■re:i^;::C^i^iiiv^a^?i^ 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012815985 
 
OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Notes on Municipal Activities 
 and Administration 
 
 BY 
 MORRIS LLEWELLYN COOKE, M. E. 
 
 CONSULTING ENGINEER 
 FORMERLY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, CITY OF FHILAOELFHIA 
 
 WITH A FOREWORD BY 
 
 NEWTON D. BAKER 
 
 SECRETARY OF WAR 
 FORMERLY MAYOR OF CLEVELAND 
 
 Many Illustrations from Photographs 
 
 Garden City New York 
 
 DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 
 
 1918 
 
COPYRIGHT, igi8, BY 
 
 DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF 
 
 TRANSLATION INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, 
 
 INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The problem of city administration in this country is so 
 largely in flux that any book dealing with it must necessarily 
 be only suggestive. The trend toward expert service in this 
 field is unmistakable. But that our various municipal activi- 
 ties are in the hands of self-trained or untrained men is almost 
 as true to-day as it was a generation ago. Nothing has been 
 developed to the point where it may be considered a finished 
 product. 
 
 The Department of Public Works of the City of Philadel- 
 phia, during the four years of the administration of Rudolph 
 Blankenburg as Mayor, when the author was its director, 
 employed over 4,000 men and women. The building and 
 maintenance of roads and streets, sewers and bridges; the 
 filtering and distribution of the water supply; the construction 
 and maintenance of public buildings; the oversight of all 
 public lighting; and many other minor functions were en- 
 trusted to its care. 
 
 In the following pages an effort has been made to record in- 
 formally some of the steps taken to raise the work of the de- 
 partment to a higher level. During the period covered over 
 $45,ooo,cxx3 was expended under the direct supervision of 
 men who recognized few of the trammels of those whose 
 lives have been spent in the municipal service. In the prepa- 
 ration of the manuscript the freest use has been made of 
 material originally prepared for official reports and other docu- 
 ments issued while the author was an occupant of the Phila- 
 delphia City Hall. 
 
 It has seemed wise to free the text from individual credits. 
 
vi PREFACE 
 
 The system iinder which our work was done made it possible 
 usually to identify the employee responsible for any given 
 improvement. The author will be glad to give to those in- 
 terested the names of the officials and other employees spe- 
 cially conversant with any part of the work. 
 
 Once again it is pleasant to recall that in the Department 
 of Public Works in Philadelphia, 1912-1916, our staff was made 
 up of a peculiarly able, versatile, and loyal group of engineers 
 and other technicians. It is hoped that a nmning record of 
 some of the experiences and accomplishments of this group 
 as a background for a book on city making may not be without 
 interest and value. 
 
 In collating the material for this book, Mr. Henry G. Hodges, 
 who acted as Special Inspector in my office during a part of 
 1915, and who left us to join the teaching staff of the Political 
 Science Department, Western Reserve University, has very 
 materially assisted me. In fact, had it not been for his willing- 
 ness to help in its preparation I am quite sure that I would 
 not have undertaken the book. 
 
 Morris Llewellyn Cooke. 
 Washington, D. C, 
 
 August I, IQ18. . 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 The United States is involved in the greatest war in the 
 history of mankind. The object of that war is, not to 
 change the boundaries of states, but to lay the founda- 
 tion and create the possibility of a real peace, a peace which 
 will mean not merely the cessation of fighting but such a 
 vindication of the principles of justice among nations as will 
 cause a continuing state of peace to follow naturally from the 
 international relations established by the war. 
 
 Ferrero has recently said that we are fighting for the right 
 to have quahtative, rather than quantitative, civilization; 
 that is to say, we want this war brought to such a conclusion 
 as will exonerate mankind for the future from the necessity 
 of devoting a major part of its time to the accumulation of 
 lethal weapons for the conduct of future combats on land 
 and sea and in the air. We want to establish among men the 
 opportvmity to create great things, rather than merely large 
 things, to multiply comforts and the means of happiness in 
 life without all the time feeling that while we are painting pic- 
 tures, educating our children and ourselves, establishing 
 parks, reading good hterature, and living generous and just 
 lives, some other set of people are using the time in the sordid 
 and grubbing creation of monstrous engines of destruction 
 which are to be sprung upon us suddenly and to exact the 
 penalty of submission as the price of a devotion to a freer, 
 better life. There can be no doubt as to the outcome of this 
 war. It must be won and will be won by the peoples who did 
 not will it, so we may just as well face the question: "What are 
 we going to do with the fruits of victory when we have won 
 them?" 
 
via FOREWORD 
 
 Civilized men take fruits from victory; savages take spoils. 
 The important question, therefore, is how shall we use most 
 wisely the vindicated justice and the reestablished oppor- 
 tunity which this war is to bring. When it is over, our heroic 
 soldiers will come trooping back from fields which they have 
 consecrated with their sacrifices; their hearts will leap with 
 joy as they return to the country they have served, and their 
 welcome wiU be on every tongue and in every heart. We will 
 build monuments in this country with strange foreign names 
 on them, but those names will become household words and 
 part of our tradition and their mention will stir noble emotions 
 as futiure generations form their characters by rereading the 
 brave story of the things done by this generation. But the 
 great army will have finished its task on the field of battle and 
 will take up its great talsk on the field of life; each of these 
 soldiers will become a citizen again, with his trade or profes- 
 sion, with his family, with his friends, and with the rest of life 
 to live under conditions which he has won the right to expect 
 shall be free and fine. The victory will be a point in history, 
 the memories of this great contest a glorious tradition; but the 
 fruits of the victory must be caught up into our Ufe, they must 
 engender not merely more wholesome international relations, 
 but improving opportunity for the individual and cooperation 
 among individuals on a higher plane in the making of our own 
 future as a people. 
 
 It is in the light of reflections of this sort that books Hke 
 Mr. Cooke's are timely and important. We may not have 
 time enough now to remake our cities — every energy we 
 have, all of our raw materials and industrial resources, all the 
 man-power and mind-power of America must be put into the 
 great contest — ^but we can stow away in the back of our minds 
 the picture of a better city and therefore a better home, and 
 we can now resolve that when our energies are Uberated from 
 this great and absorbing struggle we will turn enough of them 
 
FOREWORD ix 
 
 upon the problems which the city presents to make, corres- 
 pondingly, a gathering of fruits there. 
 
 The life of the future in America will undoubtedly be indus- 
 trial, and therefore our people will become more and more dty 
 dwellers; even the great agricultural population of the United 
 States will be brought closer to the dty and will depend more 
 and more upon its facilities for education, culture, and recrea- 
 tion. As a consequence, the life of people in America will be 
 conditioned by the cities; if they are well paved, well lighted, 
 and well policed, if they are free from smoke and unnecessary 
 discords and noises, if they have abundant and pure water, 
 rapid transportation and effective disposal of waste, if there 
 are adequate parks and wise educational systems, there will 
 be correspondingly more chance for effective business. If the 
 people in these dties are not exploited by oppressive grants 
 to private individuals of public rights, but work under just 
 conditions of labuor and in an enviroimient of free and elevat- 
 ing opportunity, then the cities will be sources of inspiration 
 and meeting places of growing and happy men. 
 
 I hesitate to put the alternative, and yet we have lived 
 through an era in America in which the corrupt and degraded 
 public life of our dties was not merely a moral blight, but a 
 physical inhibition upon the normal development of the in- 
 dividual. The misgoverned city with its extortions and exac- 
 tions, its imdeserved despairs and its great masses of hopeless 
 people, seemed but a few years ago to be an inevitable con- 
 sequence of our industrial progress; but suddenly the light was 
 let in and the progress of American cities in the last twenty 
 years in strength of general purpose and in the effective reor- 
 ganization of the processes of community cooperation is prob- 
 ably the most significant political development in recent 
 American history. The tenement house is going, the infant 
 mortality rate is likewise going, the tenderloin district and 
 the gang are no longer regarded as inescapable evils — there has 
 
X FOREWORD 
 
 been in America a spontaneous trend upward in the life of our 
 cities for twenty years and it shows no signs of being arrested . 
 In the meantime, sounder ideals of dty betterment have come 
 into being, group plans of artistic and inspiring design have 
 been adopted for the placing of new public buildings, the wide 
 avenue is replacing the narrow and crooked street. Fore- 
 thought has been made the city builder instead of Accident, 
 and the effect of this upon the Hfe of city dwellers is apparent 
 to those who have watdied the march of events. 
 
 A number of years ago Mr. Brand Whitlock and I endeav- 
 oured to manufacture a word, to which we hoped we might 
 give currency, which would stand for the same attitude of 
 mind toward the city of one's residence which "patriotism" 
 implies toward one's country. We were not very successful 
 in the word we made, or at least in the currency we gave it, but 
 the thing which we were endeavouring to put into a word 
 was springing into existence all around us without any special 
 intervention on our part. There is coming to be in America a 
 love of one's dty and willingness to serve one's dty, and as a 
 consequence the dries themselves are showing the results of 
 being loved and served. 
 
 Mr. Cooke, as a practical city executive, loved and served 
 Philadelphia, under the stimulating administration of Rudolph 
 Blankenburg. The observations he has put into his book are 
 practical and hard-headed, and deal with those aspects of com- 
 munity life which are the sound basis of community develop- 
 ment. But he deals with the ideals of dty government as 
 well as the mechanics of it. Having been a Director of Public 
 Works he knows that there must be order and system, that 
 there must be easy but regular and effective machinery, and 
 that there are virtues in plans of government, particularly 
 when those plans are adapted to the desires and the training of 
 the dtizens who are at work. But Mr. Cooke knows, too, 
 that mechanism must be inspired by ideals, just as idealism 
 
FOREWORD xi 
 
 must be restrained by practical considerations. The mere 
 business man makes a hard and lifeless city government. The 
 mere idealist is likely to make a romantic failure. 
 
 After all, the business of dty government is the business of 
 community cooperation. It starts with the charter and the 
 book of ordinances. It ends with a game of tag played by 
 children in public parks. It is necessary, therefore, to under- 
 stand election machinery, modes of legislative and executive 
 action, and the business of city housekeeping; but it is equally 
 necessary to understand the relationship of volimtary civic 
 agencies, and the value and usefulness of personal and group 
 enthusiasms. 
 
 Mr. Cooke's chapters will be foimd interesting because they 
 present a well-balanced picture, and those who think of the 
 dty as a home wiU find sound rules of action, and a practical 
 but cheering prophecy in the future American dty which Mr. 
 Cooke foresees, and has already done much to bring into ex- 
 istence. 
 
 Washington, 
 August, igi8. 
 
TO 
 RUDOLPH BLANKENBURG 
 
 A LIVING FORCE IN THE 
 LIFE OF PHILADELPHIA 
 
 ALWAYS A VALIANT LEADER IN 
 THE CAUSE OF CIVIC REFORM 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 '' PAGE 
 
 Peeface V 
 
 Foreword vii 
 
 Dedication xii 
 
 Chap. I. Paving the Way— Complaints— Financial 
 Methods — ^Budgets — ^Appropriation Making— Con- 
 tract Jockeying — Political Assessments ....13 
 
 Chap. II. Some Mechanisms of Municipal Manage- 
 ment — ^Home Rule in Our Cities — ^Municipal Gov- 
 ernment by Commission — ^The City Manager — The 
 Ashtabula Plan — The Ballot — Functional Manage- 
 ment — Committee Control — ^Leaders ,43 
 
 Chap. III. Science est the Management of Our 
 Cities — Experts — Scientific Management — Econ- 
 omy and Efficiency 72 
 
 Chap. IV. The One Best Way— Cooperation with 
 the People — ^Inter-City Cooperation — National Co- 
 ordination — Standardization — Standard Specifica- 
 tions in Contract Work — Standard Specifications 
 for Materials — The Snow Alarm — Standardization 
 in Printing — Standardization of Salaries — Future 
 Standards 97 
 
 Chap. V. They Who Serve the City — Political 
 Workers — Outside Work — ^Individualism v. Mili- 
 tarism — Reasonable Treatment Pays — Hours and 
 Efficiency — Equalization of Pay — ^Promotion — Pen- 
 sions — Friendliness in the Department — ^Prize Com- 
 petitions — Social Affairs — ^Athletics — Societies — 
 Discipline and Discharge — Responsibility of the 
 Public — Personal Letter to Employees . . . . 121 
 
 siii 
 
xiv CONTENTS 
 
 Chap. VI. Finding the Man in Ten Thousand— 
 Civil Service — Publicity — Some Weaknesses^ — The 
 $3,000 Plus Jobs — Provisional Appointments — 
 Promotion within the Service — Exemptions — Re- 
 movals from the Service — Enumeration of Duties. 159 
 
 Chap. VII. The Arm of Publicity — OflScial Reports 
 — Public Opinion and Public Discussion — Educating 
 the PubUc — The Water Conservation Exhibit — 
 Metering City Hall Water Supply— The City Em- 
 ployee's Part — Expert Service — Clean-up Week — 
 Mosquito Extermination Campaign — Signs — Con- 
 tracts — The Smoke Nuisance — ^Abolition of Grade 
 Crossings — ^Pamphlet Information — Destructive 
 Publicity 193 
 
 Chap. VIII. Our Utilities and Their Owners — 
 Support of Political Intrigue — Control Through 
 "Courtesy" — ^Method of Financing — Value of 
 Utilities — ^National Organization — ^International 
 Aspects — Public Ownership — ^State Regulation — 
 Control of Engineering — Cost Keeping — The 
 Utilities Bureau 232 
 
 Chap. IX. The City as an Ally of Industrial 
 Progress — ^Markets and the Cost of Living — 
 Multiple Civic Centres — ^Public Parks and Baths — 
 Business Men's Associations — Commercial Educa- 
 tion and Vocational Guidance — Government Work 
 in Agriculture — ^Unemployment 267 
 
 Chap. X. Something More Than a Voter — Munici- 
 pal Boosting — Business Men's Associations — ^Im- 
 provement Association — Civic Work — ^University 
 Cooperation — ^The Technical Society — ^The City and 
 the Children — Individual Interest — Some Results — 
 Good Citizenship 304 
 
CONTENTS XV 
 
 Chap. XI. A Glimpse of Singing Cities — Essential 
 Aims of Good Government — ^Development of 
 Beauty — Attack on Poverty — ^Industrial Re- 
 sponsibility — ^Long Look Ahead — "My City" — 
 Civic Art — Parks and Playgrounds — ^Music — ^The 
 Singing Army — ^F^tes and Celebrations — ^Public 
 Dancing — Cooperative Recreations — ^Tree of Light 
 — ^American Civic Idealism 328 
 
