is it right that we should confine ourselves to the narrow sphere of the membership of the association for a candidate for this position? Should we not be enabled to seek him out in a wider field? If so. this is the time to do it. by amending the constitution, so that the above clause will not apply to the office of secretary. Such an amendment can be proposed only in writing at the coming session, and enacted at the one to follow, and in the meantime, let the pressent appointee of the president and board of directors hold over for the coming year.
In taking this position, I am actuated by no selfish motives. I have not now, nor will I at any future time have a candidate for the position in view, nor have I any criticism to make of the present incumbent; but I believe we have come to the parting of the ways, and this is the time to take decisive action, as we are fast reaching a crisis in the life of the association.
Yours fraternally,
WM. BROPHY
