FIREMEN AND CIVIC LOYALTY.

FIREMEN AND CIVIC LOYALTY.

The action of the firemen of Scranton, Pa., in deciding, instead of resorting to a strike to enforce their demands for higher pay, to submit their grievances to arbitration and abide by the decision of the disinterested citizens composing the arbitration board, was a wise and patriotic one. The position of a member of the fire department is a peculiar one. He is not, speaking in the strictest sense, an employee—he is a soldier. He stands very much in the same relationship to the city government as does the National Guard to the State, and the army to the Nation. In spite of the fact that he is working for a stated salary, there must be a certain amount of patriotism, loyalty and self-sacrifice connected with his service, for in his keeping is the safety of the property, and, very often, also the lives of his city’s inhabitants. His skill, often acquired through years of study and experience, is necessary for the well-being of the community, as is also his bravery and strength. But in the present times of stress there is even more than these qualities expected of him. He must be selfsacrificing, and when his city finds itself in a tight place, he must be prepared to jump into the breach and lend a helping hand, even at some cost to himself. This is emphasized by the increasing movement all over the country to call back, either voluntarily or through the action of the pension laws of the various municipalities, the men who have been retired, to serve as an auxiliary force during the period of the war, so as to relieve the overtaxed regular men of the departments. A notable case of this kind was the act of Commissioner Drennan, of New York, who called for volunteers among the retired men of the department to serve at night, so as to give the active firemen the time off they were entitled to. Other sections of the country have taken similar action, and in most cases the response has been very gratifying, showing that the average fireman recognizes the fact that he is on a higher plane of service than a mere city employee, and that, therefore, he is called upon for the exercise of civic patriotism.

The action of the firemen of Scranton, Pa., in deciding, instead of resorting to a strike to enforce their demands for higher pay, to submit their grievances to arbitration and abide by the decision of the disinterested citizens composing the arbitration board, was a wise and patriotic one. The position of a member of the fire department is a peculiar one. He is not, speaking in the strictest sense, an employee—he is a soldier. He stands very much in the same relationship to the city government as does the National Guard to the State, and the army to the Nation. In spite of the fact that he is working for a stated salary, there must be a certain amount of patriotism, loyalty and self-sacrifice connected with his service, for in his keeping is the safety of the property, and, very often, also the lives of his city’s inhabitants. His skill, often acquired through years of study and experience, is necessary for the well-being of the community, as is also his bravery and strength. But in the present times of stress there is even more than these qualities expected of him. He must be selfsacrificing, and when his city finds itself in a tight place, he must be prepared to jump into the breach and lend a helping hand, even at some cost to himself. This is emphasized by the increasing movement all over the country to call back, either voluntarily or through the action of the pension laws of the various municipalities, the men who have been retired, to serve as an auxiliary force during the period of the war, so as to relieve the overtaxed regular men of the departments. A notable case of this kind was the act of Commissioner Drennan, of New York, who called for volunteers among the retired men of the department to serve at night, so as to give the active firemen the time off they were entitled to. Other sections of the country have taken similar action, and in most cases the response has been very gratifying, showing that the average fireman recognizes the fact that he is on a higher plane of service than a mere city employee, and that, therefore, he is called upon for the exercise of civic patriotism.