 Appendix . 349 
 
LIST.OF HALF-TONE ILLUSTIiATlONS 
 
 Fellow citizens: what will you make of me? . Frontispiece 
 
 FACraC PAGE 
 
 Model of the City of Philadelphia 8 
 
 Opening bids on contracts 9 
 
 Ill-advised contract work 9 
 
 Two good mayors 24 
 
 On to Harrisburg 25 
 
 The Da3rton, Ohio, Commission 40 
 
 Pick the wiimers 41 
 
 Ye great towne house S6 
 
 The largest City Hall in the world 56 
 
 Plotting contract work • 57 
 
 Cleaning filter sands 72 
 
 Testing concrete sewer pipe 72 
 
 An old-fashioned desk 73 
 
 An up-to-date desk 73 
 
 Wooden cases, books, loose papers— old and new— piled 
 
 one on top of the other. . 88 
 
 The removal of four tons of obsolete books 88 
 
 Tickler cabinet ^^ 
 
 zvii 
 
xviii ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 f Acrao rAoa 
 
 Visible index of patrolmen 89 
 
 Don't fold business papers 89 
 
 "Know your neighbour" excursion 104 
 
 Philadelphia visits Wisconsin 104 
 
 Asphalt testing 105 
 
 Gypsy ash wagon 120 
 
 B.oad scraper used as snow plough 120 
 
 Trolley snow plough 121 
 
 Diunping snow in the Delaware River 121 
 
 Annual dinner D. P. W., City of Philadelphia .... 136 
 
 Annual banquet 15th Ward Republican Club .... 136 
 
 Typical highway bureau uniforms 137 
 
 Good for a good day's work 152 
 
 > 
 
 Water bureau commissary department 152 
 
 Mayor Thompson of Chicago awarding a civic diploma . 153 
 
 Mayor Mitchel of New York bestowing the efficiency 
 
 button on a street cleaner 153 
 
 Mayor Blankenburg of Philadelphia giving trophies to 
 
 street cleaning contractors 153 
 
 Water bureau baseball team 168 
 
 Highway Bureau athletes 168 
 
 A 25 lb. turkey awarded at Christmas 169 
 
 Departmental baseball trophy 169" 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS xix 
 
 FACraC FAGS 
 
 Cleveland Municipal Reference Library 169 
 
 Practical Civil Service tests in New York City . . 184 
 
 Even the dentists must prove that they have the "know 
 
 how!" 185 
 
 Prove that you are a paver by laying a few of these Bel- 
 gian blocks! 185 
 
 Practical tests are the last word in Civil Service . . . 200 
 
 Civil Service as an aid to Municipal Government . . . 200 
 
 Visualizing the water problem 201 
 
 Drinking water has become a manufactured product . 204 
 
 Civic exhibit at Cleveland City Club 204 
 
 Clean-up Week car card 205 
 
 Clean-up Week cooperation 205 
 
 The "movies "used for publicity 212 
 
 House cleaning with a vengeance 212 
 
 Parade of the white wings 213 
 
 Description of great Parkway project erected outside 
 
 I Sunday Tabernacle . .^ .^.v'vf *>»*'. • • • ,213 
 
 A moving bit of publicity 213 
 
 "Know Your City Better" exhibit 216 
 
 Models and pictures of future plans 216 
 
 Political types ' 217 
 
 Under 42nd Street, N. Y. City 220 
 
XX ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FACWO FAGI 
 
 Cleveland's Municipal Electric Plant 221 
 
 Americans are great water wasters aai 
 
 Los Angeles Public Service Commission 228 
 
 Massachusetts Public Service Commission .... 228 
 
 Prominent figures in utility world 229 
 
 Mechanical tabulating . . .232 
 
 The cost department 232 
 
 A telephone exchange 233 
 
 Testing gas lamps in place 233 
 
 Christmas in the shopping district 248 
 
 East 23rd Street and Allen Street, New York City.'Pub- 
 
 lic Baths 249 
 
 A real girls' high school 252 
 
 Receiving the keys of Fresno 252 
 
 The com boys 253 
 
 High pressure pumping station 253 
 
 The Junior Police of New York City 260 
 
 The Detroit Board of Commerce Btiilding. . . . 261 
 
 The Board of Directors of the Executives Club of the De- 
 troit Board of Commerce 261 
 
 Entrance to Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia . . . 264 
 
 Flower Exhibition for prizes. East Mauch Chunk, Pa. 264 
 
 Tabby cat tea house. Hamilton-Wenham, Mass. . . 264 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS xn 
 
 FACraa FAOl 
 
 Main club house and tennis courts of the Norwood, 
 
 Mass., Civic Association 365 
 
 Theatre and lecture hall 280 
 
 Gymnasium 280 
 
 Game room 280 
 
 Band concert and singing 281 
 
 The Wissahickon ravine 296 
 
 Boy Scouts giving first aid 297 
 
 Green grass versus cinders 297 
 
 Beauty in bridges 312 
 
 The Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, N.y."". . ... 313 
 
 Bach Festival at Bethlehem, Pa 328 
 
 The Boston City Club: Main dining room and grill . 329 
 
 The Boston City Club: Auditorium and lounge . 332 
 
 Blooms in far-away Japan 333 
 
 Sauk City, Wis., Community Centre: The band and 
 
 night school 340 
 
 Sauk City, Wis., Community Centre: Dance and pageant 341 
 
 The Tree of Light 344 
 
 Mayor's reception room, Philadelphia City Hall . . . 345 
 
LIST OF LINE CUTS IN THE TEXT 
 
 PAGE 
 
 "UnafErighted l?y the sounds around her" ... 3 
 
 Postal-caxd complaint book 7 
 
 Graphic method illustrating municipal expenditures . 24 
 
 Page from Log Book, truck house No. 9 ... 36 
 
 The scrubwoman was the only absentee .... 37 
 
 Invitation to pay political assessments .... 39 
 
 Philadelphia pleads in vain 48 
 
 Publicity that worked 55 
 
 Two styles of ballots 62 
 
 Publicity in water saving 92 
 
 The old and the new administration . . . . . 131 
 
 Cover page studies 203 
 
 An unusual title page 204 
 
 An idea from Paris 213 
 
 Cover for Clean-up Week announcement . . . 219 
 
 Two styles of contract advertisements . . . 225 
 
 Use of water in New York 251 
 
 Know thy spigot 251 
 
 Holding a job 288 
 
 Only three years ago 291 
 
 Where there is no vision the people perish . . .327 
 
 zziii 
 
OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 PAVING THE WAY 
 
 L.ti'-'-..-:^i'' ' 
 
 
 ^yi^A i 
 
 " Unaffrighfed by the sounds around her 
 Undistraded by the things she sees." 
 
 THIS pigeon made her nest and home in a window-box 
 (Outside our ofSces in the Philadelphia City Hall, 
 "within her sight and only a few feet away almost 
 one hundred thousand people pass every day. It is with 
 some such spirit that those of us engaged in the service of the 
 city must go about our work. The problem is very large. 
 There is always much to distract. There seems to be much 
 coming and going. There are few standards to guide us. 
 Of genuine training for such work there is almost none. 
 Sometimes the pressure is strong to do the immediate and 
 near by — rather than to build for the future. At best all 
 
4 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 progress must seem slow and, in this field, especially so to the 
 onlooker. 
 
 At the outset let us distinguish sharply between two currents 
 in our American city-making. We must, of course, admit that 
 we still have much that is selfish, sordid, and even criminal 
 with which to contend. Perhaps this will always be the case. 
 Wherever we find greed, debauchery, and the narrow view, 
 they must be opposed. An extended research to imcover the 
 nature and causes of any such phenomena may frequently 
 be necessary to effect a cure. But it would be a fatal mistake 
 to look upon ballot-box stuffing and crooked contracts as 
 anything but the negative side of the city problem. To^get 
 the vision of what a city can and should be, and to see' the 
 directions along which affirmative progress is immediately 
 possible, constitute the constructive approach to municipal 
 well-being. While never condoning or ignoring whatever is 
 wrong our most effective efforts must be in the direction^of 
 strengthening what is right and bringing order and harmony 
 into the chaotic [places. As President' Wilson puts it: 
 "Almost every vicious man is afraid of society and if you once 
 open the door where he is, he will run. All you have to do is 
 to fight — ^not with cannon — ^but with light."^ One carefully 
 planned step forward that becomes a part of the permanent 
 life of the dty may easily outweigh in importance the block- 
 ing of a dozen crooked deals. 
 
 The city as a field for service is making an increasingly 
 strong appeal to young men and young women with ability 
 and education and especially to those whose idea of culture 
 involves a service somewhat wider than that of self-develop- 
 ment and simply making a living. Nothing will do more to 
 encoiurage recruits than to emphasize this constructive side 
 of service to the city in times both of peace and of war. 
 Checks a nd balances are no longer the big issue. We have 
 
 'Pittsburgh, October 24, 1914. 
 
PAVING THE WAY S 
 
 reached the point where everyone — rich and poor, foreign 
 and native born— each can do his bit. The building of a city 
 industrially, socially, and spiritually is a vast enterprise, 
 tinged all over with romance, and in this work red-blooded 
 and high-visioned men and women are more and more demand- 
 ing a part. 
 
 City government, backward as it is, is indisputably ahead 
 of^state or county government at the present time. While a 
 tight deadlock holds in check the advance in governing 
 methods in our great commonwealths, many of our leading 
 cities are throwing out their old charters and adopting new 
 ones whose provisions are more in keeping with present-day 
 conditions. The state is infinitely more loath to experiment 
 than the city. The sceptre for backwardness and corruption, 
 held not many decades ago by the American city, is fast pass- 
 ing to our larger political division — the state. Professor 
 Charles A. Beard remarked in his monograph in the New 
 Republic, on "Reconstructing State Government": 
 
 Meanwhile, curiously enough, complete revolutions were being 
 made in the charters of great cities — charters which, in their rela- 
 tion to the life, property, safety, health, and well-being of millions, 
 were more important than the constitutions of a score of common- 
 wealths. The bicameral system in city legislatures — once looked 
 upon as the foimdation of our municipal liberties — ^was flung away 
 in nearly every municipality of any consequence except Philadel- 
 phia, where it remains a hieroglyphic of ancient days to be exam- 
 ined by the municipal antiquarian. 
 
 The product of municipal government should be the happi- 
 ness of its citizen-stockholders. The great body of citizens 
 can be municipally happy only to the extent of the provisions 
 made for their convenience, health, safety, recreation, educa- 
 tion, and employment. Spasmodic spurts and short-sighted 
 planning and improvements will not accomplish municipal 
 happiness; nor will they conserve a city's resources. Mr. 
 
6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 H. D. W. English, President of the Pittsburgh Chamber of 
 Commerce, has expressed this idea very clearly: 
 
 It is proverbially the remark that municipalities, while they al- 
 ways wish to see returns for money expended, are not capable of 
 looking very far into the future and seeing benefits from money 
 expended to-day which will come back, perhaps, to our children. 
 Such things as better housing conditions, better transportation 
 facilities, better care of the children of the streets and better sani- 
 tary conditions, the granting of franchises viewed in a broad way, 
 sometimes look too advanced to the ordinary legislator, but it is 
 not difficult to show to the thoughtful business man that all this 
 counts, even counts from the dollar-and-cents point of view, let 
 alone the matter of civic pride. So it is by the arousiag of interest 
 in such bodies of business men that we have a healthy tone in a 
 community which operates for the public good. 
 
 Whether the planning is done by the legislator or the ad- 
 ministrator, the broadest and longest possible view must be 
 taken. To plan "for over the week-end," or even for the 
 current year, is too short-sighted. With the growing size 
 and complexity of our cities the necessity is to look farther and 
 farther ahead. Even to-day many of our best city plans 
 will require the passing of two or three generations to secure 
 their fullest justification. Again there is too much planning 
 done from the sidewalk. This makes the immediate block — 
 in which perhaps one happens to live — ^look too large. The 
 effort should be to get up above the city, high enough to see 
 it as a whole, so that a move in any one part is made so as to 
 affect the entire city as favorably as possible. 
 
 COMPLAINTS 
 
 It is the duty of city officials — and it should be their pleasure 
 as well — to make and keep things right. This is what they 
 are paid for. Therefore if the municipal service is not ade- 
 quate at any point the proper department should be notified. 
 City officials are public servants whose direct responsibility is 
 
PAVING THE WAY 
 
 to all the citizens. To get the public into the habit of writing 
 or telephoning to us whenever there was necessity, was one 
 of our principal endeavours. Every worker in the department 
 was instructed to be pleasant and obliging in case of complaints. 
 An official bulletin warned against the tendency to be curt 
 with the people in correspondence and telephone calls. 
 
 My attention was early directed to the manner in which 
 the police officers were sending in complaints of defective 
 and unclean highways, broken sidewalks, etc. These were 
 submitted but once a week and often the repairs had been 
 made by the department before the complaint was received 
 in the bureau responsible for it. To remedy this waste of 
 time in reporting bad conditions, and still more, to encourage 
 the police and citizens to make complaints more freely, it was 
 decided to change the system in vogue by the introduc- 
 tion of a postal-card complaint book which was so arranged 
 
 PUaae 01 b the atudied blank, as directed 
 aad mail wjlh • one O) efol alamjx 
 
 .191 
 
 .^ame el Complauit 
 „.i._, Addreaa 
 
 Tfae foUawins report b made about s matter 
 ajKU wbicb. in tbe opinion of tbe Citizen rcnor. 
 lias aame. anine actiaa ahould be taken. 
 
 Ciiiw of Coovlainl Na . 
 
 Locailoo. 
 
 NaneJIuu- 
 
 
 
 
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 £ 
 
 a. 
 
 
 
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 b 
 
 
 
 
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8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 that it coiild be given to the police officer and also utilized In 
 public places, such as drug stores, cigar stores and establish- 
 ments of like nature. Through these stores, and public places 
 the cards reached the general public. 
 
 The postal-card complaint book contains eight cards ready 
 for mailing. The reverse side is so arranged that the com- 
 plaint can be registered by the citizen in the shortest possible 
 time. In order to standardize complaints an index was added. 
 For instance, "3-B" is a complaint that notifies the depart- 
 ment that an alley in district mentioned needs cleaning. 
 The following is a section from the Index of the Postal-Card 
 Complaint Book: 
 
 No. i-A means Ashes neglected 
 
 No. 2-A means dangerous Awnings, etc. 
 
 1— ASHES 
 
 A. Neglected 
 
 B. Improperly placed. 
 
 C. Improperly loaded. 
 
 D. Wagons not covered. 
 
 E. Negligence of collector. 
 
 (Give number of wagon.) 
 
 2— AWNINGS 
 
 A. Dangerous.- 
 
 B. Built without permit. 
 
 3— ALLEYS 
 
 A. Pavement broken. 
 
 B. Dirty. 
 
 Such devices are wonderful ice-breakers for the ordinary 
 citizen. He is enabled to reach the heart of the municipal 
 system quickly and with little effort. He becomes more than 
 a voting citizen, in spite of himself. If he favours the crowd 
 on the job he figures that his friendly criticisms will help 
 make a better city. On the other hand, if he belongs to the 
 opposition, he will complain if only in the hope of swamping 
 the department with work. Every good citizen becomes an 
 
OPENING BIDS ON CONTRACTS 
 
 Note the locked box and the blackboard 
 
 ILL-ADVISED CONTRACT WORK 
 
 Two miles of this poorly constructed sidewalk and wall ha\'e been 
 blasted into the lake 
 
PAVING THE WAY 9 
 
 inspector in the service of the city. This provides not only 
 the cheapest, but frequently the most effective, kind of in- 
 spection service. 
 
 To stimulate the use of these cards by the policemen and 
 to add zest to the friendly rivalry which would ordinarily 
 result from the use of this type of report, Mayor Blankenburg 
 offered three prizes to the police officers who turned in the 
 greatest nimiber of well-founded complaints in conjunction 
 with the greatest good resulting therefrom. The contest 
 opened January 15, 1913, and closed two months later — 
 March 15. The following bulletin was sent to all the police 
 stations to give the plan the widest publicity: 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY 
 BUREAU OF POLICE 
 CIRCULAR No. 6 Phila., Jan. 9, 1913. 
 
 It is the desire of the Administration to secure the fullest measure 
 of cooperation between the officers of the Bureau of Police and 
 the various Departments of the City Government, and with this 
 purpose in view, the following method has been devised: 
 
 1. Mimicipal Complaint Post-Card Books will be distributed 
 to all Police Officers to be used on and after January 15, 1913. 
 
 2. These books contain detachable post cards to be used in 
 notifying the Complaint Bureau of conditions requiring 
 immediate attention. 
 
 3. Stamps may be obtained at Station Houses. 
 
 4. In making complaints officers wiU use the standard s3mibols 
 given in the Complaint Book. For instance. No. 14-C 
 means "Fire Hydrant obstructed by builders." 
 
 5. The fact that a condition has been reported in the above 
 manner does not relieve the officer of making an arrest where 
 necessary or of making other prescribed reports. The post- 
 card report is designed to bring about immediate action in 
 improving the physical condition of the city. 
 
 6. A separate card is to be used for each different class of com- 
 plaint reported. 
 
 7. In addition to giving his number, the officer will initial all 
 cards sent in. 
 
10 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Mayor Blankenburg is so impressed with the possibiKties of this 
 manner of improving conditions that he has authorized Director 
 Porter to offer three prizes as follows: 
 
 First Prize $100.00 
 
 Second Prize S°°° 
 
 Third Prize 35 00 
 
 to be given to the Police Officers who from January 15 to March 
 IS, indusive, put these complaint books to the best use. 
 
 The prizes will not be awarded entirely on the basis of the num- 
 ber of complaint cards sent in. Only one card should be sent in 
 for each complaint. 
 
 The amount of good accomplished by the officer's action will be 
 considered. Only those matters where there is a reasonable chance 
 of providing a remedy should be reported. Sending in cards 
 merely for tiie piupose of appearing efficient is to be discouraged. 
 
 In addition to determining the distribution of the prizes men- 
 tioned above, the intelligence shown in making reports will be 
 recorded on the records of all officers. 
 
 Police Officers have many means of improving the physical 
 conditions along their beats, and their activity in this duty reflects 
 in a measure their interest in their work. 
 
 George D. Porter, 
 Director. 
 
 All told, 2,754 well-founded complaints were entered during 
 these two months, affecting not only the Department of Public 
 Works but the Fairmount Park Commission, the Department 
 of Health and Charities, and the Department of Public Safety. 
 The prizes of $100.00, $50.00, and $35.00 in gold were sub- 
 sequently awarded by the Mayor, in his office, to the police 
 officers who had made the best showing, while another officer 
 received honourable mention for making a unique report on 
 the manner of displaying the illuminated route numbers on 
 nearside street cars so that they could more easily be identified. 
 
 There were 20,000 of these post-card complaint books dis- 
 tributed through the police bureau, through business associa- 
 tions, and in the various stores in the city. The response was 
 
PAVING THE WAY ii 
 
 general. This is only one instance of how it is usually possible 
 to secure hearty cooperation between two departments of 
 the city and thereby to produce better living conditions. 
 
 This and other work of a similar kind was done with the 
 idea of actually stirring up complaints and inviting suggestions 
 in contrast to the too frequently prevailing method of dis- 
 couraging or ignoring them. Every letter that we received 
 was answered. If the answer could not be made immediately, 
 the instructions were that a card of acknowledgment should 
 be sent and some idea given as to when the answer would be 
 ready. The added burden that this work put on our office 
 staff is shown by the fact that, in the Director's office, we used 
 as many stenographers' notebooks in one month as had been 
 used in the four years of a previous administration. Ciuriously 
 enough we did not find it necessary, however, to add to our 
 office force in any way. 
 
 We tried to take the position that we were fortunate in being 
 able to come in contact with citizens interested in any part 
 of our work. We were especially glad to have them come to 
 the City HaU and bring to our attention any points wherein 
 they felt we were not acting wisely, or perhaps would act differ- 
 ently if we had fuU information. 
 
 In handling correspondence and inquiries the effort was made 
 to send our citizens to those having direct charge of the work, 
 so that they might receive as much first-hand information as 
 possible on matters about which they were good enough to 
 inquire. When possible we gave people perfectly definite 
 promises as to when public improvements would be imder- 
 taken. We made it unnecessary for them to secure such in- 
 formation through members of City Councils or others in 
 positions of legislative or political influence. The instructions 
 were that, wherever a second complaint was made about the 
 same matter, a copy of the reply should be sent to the office 
 of the Director. 
 
12 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 If there is any one thing that will discourage the average 
 citizen from calling on the city departments to adjust their 
 complaints it is the continual reference from one bureau or 
 division to another imtil the complainant becomes weary of 
 the "red tape" and unbusiness-like methods. The method 
 by which we shall ultimately get aroimd this lack of coordina- 
 tion in city bureaus and departments will be the municipal 
 complaint bureau. It will be the business of such a bureau to 
 imwind the "red tape" and give the citizen prompt service. 
 
 In this connection, I am reminded of the story of two bricks 
 which disappeared from a private alley in the rear of the home 
 ofVcertain widow in Philadelphia. The aforesaid widow soon 
 discovered that they had been used for paving around a fire 
 plug in the neighbourhood. A complaint was made to the 
 Mayor, which was referred to the Nuisance Division of the 
 Bureau of Health. The inspector representing that bureau 
 determined that the bricks were certainly missing and ac- 
 quiesced in the theory of the widow that they had been used 
 for repaving around the fire hydrant. The matter was then 
 referred to the Bureau of Water and in due time its inspector 
 reported that it was a matter absolutely within the province 
 of the Bureau of Highways. It should be noted in this con- 
 nection that the particular district of the water biireau report- 
 ing on the matter had at the time 44,000 bricks on storage in a 
 near-by yard. In due course the matter was referred to the 
 Bureau of Highways and its inspector, after ascertaining that 
 all the facts above mentioned were correct, determined that 
 the real responsibility lay with the contractor who had done 
 the paving around the fire plug. The case was soon in the 
 hands of the contractor and his foreman was once again deter- 
 mining the fact that the two bricks had been taken from the 
 private alley-way of the widow and had been used around the 
 fire hydrant. Six months after the receipt of the complaint 
 the matter w£is still awaiting adjustment. 
 
PAVING THE WAY 13 
 
 Most of us appreciate a word of encouragement. When 
 letters of commendation for good work are received in an office 
 they smooth over the rough places for everyone through whose 
 hands they pass, and oftentimes affect, indirectly, the whole 
 organization. In addressing our "Citizen Stockholder's 
 Manual" — (a Uttle pamphlet indexing the various city offices, 
 published for the assistance of those wanting to make com- 
 plaints) — we reminded the public among other things, that — 
 
 Every big business necessarily gets many complaints. It iS 
 helpful to those in charge of the work if people who are pleased 
 with the service they receive write and say so. We want to do 
 everything that we can to encourage sending in of complaints, 
 but letters of commendation for individuals or branches of the 
 service are equally acceptable. 
 
 Letters of commendation were invariably forwarded to the 
 employees whose work was praised. At one time we offered 
 a prize to the employee who was responsible for drawing down 
 on the department the finest letter of commendation. This 
 competition afforded the best possible advertisement of the 
 desirabihty oi such letters and the good effect they have on 
 the municipal service. 
 
 FINANCIAL METHODS 
 
 Perhaps it is in financial planning that the American city is 
 farthest away from a possible ideal. In some respects any 
 city is so situated that this part of its work should be relatively 
 easy. Its revenues are so derived as to be fairly regular in 
 good times and in bad. Then those sudden and not-to-be- 
 anticipated demands for large capital expenditures common 
 in industry rarely arise with the city. Thus the balancing of 
 income and expenditure becomes relatively easy. Again the 
 objects of capital expenditure are fairly easily determined many 
 
14 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 years in advance — are rightly only so determined — and this 
 fact makes it easy to spread the anticipated plant outlasts 
 intelligently and evenly over almost any given period of years. 
 We do not take'advantage of these conditions. Our municipal 
 financial plaiming hardly extends beyond the twelve months 
 of the calendar year. 
 
 The chances are that in this part of the city's work it will 
 be some time before we get genuinely expert service. Ques- 
 tions of land tax and land values occupy of course a very large 
 part in the whole question of city finance. The views gen- 
 erally held on this subject by bankers and other experts on 
 finance'are too nearly uniform to make them good advisers to a 
 city operating along democratic lines. This will continue to 
 be true until we get from the people themselves some further 
 decisions as to the methods to be used in taxation. The city 
 will have to train its own experts in finance. They will 
 doubtless arrive with the on-coming regime of appointive 
 administrative oflScials, longer terms for city servants and 
 business methods generally. 
 
 "Pay as you go" seems to be the basic rule for current 
 outlays. For capital expenditures to amortize the bond 
 issues well within the expected life of the improvement seems 
 equally sound but more dif&cult to apply. To have the 
 same bond period for macadam roads, with an expected life 
 of say twelve years, as for concrete bridges, which will last 
 practically indefinitely — a common practice — is of course 
 entirely too illogical. A solution would be to have, say, four 
 bond periods of perha; s ten, twenty, forty, and seventy-five 
 years. 
 
 The department of Public Works in Philadelphia being the 
 one in which more contract work was carried on than in any 
 other, was the one principally at interest in the matter of loan 
 funds. We called the attention of the heads of city and county 
 departments to the unnecessarily large balances of loan funds 
 
PAVING THE WAY 15 
 
 constantly in the hands of the City Treasurer, with the thought 
 that if this total could be reduced the economies resulting 
 from lowered interest payments would put at the disposal 
 of city councils further moneys for construction work. As a 
 result of this suggestion a biU was drafted by the City Solicitor 
 and presented to the Legislature by a committee representing 
 the department heads. The passage of this bill made it possi- 
 ble to pool all the funds resulting from any one loan. This 
 was one of the principal causes which led to a reduction, by 
 several million doUars, of the total of loan-fund balances. 
 We urged the passage of further legislation which would 
 pool in a similar way aU loan funds and thus permit of 
 further reduction in the total. The ultimate step will be to 
 pool all funds — those resulting from taxation, loans, and other 
 sources. 
 
 It is, of course, an old-fashioned idea that, by keeping sepa- 
 rate the cash coming from dififerent sources, a check is afforded 
 against its improper expenditure. An individual does not 
 find it necessary or profitable to keep in different pockets 
 money coming as the result of investments and that represent- 
 ing salary or wages. Ultimately our cities will find it possible 
 by the pooling of all cash, no matter what the origin, to prose- 
 cute their work with smaller balances. 
 
 It would appear to be a good theory of municipal finance 
 that as largely as practicable each part of the work should be 
 self-sustaining. It is apparently just as wrong to make the 
 charges at any one point more than enough to pay for the 
 work as it is to make them too small. The incomes from the 
 various undertakings in our department were almost invariably 
 either too great or too small. The mechanisms for making 
 changes were entirely too antiquated. For instance, the 
 charges in the Bureau of Surveys were established in 1867 
 when conditions were absolutely different from those of to-day. 
 Some of the charges are consequently much too high, and 
 
i6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 others entirely too low. The charge of $1.50 per foot front for 
 sewer construction, for example, is probably one half of what it 
 should be. Many of our fixture charges for water would be 
 characterized as Mghway robbery if charged by a private water 
 company, whereas, on the other hand, the cubic-foot rate for 
 water — four cents per thousand gallons — ^is too low. Again, 
 the state automobile tax, even if given to the city, would be 
 entirely inadequate to cover the upkeep of the roads made 
 necessary by this class of vehicle. I am quite sure that an ade- 
 quate tax on automobiles, fairly levied and with the assurance 
 tiiat the money was to be spent especially on main-traffic 
 streets, would not be an unpopular tax. Automobile owners 
 would very soon find out that a relatively small increase in 
 the license fee would be more than offset by a reduction in 
 repairs. 
 
 The goal toward which we should work, as I have said, would 
 be to have as many of our municipal activities self-supporting 
 as possible. This gives the public an opportunity to decide 
 for itself whether it desires to go ahead with any given line of 
 activity and, if so, on what basis. So long as the people do 
 not know what it costs, or if they are made to feel liat it 
 costs either a great deal more or much less than- is actually 
 the case, they are not in a position to give an intelligent 
 decision. It is interesting to note, in this connection, that in 
 Germany this principle is followed even to the extent of making 
 those whose homes or places of business get on fire pay the 
 full expense of putting out such fires. This puts a premiiun 
 on so maintaining the premises that fires do not occur. 
 
 There are a number of other taxes — such as the personal, 
 mercantile, tobacco, manufacturers', license, occupation, real 
 estate, etc. — the fairness and the standardization of which 
 can be determined, even to an approximate degree, only by 
 the best experts in the field. The difficulties in the way of 
 satisfying the public in the matter of taxation is well illustrated 
 
PAVING THE WAY 17 
 
 by certain newspaper complaints on a proposed dog tax. 
 One lady protested that she should not be deprived of the 
 pleasure of the company of her pet dog by the imposition of a 
 $1.00 dog tax. Another kicker, in another paper, said: 
 "You ought to charge those miserable dogs at least $100 
 apiece." 
 
 The most serious problem in the matter of taxation is, of 
 course, the assessment of real estate. The general lack of stand- 
 ards and of essential justice in this field are known to every 
 property-owning citizen in the land. In seventy-two actual 
 purchases of land by the City of Philadelphia, made necessary 
 in opening the Northeast Boulevard, the record discloses the 
 fact that the price at which the property was assessed previous 
 to purchase by the dty ranged all the way from 6 per cent, 
 to 6^% per cent, of the price at which sale was finally made. 
 Fourteen of the seventy-two transactions show that the prop- 
 erty was assessed at less than 20 per cent, of the selling price. 
 There has been so little of intelligently directed public dis- 
 cussion of mimicipal taxation that we can hardly claim that 
 even a fair start has been made in building a satisfactory or 
 scientific public policy. Until some good municipal adminis- 
 trator makes it his business to thrash out and get public sup- 
 port for a few fundamental principles, important elections 
 will continue to be unduly influenced by ponderous discussions 
 as to the expediency of a tax on dogs and on furniture. Such 
 was the case in the municipal election held in Philadelphia in 
 1915- 
 
 BUDGETS AND COST KEEPING 
 
 It is a generation since we heard the first rumble of 
 the artillery in the battle for an intelligent and intelligible 
 budget. Even so, we have not yet heard — so far as I know — 
 a single word about what is probably the most important phase 
 
i8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of the subject, i. e., the effect of the budget upon cost keeping. 
 This, of course, reminds us that cost keeping, an important 
 phase of the work of most industrial establishments, has not 
 even made a beginning as a feature of oiu- government activi- 
 ties. 
 
 With a more modem s3rstem of budgets and accoimting 
 control, and the right t3^e of appropriation ordinance, it 
 should be possible for the average citizen to know which public 
 officials are doing their work efficiently and economically 
 and which among them are careless, both as to results obtained 
 and as to the cost at which they are secured. This is impossi- 
 ble under the archaic financial system — or lack of system — 
 which is practised in practically every American city to-day. 
 The expenses of operation and of maintenance, and in many 
 instances of construction as weU, are all mixed up. It is 
 difficult to prove anything "from the books." This should 
 not be. In the long run the best type of men will not be 
 attracted to the city service if the estimate put on their 
 work is to be so largely a question of guesswork or chance. 
 The present system lays the most efficient of administrations 
 open to charges which are hard to answer in such a way as 
 to be convincing. 
 
 In discussing budgets and budgetary procedure in the New 
 Republic^ Professor Beard calls attention to the wonderful 
 spectacle of the Socialist city administrations "in search of 
 fimds for beneficent enterprises, standing side by side with 
 tax-payers in the effort to eliminate the enormous waste of 
 municipal revenues which inevitably flowed from pork-barrel 
 politics and log-rolling tactics of ward statesmanship." 
 Hence he concludes, "the demand for a centralized and 
 scientific budget, made by responsible officers and approved 
 by the city coimcil." 
 
 'August 21, 1915. 
 
PAVING THE WAY , 19 
 
 Much can be accomplished by those having charge of muni- 
 cipal expenditures if they will submit reasonable estimates of 
 their expected requirements, and then make their subsequent 
 actions tally with these forecasts. Under such a system 
 it would not be very long before the money-voting power 
 would realize that a particular department knew what it 
 wanted, and that anythiag short of that amount would not 
 be enough. When it is necessary to make expenditures for 
 which fimds have not already been provided by appropriation, 
 the citizens suffer because of the unbusiness-hke methods 
 forced on their administrative representatives. When a coal 
 dealer sells coal to the city "on tick" he very properly charges 
 the city something extra for the special service. But it gen- 
 erally happens that the risks as figured by the coal dealer 
 exceed the most imaginative figures possible in private transac- 
 tions. Overrunning appropriations is, from every standpoint, 
 an expensive pastime for which Mr. Common Citizen must 
 ultimately pay. 
 
 An excellent example of the embarrassment and financial 
 loss resulting from insuflBcient appropriation is furnished by 
 , the snow-removal work of the Bureau of Highways of Phila- 
 ^delphia Notwithstanding the recommendations made in the 
 Annual Report of 1913, the Bureau was again, in 1914, in 
 spite of the preparation of detailed specifications and planning, 
 placed in the embarrassing position of having to carry on the 
 work of snow removal without adequate appropriation. 
 Thus the Bureau becomes dependent upon contractors, "^ho 
 can afford to wait several months to be paid for their work — 
 a method which not only is an imposition on the contractors 
 but which prevents the Bureau from going out into the open 
 market and employing any man who has one or more teams. 
 The annual appropriation of $2,500 would not pay for a half 
 day's work in a heavy storm. Appropriations should be made 
 providing sufficient funds to enable those in charge of the work 
 
20 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to go into the open market when necessary and toemploy teams. 
 The appropriation in this instance should be sufficiently 
 large to give the Bureau the whip-hand in controlling the 
 work for which it is held responsible. This money need not 
 be appropriated absolutely for snow removal, as there is, of 
 course, an uncertainty as to whether it would be used, but it 
 could be appropriated in such a way that it might be used for 
 snow'removal or, if not used for that purpose, would revert to 
 the item for street repairs for instance. 
 
 At the beginning of our administration, it frequently hap- 
 pened that we did not have money to meet the regular operat- 
 ing payrolls. Instructions were issued that City Councils 
 would be given a month's notice of any such anticipated 
 shortage. If the request was not met by an appropriation 
 before the obligation was incurred, the instructions were to 
 reduce the force to the number which could be taken care of 
 by the appropriation as made. In several instances it was 
 necessary to resort to this procedure. This rule of the depart- 
 ment, however, had the effect which we anticipated, and 
 the necessary appropriations began to be made in such 
 season that our employees were not forced to wait for their 
 money. 
 
 Except in extreme emergencies no expenditures for either 
 repairs or new work were authorized in the absence of appro- 
 priations.^ The following schedule, dated October 30, 1909, 
 four years before we took office, shows that the Bureau 
 of Highways of the City of Philadelphia exceeded by 
 over $500,000 the appropriations credited to it on that 
 date. 
 
 'With the exception of sprinMuag and snow removal these exceptions amounted 
 to very little. Councils practically took the position of authorizing the ex- 
 penditures for snow removal and sprinkling prior to making the appropriation, 
 as there was no very definite way of ascertaining beforehand the amount that 
 would be lequiied. 
 
PAVING THE WAY 21 
 
 ACTUAL 
 
 EXPENDED 
 
 APPRO- 
 
 IN 
 
 PRIATION 
 
 EXCESS 
 
 5 Repairs to paved streets, all classes ex- 
 
 cept asphalt $5,000 $102,500 
 
 6 Repairs to country roads, spri nklin gs 
 
 macadam roads, trunks and guard 
 
 x/^^^? J ■ j 2,500 111,900 
 
 II Hauling and yard expenses. . . . 1,000 1,000 
 14 Curbing and paving footways in front 
 
 of City and unassessable property . 1,000 11,000 
 16 Keep of horses — inspectors and Com- 
 
 I'- missioners 10,200 17,600 
 
 18 Curved curbs 6,200 1,500 
 
 20 Repairs to asphalt streets . . . 21,000 87,900 
 
 23 Repairs to sewers furnishing manhole 
 
 covers, etc 25,000 87,000 
 
 24 Repairs to bridges 21,000 117,000 
 
 $537,400 
 
 This totals actually $537,400. If the same overrunning 
 had been practised by the other Departments of the city 
 administration it can easily be seen that City Councils 
 were not in reality directing municipal expenditures. 
 Just who was performing this part of the legislative function 
 at that time is not altogether clear. Some light is thrown 
 on the question by the following letter dated July 19, 1910, 
 and addresged by the then Director of the Department of 
 Public Works to James P. McNichol who was at that time 
 generally credited with being the political boss of the 
 Republican City Machine. Mr. McNichol at that time 
 had no official relation with the government of Philadelphia 
 other than that of contractor. In this letter the then 
 Director called " Sunny Jim's " (the boss's nickname) attention 
 to the requirements of the department to be taken from a 
 pending $5,000,000 loan: 
 
22 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 July 19, 1910. 
 Hon. James P. McNichol, 
 
 Betz Building. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 Supplementing my letter of this date, relative to the apportion 
 ment by the Finance Committee for this Department from the 
 five million doUar loan, I beg to submit the following comparative 
 statement showing the requirements of the Department, as well 
 as the apportionment that has been made: 
 
 BUREAU OF HIGHWAYS 
 
 REQUIRED APPOE- 
 BY IHE HONED 
 DEPART- BY COM- 
 MENT MIITEE 
 
 4 Removal of snow and sprinkling streets $ 17,500 $ 2,500 
 
 5 Repairs to paved streets 199,000 50,000 
 
 6 Repairing country roads, including 
 
 sprinkling of macadam roads. . . 159,000 40,000 
 (Items 7 to 28 omitted for brevity) 
 
 29 Horses, wagons, etc 1,500 800 
 
 30 Donkey pumps, etc 500 
 
 31 Special articles 3,000 1,600 
 
 32 Lead pipe 2,000 1,200 
 
 No. 16186 Yours truly, 
 
 Director. 
 
 This letter proves that at that time practically no distinction 
 was made in the expenditure of loan funds as between amounts 
 properly chargeable on the one hand to construction accoimt 
 and on the other to operation and maintenance. 
 
 One year, whUe I was in office, we received definite instruc- 
 tions from the City Controller as to the method under which 
 our budget was to be prepared. In order to make this of the 
 largest possible value to City Councils practicaUy three budgets 
 were formulated. The first one was what might be called a 
 
PAVING THE WAY 23 
 
 rock-bottom programme of proposed expenditures; the second 
 was somewhat more liberal and was one which the department 
 not only recommended but felt fully justified in proposing; 
 the third was one which included such further items of ex- 
 penditure as were not only perfectly proper but which would 
 provide the city with improvements demanded by our citizens. 
 A number of our employees were forced to work overtime 
 during the hot summer months in order to get out these de- 
 tailed statements. The time was almost thrown away be- 
 cause the employees of City Councils ignored the form sug- 
 gested by the Controller under which these budgets were 
 prepared and recast the information provided into a form 
 which recommended itself solely because it was somewhat 
 like that which had formerly been used. The appropriations 
 were finally made on this latter basis and the Controller's 
 books as well as our departmental records had to be kept along 
 these lines. Through this unenlightened action on the part 
 of the legislative branch we were prevented from having any- 
 thing in the city service which approximated cost records^in 
 private undertakings. If the effort had been made to devise 
 a scheme by which nobody, through any chance, would know 
 the cost of anything, it is hard to conceive of one better fitted 
 for the purpose than that adopted. In almost no particular 
 is Philadelphia in a position to compare its operating and 
 maintenance cost with those of other cities. The same is 
 almost as true of construction costs. Of course" this is rela- 
 tively true of every American city. 
 
 Perhaps the most important consideration here is that the 
 budget should be prepared in such a way as to be readily in- 
 telligible to the public. Here is certainly one of the places 
 where in a democracy action should largely be determined 
 by "what the people have to say about it." When it comes 
 to a decision as to whether this year's appropriations for schools 
 or highways should be increased a large factor in the decision 
 
24 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 should come as the result of widespread publit discussion. 
 In fact, if budgets are to be of the widest usefulness they should 
 be reduced ultimately to a special form for public use. The 
 people wiU always be well advised if they limit public dis- 
 cussion to the broader issues. There are always so many de- 
 tails that any balanced discussion of them is impossible. 
 
 Graphic Method iLirsTRATiNG Municipal Expenditures 
 , Showing how Philadelphia spent $46,000,000 in 1914 
 
 This illustration shows an attempt by Donald C. Baldwin 
 of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania 
 to visualize in broad fashion the objects for which the City 
 of Philadelphia expended over forty-six million dollars in 
 1914. So far as I know this is the first time that such a 
 task has been attempted. If some standard form applicable 
 to all cities could be adopted our citizens would be in a 
 
PAVING THE WAY 25 
 
 position to make comparisons. A similar chart showing the 
 sources from which the total revenue is derived would be use- 
 fid. In all classes of undertakings the graphic method of 
 making reports is becoming more and more an object of study. 
 
 APPROPRIATION MAKING 
 
 There is a constant conflict in this country, in the matter of 
 making appropriations, between the forces urging "lump 
 sum" appropriations and those demanding detailed appro- 
 priations. Commissioner Brownlow of the District of Colum- 
 bia says that the tendency in district appropriations as made 
 by Congress is toward detail rather than away from it. Each 
 year Congress takes up some one local appropriation and 
 subdivides it. There are apparently no subdivided appro- 
 priations that are being changed to lump appropriations. 
 These detail items go as low as, for instance, "$i6o, for 
 Custodian of Stone Yard." 
 
 This tendency toward detail in appropriations seems to 
 have the upper hand in aU appropriations made by Congress. 
 One reason assigned by Congressional committees for detailed 
 provisions covering expenditures is that when moneys are 
 voted in this way it is possible for members of Congress to 
 know actually what happens to the money. It has been 
 their e^erience that when a lump sum is appropriated, the 
 authorities do with it "any old thing" they wish, and then 
 let the Committee on Appropriations find out as best they can 
 what was done. This seems to trie to be a splendid argument 
 in favour of engineers and administrators putting more effort 
 mto learning how to visuahzfe the object of expenditures. 
 
 I used to consider lump sum appropriations the only method 
 that would permit the most efl&cient administration. I stiU 
 believe this to be true where the man spending the appropria- 
 tion has the public interest as his prime consideration, Un- 
 
26 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 fortunately, I am forced to retreat from too strong an advocacy 
 of lump siun appropriations through a realization of the fact 
 that there are still with us, in the municipal government field, 
 a large element whose personal desires obstruct their vision 
 toward anything not selfish. Even under these conditions, I 
 contend for a small percentage of the total appropriations to 
 be held by the administrator, for emergency use, mainly the 
 employment of experts. 
 
 Experience has shown that in our department, spending, 
 as we did, over $io,oco,ooo in a single year, we could profi- 
 tably spend $25,000 a year for research and investigation 
 work and for the employment of experts beyond the amoimt 
 and for such purposes as included in the budget. In fact, some 
 moneys were appropriated for such purposes with the proviso 
 that the object of each warrant drawn against the item 
 should be explained in not less than 100 words on the accom 
 panying voucher. In making this class of appropriations it 
 would probably be wise to allow, say 10 per cent., to be ex- 
 plained or not, in the judgment of the administrative officer. 
 This plan would imitate the practice followed in practically 
 every city in the country in the expenditure of funds for the 
 detection of crime. 
 
 Especially in engineering work, an almost entire absence 
 of what may be called a financial programme is the great 
 handicap. Private institutions can go along for years on a 
 straight operating basis and without the necessity of under- 
 taking any extensive construction work. But a growing 
 city must necessarily spend a considerable part of its income 
 on construction. This can be done with intelligence only by 
 taking a long look ahead. For instance, at the present time 
 in PhiladelphiaVe are facing expenditures of from $20,000,000 
 to $25,000,000 for a sewage-disposal installation; perhaps 
 $60,000,000 for rapid transit; $10,000,000 for water-front 
 development and extensive additions to our water supply 
 
PAVING THE WAY 27 
 
 system, not to mention other millions which could profitably 
 be spent on sewers, bridges, grade-crossings, and a much- 
 needed programme of modem highway construction. There 
 is probably no city in the country that is attacking such ob- 
 vious business problems in an intelligent, systematic, far- 
 sighted, and energetic way. Reform will not be brought 
 about until the community, and especially the business part 
 of the community, is educated as to its necessity. In every 
 case our cities should proceed only after full expert information. 
 Several hundred thousands paid to properly qualified experts 
 for some intelligent planning would be cheap insurance for a 
 capital investment of $100,000,000. This is the size of the 
 last Philadelphia municipal loan. 
 
 Municipal legislators are sometimes at a loss to know how 
 to make appropriations in view of the fact that the requests 
 of heads of departments exceed the amount available. 
 Recently in Chicago, when the heads of the departments 
 refused to do the scaling, the aldermen simply put on a rider 
 stating that every item would be scaled 10 per cent, unless 
 in the meantime the department head would specify an item 
 or items which would total to that amount and which could 
 be cut out. I do not know how this worked, but it appears 
 to be a scheme which could be quite generally applied. 
 
 CONTRA.CT JOCKEYING 
 
 The system of letting public contracts, as practised during 
 the last generation, is probably as largely responsible as any 
 other one cause for the degeneration of mimicipal administra- 
 tion in this country. There is little to be accomplished by 
 going into the details of the procedure under which the favour- 
 ite contractor is allowed to get the contract on his own terms. 
 There is generally nothing very clever about it— in fact, the 
 remarkable thing is that, with all the possibilities, such crude 
 
28 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 means are usually adopted. But the very number of different 
 ways that may be used by dishonest contractors, working in 
 close harmony ^with dishonest city officials to rob the dty 
 treasury, makes it necessary for city administrators to leave 
 no stone unturned to surround the drawing of spedfications, 
 the opening of bids, the letting of coi^tracts, and the execution 
 of the work, with the greatest possible regularity of procediire, 
 the utmost formality, and the widest pubKdty. 
 
 Through long-time usage, a larger percentage of Philadel- 
 phia's total expenditures is paid out on work done by contract 
 than is the case in most other cities. This made it aU the more 
 necessary for us to conduct our contract work along the most 
 approved lines. Too much space would be required to give 
 in any detail the changes which we made in this matter. The 
 publiticy side of the question is elaborated in a later chapter. 
 AU our bids were opened in one place and in the presence of 
 representatives of the Director's office and of the bureau at 
 interest. In the old days it was a frequent occurrence for bids 
 to be opened so that no one could see the operation, and to 
 read them out in such a mxunbling voice that not even the 
 name of the bidder, much less the figures bid, could be under- 
 stood by those standing even a few feet away. We made 
 provision that the names of bidders could not be known in 
 advance. The bids themselves were dropped in a box in the 
 hallway imobserved by any one. They were all opened at 
 one time, as received, in a large room and on a raised platform, 
 from which they were read out in a loud tone of voice. The 
 prices were immediately written on a blackboard which was 
 ruled to take this particular set of figures. Even bids under 
 $500 were all opened simultaneously, immediately after the 
 time-limit had expired. 
 
 Again, we did not advertise imtil the spedfications were 
 ready to be issued. It frequently happened, in the old days, 
 that when an advertisement for a certain public improvement 
 
PAVING THE WAY 29 
 
 appeared and an interested person called for the specifica- 
 tions, he was told that they had not come from the printer. 
 In many instances this was kept up to within a few days, and 
 in some instances a few hours, of the time when the bids 
 were opened. 
 
 An investigation of the League Island Park contract, in 
 Philadelphia, by Messrs. Allen Hazen, Richard L. Humphrey, 
 and Frederick W. Taylor, was imdertaken not so much for the 
 purpose of instituting criminal or civil proceedings against the 
 contractors, or even to save the city money, but rather to 
 have three generally recognized experts analyze the methods 
 under which these contracts were let and executed, for the 
 enlighteimient and education of the people. The report of 
 the investigators showed that it would have been practically 
 impossible to violate more of the rules which should obtain in 
 such matters than was done in this case. The main features 
 brought out were these: 
 
 1. No specifications or detail plans. 
 
 2. Minimum of advertising. 
 
 3. Poor design adopted after award. 
 
 4. Work too rapidly executed. 
 
 5. Practically no inspection. 
 
 6. Much of work imnecessary. 
 
 The result of this expenditure of $1,500,000 was a poorly con- 
 structed, premature, and unsightly park area, much of which 
 had, subsequently, to be destroyed. The photograph here- 
 with gives an idea of the stability and "beauty" of the 
 work. Two miles of stone and concrete wall, costing the 
 city $225,000, had afterward to be blasted into the adjoining 
 lake. It was conservatively estimated by several reputable 
 engineers that the entire job could be duplicated, in much 
 better fashion, for $750,000, one half of what the actual work 
 cost the dty. 
 Edwin H. Vare, the contractor, claimed that the city 
 
30 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 still owed him an amount approximating $210,000. Of 
 this amount approximately $150,000 was the balance due on 
 grading, concrete, and other miscellaneous work and the 
 remaining $60,000 was for a fill on an unopened street. A 
 large portion of these claims was for work never authorized. 
 Under a recent decision of the court, however, it would be 
 possible for City Coimcils to make an appropriation to cover 
 the entire claim because, apparently, the only restriction that 
 is placed on voting away the City's money is that it should be 
 voted for a municipal purpose; and perhaps the payment of 
 a claim of this character might come in that category. In view 
 of all the sickening details contained in the report of the ex- 
 perts — as to how Senator Vare practically dictated the specifi- 
 cations, performed only that part of the work which it pleased 
 him to perform, and virtually appointed the inspectors, who, 
 acting like automatons, passed the work and approved the 
 bills as rendered — one stands in amazement at the nerve that 
 suggests further compensation. 
 
 In order to make as difficult as possible any such diversion 
 of public funds, I instructed the Acting Surveyor of the first 
 district to inventory carefully all the papers which had a 
 bearing on these alleged claims, and had them impoimded 
 in a box in the FideUty Trust Company with instructions to 
 that company not to give them up except on a written order 
 signed jointly by the Mayor of the City, the City Solicitor, 
 the Director of tJieDepartment of Public Works, and the Chief 
 of fie Bureau of Surveys. 
 
 We found that most of the specifications willed to us by our 
 predecessors had been written by contractors, and that most 
 of the work covered by these specifications had been inspected 
 by men on the contractor's payrolls. In some cases the 
 work had been very competently and honestly designed and 
 placed under contract, and then the best intentions of the 
 engineers set at naught by the action of inspectors either paid 
 
PAVING THE WAY 31 
 
 by the contractors or intimidated by them. In other cases 
 printed specifications were little more than a place in which 
 to locate jokers, put there for the benefit of the favoured con- 
 tractor. 
 
 Perhaps the most effective single step we took was to invite 
 everyone to criticize oxir methods. In this we included those 
 of our employees who had suggestions to make, contractors, 
 and the public generally. With a single exception, the reasons 
 for the non-adoption of a suggestion were cordially accepted 
 by the person directing our attention to it. The only excep- 
 tion was in the matter of publishing estimate prior to the 
 opening of bids. The law in Philadelphia provides that for 
 every public improvement an estimate shall previously be 
 made, and that no bid in excess of this estimate shall be ac- 
 cepted. It was held by some that it would be of great assis- 
 tance to bidders to know what this estimate was, but on the 
 whole it seemed to be to the public interest to have these figures 
 on file in the department, but withheld from the public imtil 
 after the bids were opened. 
 
 In many hnes of work the department employed more skill- 
 ful men than were employed by contractors, and there seemed 
 to be no good reason why the department should not take 
 advantage of any lowering in the cost that might be brought 
 about by our men knowing better than the contractor the best 
 and cheapest method under which the work should be per- 
 formed. We were always Hberal in making these estimates 
 so it rarely happened that we had to throw out all of the bids 
 on account of not getting any within the estimate; whereas 
 it frequently occurred that the bids were below our calcula- 
 tions. This would probably have happened less frequently 
 had we published our estunates before opening the bids. 
 Of course after the award had been made our city engineers 
 cooperated with those of the contractor in giving the latter 
 the benefit of all available ideas and suggestions. 
 
32 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 In one case a number of contractors interested in a particular 
 line of work employed counsel to lay before the new adminis- 
 tration their criticism of what were styled "arbitrary specifica- 
 tions." These contractors were encouraged to formulate 
 their grievances in as full detail as possible. The chief of the 
 bureau affected was then allowed to make his answer, and in 
 every instance the persons bringing the complaint were satis- 
 fied that the specifications as drawn were not only to the in- 
 terests of the city, but fair to all concerned. 
 
 In another instance it was claimed that a member of City 
 Councils was interested in a contract which had been awarded 
 to a man closely related to him. In order to avoid any possi- 
 bility of being a party to a breach of the law, the bidder to 
 whom the contract was awairded was asked to make affidavit 
 as to the names of any persons besides himself interested in 
 the contract. An affidavit to the effect that he alone was in- 
 terested was filed in the department as an answer to the 
 complaint. 
 
 During our term of office an association of contractors doing 
 business with the city was organized. We assumed that it was 
 formed to safeguard and advance the proper interests of its 
 members and we heartily cooperated with it. As a rule it 
 is a good thing to foster rather than to discourage associations 
 of those ha^nng relations of any kind with the municipality. 
 This appKes as well to employees, and to those who sell sup- 
 plies to the city, as it does to associations of citizens and tax- 
 payers. 
 
 We made strenuous efforts to have the Legislature pass a 
 bill authorizing five-year contracts instead of those nmning 
 only one year, as now provided by law. Absolutely no defence 
 can be made for one-year contracts, especially when these 
 cannot be signed imtil January ist, the time when the money 
 becomes available. Particularly on such contracts as those for 
 garbage disposal and electric light, a system of one-year con- 
 
PAVING THE WAY 33 
 
 tracts not only bars out competition, but forces the city to 
 accept terms made at the pleasure of the contractor then in the 
 field. 
 
 The collection and disposal of garbage was a subject to 
 which we gave a great deal of attention. After the long and 
 absolute reign of the Penn Reduction Company, the American 
 Product Company was given the annual contract for 1913 at 
 $229,000 as against $510,000 which had been paid for 191 1 
 and $430,000 in 191 2. Almost immediately dissensions arose 
 within the management of that company and, at the time 
 when they needed to make large p'.ant expenditures, one fac- 
 tion forced the declaring of a dividend. This left the faction 
 in charge of the operation of the plant without the means for 
 making those additions to the plant which would have enabled 
 them to handle the garbage in the most profitable manner. 
 There was nothing, however, in this to prevent the collection 
 and disposal of the garbage. It simply meant that the Ameri- 
 can Product Company did not secure the financial return from 
 the contract which was easily possible. The garbage was 
 collected and disposed of as well as in previous years, and in 
 some respects better. 
 
 In carrying out this contract the American Product Com- 
 pany, almost from the beginning, was harassed by outside 
 parties. Toward the middle of the year, the rival company, 
 the Penn Reduction Company, participated in a campaign by 
 which the resoiurces and the operating ability of the American 
 Product Company were seriously embarrassed. This squabble 
 between the two companies was the begiiming of the last 
 stage of a fight between them which had been going on for 
 Over ten years with the net result that the city had been 
 steadily plundered. There is no use in discussing here the 
 details of the plan by which the Penn Reduction Company 
 forced the American Product Company to the wall. This 
 scheme brought about a condition imder which it was necessary 
 
34 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 for the department to annul the contract with the American 
 Product Company and to make an award for the remainder 
 of the year to the Penn Reduction Company but at no increase 
 in the expense. 
 
 Every city should collect its own garbage and probably 
 every city should own its own reduction plant. Where the 
 plant is not municipally owned the disposal contract should 
 run for ten years. The processes for the utilization of gar- 
 bage are changing so rapidly that a contract period of longer 
 than ten years is not likely to have any advantage. 
 
 POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS 
 
 One of the most despicable practices of our states and cities 
 and especially of our larger mimicipalities is the collection 
 from employees of "contributions" for campaign purposes. 
 The evil has grown to such an extent that almost every state 
 and city in the nation having a civil service law has made an 
 attempt to protect itself in this respect. The practice is 
 mentioned in the regulations governing appointments to the 
 United States Navy. In fact, the United States Civil Service 
 Commission issued a pamphlet of instruction on the subject 
 in 1913. 
 
 We have all been told, from time to time — through street 
 rumours, declarations from political platforms, or newspaper 
 articles — that some such systemized tribute was exacted by 
 those who "shook the tree" in the name of the pohtical ma- 
 chine to use a phrase coined by the late Matthew Stanley 
 Quay, Senator from Pennsylvania. The continued currency 
 of such rumours in Philadelphia suggested that perhaps the 
 assessment of office-holders by the dominant pohtical machine 
 was carried out in a more thorough manner in that city than 
 anjrwhere else in the world. An examination into the facts 
 of the case revealed, all too well, the truth that lurked in such 
 
PAVING THE WAY 35 
 
 an assumption. Information about this matter reached me 
 entirely through official sources, and was substantiated by 
 what must be considered official papers. 
 
 My report on "Political Assessments in Philadelphia," pub- 
 lished privately in 1913, established these facts: 
 
 1. Approximately 94% of all city employees paid assessments. 
 
 2. It was generally understood throughout the service that 
 those who did not pay would be discharged. 
 
 3. The character and position of some of those who are shown 
 to have paid indicate that high standing did not necessarily exempt 
 any one. 
 
 4. These "contributions" total several hundred thousand 
 dollars every year. 
 
 5. The sworn statements of the treasurers of Republican Com- 
 mittees show that their reports do not account even for what is 
 seciu-ed from office-holders. 
 
 This system is again in force in Philadelphia^ The effective- 
 ness of the methods used is amply demonstrated by the 
 records. Herewith is given a reproduction of a page from 
 the Log Book of Truck House No. 9. This schedule shows 
 the assessments levied against firemen on November i, 1911, a 
 few days before Mayor Blankenburg's election. It will be 
 noted that all members were assessed with the exception of one 
 Harry Buckley, who, we are told on the second line of the page, 
 was at home due to injuries. That philanthropy might not 
 seem to have been carried to excess Mr. Buckley was fined, 
 during his absence, $15.28, "for charges preferred by the 
 Foreman" some months back. This was apparently in lieu 
 of the $16.50 which Mr. Buckley would have been compelled 
 to pay had he been in good health. 
 
 A photographic reproduction of an account of contributions 
 made to the Republican City Campaign Committee by the 
 Director's office of the Department of Public Works is also 
 
 'Of course during the administration of Mayor Blankenburg no political 
 assessments were permitted in the departments under his control. 
 
ff^ 
 
 l/ 
 
 
 
 Page from Log Book, Truck House No. 9 
 Located at 21st and Market Streets, Philadelphia 
 Showing schedule political assessments levied against firemen on Novem- 
 ber 1, 191 1, a few days before Mayor Biankenbuig's election 
 
 36 
 
PAVING THE WAY 
 
 37 
 
 shown. Everyone with the exception of the janitress lent 
 a helping hand. It is hard to imagine what force operated 
 to cause this neglect. Even a better record was established 
 in the case of the Bureau of Gas where everyone on the payroll 
 "contributed." 
 
 The high percentage of employees paying assessments in 
 the various divisions of the Department of Public Works indi- 
 
 DEPARTMEHT OF PUBLIC WOBKS, 
 DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. 
 C0»TR18UTI0» TO REPUBLICAN CITY CAMPAIOB COMHITTEEi 
 
 Dana. 
 
 Peter S. CosteUo> 
 Wm. H. Baker, 
 WlUis Sheble, 
 
 tewls R* S.now, 
 
 Rob>t. C. HtcKs, 
 
 Brnaat T« Banereld 
 
 Andrew L. Teamer, 
 
 Harry A. Stoy, 
 
 RoBcoe C. Loekwcrod, 
 
 J. J* Johnston* 
 
 — t/ ^ ' 
 
 ARount. 
 
 {400.00 
 .120,00 
 ^ 22.60 
 
 ?.2.S0 
 
 la.OQ 
 
 15.00 
 
 15.00 
 
 e.oo 
 
 9.00 
 
 -— 2*00. 
 
 S63B.00 
 
 The Scrubwoman Was the only Absentee 
 
 Schedulsi of political assessments paid by employees in tlie office of the 
 
 Director of Public Works, City of Philadelphia 
 
38 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 cates, with painful emphasis, how heavy hung the heads that 
 wore the crowns of the public service: — 
 
 Director's Office 90 
 
 Bureau of Gas 100 
 
 Bureau of Lighting 87 
 
 Bureau of Highways 95 
 
 Bureau of Surveys 93 
 
 Bureau of Water 94 
 
 With a general average of almost 94 per cent, for the entire 
 Department there is a certain grim himaour in the use of quo- 
 tation marks aroimd the word "Contributions" as it appeared 
 in the schedule of the Bureau of Lighting. 
 
 For the levying of these assessments there was developed 
 a thoroughly business-like system. A schedule in the Depart- 
 ment of Public Works showed the percentages paid by the 
 different grades of employees. No one escaped, and the "big 
 ones" contributed in increased proportion for the purchase of 
 ammunition for the political arsenal. 
 
 In my report to the Mayor I made the following statement: 
 
 In no single year in the last ten has the amount contributed di- 
 recUy by office-holders to the Republican campaign funds been less 
 than a quarter of a million dollars, which amount was the sum raised 
 in igii, the year in which you were elected. During the previous 
 year, igio, almost half a million was so collected, and even ten years 
 ago, or in 1903, the figures approximated $350,000.00. 
 
 The assessments paid by Philadelphia office-holders are of 
 two kinds, viz., the city assessment and the ward assessment. 
 The city assessment, paid to the City Committee, is made 
 twice a year, once before each election. The ward assessment, 
 paid to the Ward Committee, amounts to one half the city 
 assessment, and is payable just prior to election. Hence to 
 obtain the total contributions for any one office holder one 
 must multiply the scheduled rate of assessment by three. 
 
 The total amount of these assessments is probably easier 
 
PAVING THE WAY 
 
 39 
 
 to visualize in an actual table showing the contributions that 
 city employees, receiving the salaries listed, were called upon 
 to "stand and deliver" each year as follows:— 
 
 REVENUE FROM ASSESSMENTS ON VARIOUS SALARIES 
 
 $ 600 @ 3% 
 
 $ 18.00 
 
 $ 2,100 @6%% 
 
 126.00 
 
 720 " 
 
 (t 
 
 21.60 
 
 2,400 ' 
 
 
 144 . 00 
 
 7SO" 
 
 tt 
 
 22.50 
 
 2,500 ' 
 
 
 150.00 
 
 800 " 
 
 <{ 
 
 24.00 
 
 2,800 ' 
 
 
 168.00 
 
 840 " 
 
 ({ 
 
 25.20 
 
 3,000 ' 
 
 ; 9% 
 
 270.00 
 
 9C»« 
 
 tc 
 
 27.00 
 
 3.S00 ' 
 
 
 31500 
 
 1,000 " 
 
 (C 
 
 45.00 
 
 4,000 ' 
 
 
 360.00 
 
 1,100 " 
 
 tc 
 
 49-50 
 
 8,000 ' 
 
 
 960.00 
 
 1,200 " 
 
 aWo 
 
 54.00 
 
 6,000 ' 
 
 ; 12% 
 
 720.00 
 
 1,500 " 
 
 it 
 
 67.50 
 
 8,000 ' 
 
 
 960.00 
 
 1,800 " 
 
 tt 
 
 81.00 
 
 10,000 ' 
 
 < a J 
 
 ,200.00 
 
 2,000 " 
 
 6% 
 
 120.00 
 
 12,000 ' 
 
 ' " ] 
 
 ,440.00 
 
 To prove that this method of gathering campaign funds has 
 been the general practice for a generation, I have the state- 
 ments of employees of the Survey Bureau to the effect that 
 they paid assessments over thirty years ago. I have other 
 statements of employees of the Department of Public Works 
 which show that up to 1910 they paid tribute money twice 
 a year during various periods running from twenty to thirty 
 years. 
 
 Veas Siri- 
 
 OaU at the ttaion RepuUloan Cln% of South aoiadelphla, £035 3* 
 Broad Btroet, Bonday Octoher 13tb« or Tuesday Ooteler X4th, 191g « from 
 7-SO to 9-30 F. U. 
 
 T0UX8 txvl7t 
 
 "C^ '/<J^''^ 
 
 Invitation to ^ay Politioal Assessments 
 
 This notice was served on the rank and file of City employees. Salaried 
 
 officials were given the opportunity to pay at City headquarters 
 
40 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 A postcard, calling for a special meeting of the Ward Com- 
 mittee, was a notice to the office-holders that their ward 
 assessments were payable. Such notices sent to the employees 
 of the Department of Public Works, by the old political 
 machine still attempting to coerce city employees, during 
 my administration, give an idea of the usual form of 
 these "statements." In some instances the men did not 
 even know of the existence of the dub referred to in the 
 invitation. 
 
 It has always been a grievance with the office-holders that 
 they are called upon for the same contributions, contest or no 
 contest. It has been responsibly intimated that the large and 
 apparently generous subscriptions of the political contractors 
 are later retiuned to them from the office-holders' contributions 
 in years when no political contest or only a perfunctory contest 
 is necessary. 
 
 The facts obtained in Philadelphia, and the deductions that 
 necessarily follow, indicate that Republicans, Democrats, 
 Prohibitionists, Socialists, and members of all parties — all 
 taxpayers — ^have been making regular conitributions to an 
 organized band of piratical and self-perpetuating exploiters of 
 the public, operating under the guise of the dominant political 
 party. Thus have these men materially aided in accom- 
 plishing their qifn. political enslavement. 
 
 It may be interesting to note that these dishonest and im- 
 moral practices are also illegal. Since 1905, according to the 
 laws of Pennsylvania, it has been a misdemeanour to solicit 
 political contributions. This, coupled with the evidently 
 false statements, made under oath, of the Organization leaders 
 in Philadelphia, merely shows to what extent a certain class 
 of men wiU go in perverting civic morals to promote personal 
 ambitions. 
 
 Miss Eleanor Clifton, a correspondence clerk in my office 
 has used this matter as a theme for the poem which follows: — 
 

 ■|,;,,>j-^JjiWWWWWWIWWMM 
 
 
 
 9^ ---'"' -^ ~ '*"^Mi^^^^^ftBi 
 
 1 — 1 ip,,3|HH 
 
 1 ^^H 
 
 
 ^^H 
 
 
 ^^^^^^■HB^^HH^^Bk'/ 
 
 
 
 # fl^R 
 
 : Hh^ 
 
 jj....,.,-,/.. ^M^Bi 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
a-*-— t.j r^"- ^ -' fUg- ' 
 
 I THESE CANDIDATES ASK YOUR SUPPORT 
 l-^mAt the PRIMARY ELECTION, Sept.28i 
 
 -E 
 
 PICK THE WINNERS 
 One place where there is no safety in numbers 
 
PAVING THE WAY 41 
 
 Before and After 
 
 They say that in the olden days the wily politician 
 Would prowl about the city on a dark and daring mission, 
 'Tis whispered that he went for votes^that may be mere sus- 
 picion! 
 
 He praised your wife's embroidery and he chucked the baby's chin 
 Stuck a Cinco' in your pocket as he grasped your homy fin, 
 He kissed the children one and all without the shghtest qualm, 
 But — ^as he left with warm farewells, you spied the upturned palm. 
 
 The times are different now, and you can hoard with hard-earned 
 
 pelf. 
 Or blow your extra nickels on your family and yourself. 
 PoUtical Assessments have been laid upon the shelf! 
 
 Rejoice, ye office-holders, for those once-demanded dues 
 Can go to pay the milkman and to buy the baby's shoes. 
 On Sunday you can feed on quail instead of beef and mutton ' 
 And drop a penny in the plate where once you slipped a button. 
 The time is fast approaching now when each department clerk 
 Will poUsh up the Uttle Ford and motor down to work. 
 
 Obviously these verses were composed during our adminis- 
 tration and before the practice had been restmied. 
 
 Terre Haute, although probably offering one of the most 
 disgusting examples of municipal mismanagement in the coun- 
 try, did not have occasion to resort to political assessments. 
 Mr. Irwin Gordon of the Philadelphia Public Ledger staff, 
 who went into this case from aU sides, both as an associate 
 of the local "gang" and an inhabitant of the tenderloin, is 
 responsible for the statement that the grip of the Terre Haute 
 gang was so strong that they had advanced beyond the assess- 
 ment-of-office-holder stage. A complete unity of purpose 
 between the contractors, city ofl&cials, and brewers made it 
 more expedient to employ office-holders as collectors of assess- 
 
 ^A well-known s-cent cigar of local manufacture. 
 
42 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 ments levied on saloons and all the divers "entertainments" 
 of Terre Haute's tenderloin. Besides ofifering more attractive 
 possibilities in the fullness of the campaign pot, this method 
 had the added advantage of making the office-holders parties 
 to the looting of the city, while at the same time their disposi- 
 tions were kept sweet by an unscarred pay check. 
 
 Flag of our fathers, out of our heritage woven, 
 
 Flag for a city of hope, forever young, 
 Fhng to the winds of earth our ageless challenge, 
 
 Sk)rward in you man's faith once more is flung — 
 Still may the ships come riding home, thronged with alien faces 
 
 That yearn with light disguised, that glow with unsuspected 
 powers; 
 Till our fortunate eyes, grown old, look up and see you waving 
 
 Welcome to younger days and newer dreams than ours. 
 
 John Erskine. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 SOME MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 
 
 GOOD administration and good government are possible 
 under any form of government. It is of course 
 equally true that bad government is possible under 
 the most enlightened and advanced system. There is nothing 
 in these statements either to make us indifferent as to the 
 form of our city government or to lead us to expect and to 
 look for the bad rather than to the good in our municipal imder- 
 takings. But it is well to emphasize at the start the difference 
 between form and substance. Government itself is a means, 
 not an end. In much the same sense the question as to 
 whether we shall adopt one system or another for the legislative 
 and administrative work of a city is after all a discussion of 
 mechanisms ptire and simple. Abnost any aim of municipal 
 government can be accomplished under any system that may 
 be adopted. So much of the literature of municipal govern- 
 ment has had to do with charters and discussions of one form 
 of organization as contrasted with another that our thinking 
 on the subject has too exclusively followed similar lines. 
 
 The drift in this field is undoubtedly in the direction of 
 centralizing responsibility at the top either in the hands of an 
 elective mayor or better still in the hands of an appointive 
 city manager — ^in charge of all administration. A counter 
 tendency seeks in turn to redistribute this responsibility in the 
 hands of competent and trained subordinates — each in charge 
 of some one kind of work in which he or she can claim expert 
 standing. Ultimately, and especially in administrative work, 
 
 43 
 
44 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 committees will be advisory only. They will be appointed 
 solely in order to give the administrative of&cial the assistance 
 which can come only from different types of minds. This 
 advisory work of committees can be carried on in all grades of 
 work without sapping the strength and continuity of purpose 
 that are the logical outcome of individual responsibility and 
 action and are the exact antithesis of committee manage- 
 ment. 
 
 The field of the municipal legislator or administrator is so 
 broad that ample opportunity for accomplishment is afforded 
 no matter how many limitations on action are provided by an 
 archaic form of government. It is most important to keep 
 this in mind. Those whose training has been in private 
 industrial and mercantile establishments are apt to be dis- 
 couraged when in mimicipal service they encounter the checks 
 afforded by law and tradition. But the field is so large in 
 which no such handicap exists that one can keep fairly well 
 occupied while the process of bringing about changes either 
 in the law or in public opinion is going on. A good rule is to 
 spend your major efforts in that part of the field in which you 
 are not too stoutly opposed. Unfortunately many city offi- 
 cials unduly fret themselves in attempting what for the mo- 
 ment at least is impossible of attainment. 
 
 HOME RULE IN OUR CITIES 
 
 The year 1875 marks the beginning of the adoption of the 
 principle of home rule as applied to American cities when 
 Missouri granted it first to the City of St. Lotus, and, later, to 
 all cities in that state having a population of 100,000 or more. 
 The constitutional provision in this state granted permission to 
 the cities, of the population indicated, to form and adopt their 
 own charters. Freedom of action, however, was distinctly 
 curtailed by the restraining clause that "such charters shall 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 45 
 
 alwas^s be in harmony with and subject to the constitution 
 and laws of this state." This provision is perhaps the least 
 liberal established by any of the states. Determination as to 
 whether a question is a subject for state or municipal regula- 
 tion as a matter of practice must under this enactment be 
 left to the coiirts. 
 
 After Missouri came California, in 1879. The charter in 
 this state must be submitted to the legislature where it is 
 either accepted or rejected. The required population for 
 local home rule in CaUfornia has recently been reduced from 
 100,000 to 3,500. Minnesota was next to enact a home-rule 
 law, which provides for a permanent board of freeholders 
 appointed by city judges in the proper judicial district, who 
 are to serve six years. 
 
 Other states to follow with provisions for some measure of 
 home rule were, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Oklahoma, Michi- 
 gan, Nebraska, Ohio, Virginia, New York,_ Texas, and Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 Pennsylvania has not yet enacted any law on the subject. A 
 bill was presented in the Senate in 1913, but it was not adopted. 
 It was similar to that enacted by Ohio in 191 2. Chief 
 among its provisions was that granting to the cities of the state 
 the power of initiating and adopting their own charters. 
 After passing the Senate with only five dissenting votes the 
 biU was rejected by the House by 37 to 89. It was later 
 reconsidered by that body, but was defeated, without a 
 division being called for, upon a point of order raised as to 
 its constitutionality. 
 
 FoTirteen states have now enacted some measure of home 
 rule. Local freedom is guaranteed by the constitution in 
 the states of Colorado, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Oregon; by 
 amendments in California, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, 
 and Washington; by statutory provisions in Minnesota, 
 Missouri, and New York; and by all three methods in Michigan. 
 
46 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Some of this " home rule ' ' of course is very much circumscribed, 
 as for instance in New York. 
 
 Late in 1914 the people of Wisconsin rejected the home-rule 
 amendment, about two thirds of the voters being against it. 
 It carried ten counties, but the existing reaction in the state 
 against progressivism and reform was too strong. The legisla- 
 ture of Maryland has passed a home-rule amendment which 
 must be submitted to the people before adoption. At the 
 present time home rule is a nation-wide issue. Many of 
 our states have campaigns under way for the submission of 
 constitutional amendments to the legislatures and then to the 
 people. 
 
 A typical provision respecting home rule was the Wisconsin 
 amendment: — 
 
 Resolved by the Senate, the Assembly concurring. That there be 
 added after Section 3 of Article 40 of the constitution of the 
 State of Wisconsin a new section to read: Section 3-a. Cities 
 and villages shall have power and authority to amend their charters 
 and to frame and adopt new charters, and to enact all laws and 
 ordinances relating to their municipal affairs, subject to the consti- 
 tution and general laws of the state. 
 
 The line of demarcation between state and municipal powers 
 is by no means definitely settled in any of the states. Califor- 
 nia perhaps comes nearer than any other state to a definite 
 statement of limitations upon the municipalities through a 
 decree of the supreme court. New York, by the Empowering 
 Act of June, 1913, expressed specifically in Section 20 the powers 
 of the municipality with respect to property rights and local 
 affairs. Some degree of constitutional delimitation has been 
 accomplished in Missouri, California, Ohio, and Colorado. 
 
 In general, the provisions granting home rule specify that the 
 cities must be subject to the general laws of the state. In 
 Section 16 of the bill presented at the 1913 session of the 
 Pennsylvania Legislature the municipal limitations were 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 47 
 
 specifically set forth. The usual method, however, has been 
 for the courts to determine, in specific cases, the extent of 
 limitation, and impose proliibitions. The state retains for 
 itself the administration of the police power, election machin- 
 ery, justice, the school system and taxation. Other purely 
 local functions are the regulation of domestic elections, main- 
 tenance of highways, estabHshment of charities and correc- 
 tions, etc. The question as to whether or not the municipality 
 should have control over its public utilities is a much mooted 
 one. Just how the struggle in the case of utiUties will end, as 
 pointed out in Chapter VIII, is impossible of reasonable pre- 
 diction. It seems evident, however, that state control of 
 utilities is losing ground. ; 
 
 Local functions in general would seem to cover local im- 
 provements, such as street paving, bridge biiilding, under- 
 ground viaducts; utilities — ^water, heat, light, and transporta- 
 tion; also parks, public markets, etc. These functions are 
 necessarily varied, conforming to the conditions of the local 
 community. 
 
 A modern city charter providing for the greatest possible 
 amount of municipal home rule and absence of state-imposed 
 checks is one of the first essentials of a scientifically managed 
 city. The truth of this statement is being illustrated in all 
 parts of the country in hterally thousands of cases. Among 
 the many instances in which we in Philadelphia were held up 
 by the state the handling of our garbage problem affords an 
 excellent example. The City of Philadelphia was and is a 
 great financial sufferer in this matter without any correspond- 
 ing good being derived from the situation by the rest of the 
 state. 
 
 We were, and are, restricted to the making of one-year con- 
 tracts for the collection and disposal of our garbage. Locally 
 this plan is an advantage only to the contractor already 
 equipped to do this work. If necessary he can give a low price 
 
BUGHTED 
 
 Ptitlis leiier. May IM, uu. 
 
 PHILADELPmA PLEADS IN VaIN 
 
 Legislature refused to grant right to make j-year contracts 
 involving estimated saving of $1,000,000 
 
 48 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 49 
 
 in years when there is danger of competition, and make up 
 for it in other years — the great majority — ^when there is no 
 such danger. We introduced a bill into the Pennsylvania 
 Legislature providing for five-year garbage contracts. During 
 the years from igiitoigiswe were able to effect a reduction 
 of practically 50 per cent, in the cost of disposing of the city's 
 garbage. Had the Legislature granted our request the saving 
 would not only have been substantially increased but made 
 permanent. 
 
 In a pamphlet distributed for the purpose of influencing the 
 passage of the five-year garbage bill, Mayor Blankenburg 
 wrote: 
 
 After having given the matter considerable attention, I can see 
 absolutely no counter argument, and I trust that the Legislature 
 will not stand in the way of making it possible for the City to 
 handle this feature of its work in a business-like manner. Should 
 this legislation pass it might easily mean that through it, the City 
 COULD SAVE APPROXIMATELY $1,000,000 under the first 
 such contract entered into. Surely this is worth going after. 
 
 In spite of public agitation and universally favourable press 
 comments the city's request was refused. The following 
 editorial from the Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 22, 1913, 
 states the situation none too incisively: 
 
 Philadelphia Enemies in the Legislature 
 
 The defeat of the bill to permit the Director of Public Works 
 to enter into garbage contracts for a term of five years was a 
 wanton, wicked act, such as only very reckless or quite corrupt 
 pubUc servants would execute. On nearly every public question, 
 and on nearly every measure proposed in a Legislature, there may 
 be found a basis of argument for either view, but the garbage- 
 contract bill was so obvious and so honest a measure for Qie 
 purpose of enabling the City administration to correct a glaringly 
 palpable evil that refusal to mishackle the Director's hands 
 necessarily raises presumptions that opponents of the bill were 
 guided by improper motives. 
 
so , OUR CITIES AWAKE' 
 
 In September, 1915, the news was spread abroad that Bir- 
 mingham, Alabama, was adopting novel methods to relieve 
 its financial stress. In this city, which has had a phenomenally 
 rapid growth, mitil it now reached the 150,000 mark, the 
 city government was unable to keep pace with the community's 
 development because, under the Constitution of Alabama, the 
 question of local taxes is decided upon by the state legislature. 
 This important subject, affecting the vital interests of growing 
 Birmingham, comes up for discussion once every four years. 
 Efforts to get the Legislature to relieve this situation met with 
 failure in 1911. In 1915 the city discovered that it was not 
 only heavily in debt, but was spending $1,000 a day more 
 than its income. Of course, when it came time to restrict 
 expenditures, the pruning knife was first applied to the more 
 recently inaugurated functions of municipal government, 
 especially to the "social welfare" activities. Health officers 
 and the milk inspector were dispensed with; appropriations 
 for the Hbrary, the recreation department, the weights and 
 measures bureau, and the welfare department were cut; the 
 school year was shortened from nine to seven months, and the 
 teachers' salaries were reduced; the poHce force was cut to 
 two thirds its normal strength and several fire stations were 
 closed; and the amounts available for parks and other recrea- 
 tional activities were cut by more than 60 per cent. By these 
 "savings" Birmingham cut its annual expenses by $340,000 
 and the city had to depend on volunteer workers to take care 
 of many of those services generally rendered by the city govern- 
 ment. Whether or not these retrenchments were wise ones, 
 the fact remains that the City Fathers made a valiant attempt 
 to Hve within their means. An organization which it took 
 years to build up was torn down overnight, merely because too 
 small a nimiber of legislators sufficiently reaUzed that cities 
 of 15,000 inhabitants and those of 150,000 have different needs 
 and different problems. 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 51 
 
 Our urban population is becoining so complex, and is growing 
 so much more rapidly than that of our rural districts that it is 
 absurd to attempt to apply the same statutes in the two cases. 
 Governor Brumbaugh of Pennsylvania made the statement, 
 in his inaugural address, that our city population is becoming 
 " so complex that it scarcely knows how to apply the principles 
 of democracy." These large civic centres wiU never learn 
 to govern themselves and their government will be carried 
 on at a needlessly heavy expense so long as the state at long 
 range regulates their affairs. 
 
 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION 
 
 About the beginning of the Nineteenth Century our National 
 Government adopted a system of checks and balances with 
 avowed purposes of protecting the individual and the state 
 against oppression. It was generally agreed that the necessary 
 economy and efficiency of administration could well be sacrified 
 to the assurance of this added safety. This principle of the 
 national and state goverimients was taken up by our munici- 
 palities, possibly more from a desire to imitate than for any 
 valid reason. 
 
 It took practically one hundred years for our cities to wake 
 up to the fact that the weapon of defence which they had ac- 
 quired through imitation was in reality unwieldy and costly 
 to a degree which they could little afford. It is only reasonable 
 to suppose that this fact was realized long before it was acted 
 on, and that action itself was finally brought through the 
 pressure of the increasing cost of managing our larger urban 
 communities. As a matter of fact, we find the first examples 
 of change from the old type forced on several communities 
 by the stress of unusual circumstances. The Galveston dis- 
 aster cleared the way for the commission form of govern- 
 ment. Galveston's ill fortune forced ahead the first real 
 
52 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 step in mumdpal government that had been taken for a 
 century. 
 
 But the Galveston commission was only the beginning. 
 The numerous changes, rearrangements, and improvements in 
 the original plan — as adopted by cities profiting by Galveston's 
 experience — ^are, many of them, so different from the original 
 as hardly to be recognized as its offspring. The number of the 
 commissioners, the methods of their election, the separation 
 of their respective fields, the amount they are paid, and many 
 other questions have been handled in different ways in almost 
 every case. In spite of all these minor differences in the adap- 
 tation of the principles, the principle remained, viz., that a 
 business administration capable of pulling a city out of a very 
 deep hole was capable of running that city after it was out. 
 The sacred speU of the separation of the powers was broken. 
 The country became convinced, after a century of experience, 
 that for municipal government at least coordination and 
 cooperation were preferable to checks and balances. 
 
 The underl)dng feature of aU these adaptations of the 
 Galveston plan, the common denominator of all the improve- 
 ments, is a single body with legislative and executive powers, 
 in place of the old plan of an overgrown city council constantly 
 antagonizing an independent mayor. 
 
 There are several distinct features which are characteristic 
 of almost all of our cities operating under the coromission 
 form of government. The non-partisan primaries and elec- 
 tions offers one example. The main idea in this scheme, of 
 course, is to eliminate from strictly municipal elections the 
 influence of political parties primarily existing to originate and 
 execute national purposes. When the names of national 
 parties are kept out of municipal elections it is not necessary 
 for the candidates for Registrar of Wills and Recorder of 
 Deeds to stump the city in the interests of a high tariff, as 
 happens in Philadelphia. 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 53 
 
 Since the cost of running our cities is growing so rapidly 
 and has aheady become so burdensome, it is increasingly 
 evident that the numerous local questions which come up 
 at election time are all bound up in a struggle in favour of 
 officials who will give honest and efficient government. The 
 application of the highest standards of business practice and 
 foresight, and nothing else, should be the issue at municipal 
 elections. Such an ideal, of course, may be represented by a 
 democrat in one town and by a republican in the next. 
 
 There is also the elimination of ward boundaries. So 
 many of the evils of our city governments have been preceded 
 by the word "ward" that everything caUed by that name is 
 beginning to faU into disrepute, not the least of which is the 
 ward politician. The division of the city into wards for the 
 purpose of apportioning city officials is justified by the same 
 principle that seems to make it a high crime to go outside of 
 the city to employ an expert in any particular line. This 
 ward idea opens up, in an even more petty and despicable form, 
 the chance for "pork-barrel politics" as it is practised in our 
 national government. 
 
 The extension of this ward-representation idea to school 
 boards often leads to most paradoxical, if not to ludicrous, 
 results. In Wilmington, Delaware, a certain member of the 
 school board, representing one of the wards in the poorest 
 section of the city, asked to have explained to him — at great 
 length and in simple language — the uses of plane geometry. 
 After having listened quite attentively he gravely decided that 
 it had no place in a high school and voted accordingly. In 
 Philadelphia, the political "Organization" thinks of a man in 
 terms of his political residence, i. e., the nmnber of his ward and 
 division. Each city employee fills out a blank that includes 
 space for this information. At the present time in Philadel- 
 phia no employee of the city can move to a place outside of 
 the division in which he is registered without first having 
 
54 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 secured permission from the head of his department, who 
 invariably, before granting such permission, seeks the approval 
 of the ward boss. 
 
 A common feature of the commission form of government 
 is the small legislative council. The original plan called for a 
 commission of five members. This number has been varied 
 in a great many instances. The number serving on these 
 commissions should no doubt vary with the size of the city, 
 but the limit should be kept as low as possible, for the larger 
 the body the smaller wiU be each individual member's respon- 
 sibility. In the smaller cities district representation is clearly 
 imdesirable. For the largest cities a Board of Estimate and 
 Apportionment — such as that of the City of New York, com- 
 bining the idea of members elected at large with a minority 
 district representation — seems to work very well. 
 
 Such bicameral governments as the City of Philadelphia 
 now possesses are altogether out of date. In a board of di- 
 rectors of nearly one himdred and fifty members even those 
 who want to be useful have little opportunity to be so. So it 
 Is with Philadelphia's City Councils. The whole body was 
 organized during our Administration so that a very few strong- 
 willed and corrupt men at points of vantage arranged every- 
 thing. A bare half dozen absolutely dictated to twenty times 
 their number. Our City Councils have for many years been 
 made up to a great extent of men who are so obscure that they 
 cannot be punished. No better idea of the coimcihnanic 
 attitude of mind and conduct can be given than by the illus- 
 tration presented herewith under the caption: "Aw, Fergit 
 It!" This illustration is a reproduction of a page from 
 our 1914 Aimual Report. It can be stated positively that 
 the occasion here described is the only one during nearly two 
 years that a matter arranged for by our department with the 
 United Gas Improvement Company, the lessees of the gas 
 works — ^guaranteeing as it did a saving of over $70,000 a year 
 
"AW FERGIT IT!" 
 
 The finance committee o( Councils tsras in session, the 
 potential leaders ^t the front, and thoge who do as they 
 are told seated in less conspicuous places. Among the 
 latter was a councilman who really had the best inter- 
 ests of the 'city at heart. 
 
 He^could^ not; understand why, if it would save the 
 city $70,000 annually to change the gasoline street lamps 
 to gas, it should- not be done. Then, too, making the 
 change would give work to hundreds of men, at present 
 unemployed. 
 
 ,So he arose and asked why this ordinance which was 
 sliunbering in the finance committee should not be in- 
 troduced with a favorable recommendation and passed. 
 
 There was a moment's pause as he finished and then 
 a voice from the front row bawled out, with„all the 
 emphasis possible, "Aw fergit it]"' 
 
 Another somewhat longer pause — the well-mesuiing 
 member. takes bis seat in some discomfiture, and the 
 finance committee proceeds to "Fergit it" 
 
 Seventy thousand dollars saved each and every year 
 is nothing to them. Work at once aind all through the 
 winter is nothing to them. Better light and more of it 
 on many highways is nothing to them. Four hundred 
 thousand dollars added to the value of- the city's gas- 
 works withoiit expense to the city is nothing to them. 
 
 "AW FERGIT IT!" 
 
 Publicity That Worked 
 
 This page printed in the Annual Report of the D. P. W. finally securecj 
 
 the adoption of the legislation 
 
 SS 
 
S6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to the city — ^was even discussed. The publicity given the 
 matter finally secured the passage of the ordinance thirty 
 months after its introduction. 
 
 The weapons of defence which communities adopting the 
 commission form of government have employed are generally 
 known as the initiative, the referendum, and the recall. It was 
 not the purpose to make a complete surrender to concentration 
 of power without providing some means of escape should the 
 personnel elected to office prove incapable or unwilling.^' The 
 initiative gives to the people the power to force legislation in 
 spite of the commission; the referendum gives them the 
 power to reject undesirable legislation which the commission 
 may be tr5ring to squeeze through; and the recall gives them 
 the power to get rid of a commissioner. These importations 
 from Switzerland were adopted in order to emphasize the 
 representative character of our democratic government. 
 In view of the fact that these special agencies should be used 
 only in great emergencies it seems plain that all of these petir 
 tions of the people should require a larger number of signatures 
 to make them effective than has generally been the rule. I 
 am in favour of a public official being forced at any and all 
 times to explain his actions. But I believe that if the tenure 
 of office is made subject to the frequent attack of too small a 
 part of the total population we shall have a worse rather than 
 a better class of men holding pubhc office. No one does his 
 best work when he is continually harassed. 
 
 There are at least one or two fundamental fallacies in the 
 straight commission form of govermnent. While it is per- 
 fectly proper to elect men to determine legislative policies; 
 it is not right to select by this same method experts with 
 technical or professional training for administrative positions. 
 The commissioners ordinarily combine both functions, and 
 herein lies a weakness. This weakness is obviated in the city- 
 manager plan, where the commission determines policies and 
 
I 
 
 YE GREAT TOWNE HOUSE 
 
 Built in 1707 
 
 Philadelphia's First City Hall 
 
 THE LARGEST CITY a\LL IN THE WORLD 
 The New Alunicipal Building of the City of New Y'ork built in 1912 
 
PLOTTING CONTRACT WORK 
 
 By means of coloured pins of different sizes and carrying numbers, all construction 
 
 proi^cts can be grapfiically shown 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 57 
 
 the manager administers them. In small towns where the 
 dty-manager plan is adopted, obviously a commissionership 
 is an honorary position where the incumbent wiU give rela- 
 tively little time to the work and wiU usually serve without 
 pay. 
 
 Another source of weakness in the commission plan as 
 usually practised is the fact that each commissioner has taken 
 entire charge of a particular department, and in the public 
 mind is more or less held accountable for only that particular 
 division of the government. Thus instead of the single power- 
 ful and responsible executive we have a nxunber of executives 
 and a consequent division of responsibility. The commission 
 form of government supplies the board of directors, as we find 
 it'in[the modern corporation to which it is likened, but it does 
 not complete the analogy by duplicating the corporation's 
 president — ^the coordinating factor. In spite of the more or 
 less natural subdivisions of city administration the whole 
 must work as a unit. The various functional activities often 
 overlap — ^will more and more overlap as time goes on — and the 
 single administrative head is necessary to correlate and supple- 
 ment. 
 
 THE CITY MANAGER 
 
 Professor Beard has told us that three hundred or more 
 cities, including nearly nine million people, have adopted 
 commission government, only to follow it up with a more 
 strongly centralized form — the dty-manager plan. This 
 newer plan, which obviates many of the difficulties of its 
 progenitor, provides for an elective council, and an appointed 
 executive head who is given very broad powers and held 
 strictly to account. 
 
 It is generally considered that Staunton, Virginia, is respon- 
 sible for the first " dty manager." The plan had its beginning 
 
S8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 in that city in 1908. Desire for business efficiency in its city 
 affairs led to a careful Study of the workings of the commission 
 plan, and the resvilt was what is now known as the city-manager 
 plan. Staunton, owing to constitutional restrictions, was 
 unable to change entirely its form of government, so it pro- 
 vided by ordinance for a manager in connection with its 
 mayor and council. 
 
 It soon became obvious that to retain the many good features 
 of the commission plan and to combine with them the co- 
 ordinating and centralized responsibility of the city-manager 
 plan would give the best results. The first city to adopt this 
 combination was apparently Stunter, South Carolina, where 
 it was put in force in 1912. The plans of Staunton and Sumter 
 are generally distinguished by referring to the former as the 
 city-manager, and to the latter as the commission-manjager, 
 plan. 
 
 When we get right down to brass tacks, we find that our 
 most progressive schemes of local government have always 
 the advisory body on the one hand and the executive on the 
 other, actually a form quite similar to the old mayor-and- 
 council government, but with a somewhat different division 
 of function. After long experience with the bicameral form 
 we became thoroughly disgusted with it, rejected it in favour 
 of an entirely new form, and now we have worked aroimd to 
 the old form with new names and a new distribution of duties. 
 The supreme object in all this has been the centralization of 
 responsibility. The people have discovered that centralized 
 responsibility is necessary to obtain efficiency, and that re- 
 sponsibility will be accepted by high-class officials only when 
 there is a corresponding centralization of authority. Nothing 
 will change a radical into a conservative so quickly as an 
 abundance of authority. The average man will accept 
 responsibility for performing a piece of work only when he 
 can direct it. 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 59 
 
 Dr. Herman G. James, of the University of Texas, has well 
 defined this new city-manager plan as follows: 
 
 The commission-manager plan is a form of government which 
 combines the ideas of a small representative body, elected, at 
 large, on a nonpartisan ballot, possessing all ultimate legal powers 
 of the city, and subject to certain important checks in the hands 
 of the electorate, with concentration of administrative power into 
 a single individual chosen by the representative body because of 
 expert professional quaUfications. 
 
 This plan gives us the chance to centralize our thought on 
 the few commissioners to be elected; and then allows us to 
 point directly to the man responsible for results. The adop- 
 tion of this plan in connection with a sane civil-service proce- 
 dure to aid the manager in getting together his staff of em- 
 ployees, is the best plan yet devised for running a city, es- 
 pecially one of average size and the smaller ones. A list of 
 the cities in this country which have already adopted the 
 commission-manager plan is given in an appendix. Gradually 
 the larger cities will come to this scheme, but perhaps it is 
 just as well to first gain a certain amount of experience in 
 applying the plan to smaller cities. 
 
 THE ASHTABULA PLAN 
 
 ' Ashtabula, Ohio, has not only swallowed whole the com- 
 mission-manager plan, but has contributed its share to the 
 advancement of city government by adding a new feature in 
 the election of its commissioners. The new feature is the 
 Hare system of proportional representation which has operated 
 with great success in Australia, New Zealand, and South 
 Africa. In order that the policy-determining council might 
 represent public opinion as accurately as possible, and not 
 leave the minority to the tender mercies of the majority, as is 
 often the case, a plan was adopted which is intended to make 
 
6o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 every vote count. This plan, as outlined by the Bureau of i 
 Municipal Research of Philadelphia, is as follows: 
 
 1. Candidates are nominated by petition of a small percentage 
 of the voters. 
 
 2. The ballot has no party designations. 
 
 3. The voter places the figures i, 2, 3, etc., before names of 
 candidates to indicate his relative preferences. 
 
 4. The whole number of valid ballots is divided by one more 
 than the number of seats to be filled. The next whole number 
 larger than the quotient is the quota or constituency. 
 
 5. All candidates securing first-choice votes, equal to or greater 
 than the quota, are elected. 
 
 6. Votes in excess of the quota are termed surplus votes. 
 
 7. All surplus votes, in the order of the size of the surplus, are 
 then transferred, in accordance with the highest available choice 
 marked on the ballots, to candidates not already elected. After 
 the transfer of the surplus votes, if candidates sufficient to fill 
 all the seats have not secured a quota, the lowest man is dropped 
 and his votes transferred. This process is kept up until the 
 required number of candidates have the quota, or until, by drop- 
 ping the low men, only candidates enough remain to fill the vacant 
 seats. 
 
 In the adoption of any of these plans, no matter how perfect 
 their operation may seem to the particular city using them, 
 the important thing for the electorate to bear in mind is the 
 fact that they do not represent the equivalent of "perpetual 
 motion" in municipal goveriunent. Like all other human 
 measures they must be watched. Centralization of authority 
 is a most excellent scheme when the proper men are at the 
 wheel, but temptation, as experience tells us, is always 
 present. It is up to the citizens to be of an inquiring mind. 
 Of the various demands to be made on a city-manager fuU 
 and constant publicity ranks number one. The full value of 
 the city-manager plan will not become apparent until we are 
 able to promote a manager who has made good in one dty 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 6i 
 
 to a vacancy in a city with a larger population, consequently 
 one with greater problems and affording larger salaries. As 
 the city-manager plan becomes more widespread this wiU 
 become increasingly possible. 
 
 THE BALLOT 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt, in an address before the Ohio Constitu- 
 tional Convention of 191 2, among other things, stressed the 
 point that "You cannot get good service from the pubKc 
 servant if you cannot see him, and there is no more effective 
 way of hiding him than by mixing him up with a multitude 
 of others so Uiat they are none of them important enough to 
 catch the eye of the average workaday citizen." This, in 
 substance, is the evil which the short ballot is designed to 
 correct. Undoubtedly the aim of all government is best 
 attained when the attention of the voter is focussed upon 
 comparatively few ofl&ces. 
 
 If democracy must include the six-foot ballot as one of its 
 essential mechanisms then democracy will have a most difficult 
 time fighting for its existence as the principles of business and 
 science more and more come to be applied to government. 
 It was a governor of Montana or Wyoming who solemnly 
 warned the people that the "appointment of the state veteri- 
 narian smacked of monarchy." That a man with such ideas 
 in government could rise to the leading position in any of 
 our states is only an instance of the travails of democracy. 
 
 As long as we cling to the "blanket" ballots now in vogue 
 in most of our cities we can look forward to "pigeon-hole" 
 and "blind" voting. The typical American method of voting 
 for the man at the head of the ticket and letting all the rest of 
 the crowd of the same political faith slide along into office has 
 developed some amusing — albeit costly — ^incidents. The Na- 
 tional Short BaUot Association has accused Philadelphia of 
 
Two Stytes of Ballots 
 
 Note the short ballot of an English town within the heavy black line. The 
 
 other is the familiar American pattern 
 
 63 •« 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 63 
 
 even electing imaginary men. Ex-President Eliot of Harvard 
 admitted in a public address that he had voted the straight 
 party ticket, not because of party loyalty but for the lack of 
 sufficient knowledge to follow a better method. 
 
 The newspapers help us all they can, through their news 
 colunms, and latterly through their advertising columns, to 
 find out who these lesser lights are. But it is a hopeless task. 
 It might be advantageous if the papers would separate the 
 "ads" of the various candidates so that each one would appear 
 on his "party pag«." This would give the hustling business 
 man a better chance to size up the different groups as a whole 
 from their photographs so that, when voting a straight ticket, 
 he would have some real reason if none other than the 
 general appearance of the party candidates. 
 
 It is this blind voting that gives the political specialist his 
 opportunity to swing an election by "working on" an exceed- 
 ingly small percentage of the total number of voters. In other 
 words, it is a process by which minorities actually control. 
 When through the adoption of the short ballot the citizen is 
 allowed to vote intelligently the political boss will undergo 
 a change of tj^pe. President Wilson was much more than 
 half right when he said " the short ballot is the key to the whole 
 problem of the restoration of popular government in this 
 country." Our short ballots should aim to fill only a few offices 
 at any one time, and each of these offices should be of sufficient 
 importance to attract universal public attention to its several 
 candidates. 
 
 FUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT 
 
 Sharp distinctions between different branches of the munici- 
 pal service have made inter-departmental cooperation prac- 
 tically impossible. In the few places where cooperative 
 action does crop out it is the result of conscious pushmg. A 
 
64 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 good example of enforced cooperation in a small matter was 
 our last complaint booklet. It was put together with a great 
 deal of care by one of the men in our department, and included 
 a complete directory of every officer in the Philadelphia city 
 goverimient, together with his office address and telephone 
 number and some other useful information for the person 
 who wished to make a complaint without losing a lot of time 
 in doing it. The booklet was paid for out of the appropriations 
 of literally dozens of municipal and county officers — each 
 division paying in proportion to the niunber of copies ordered. 
 So far as is known this is the only case of the kind on record. 
 Much time and money may be saved by the adoption of 
 various kinds of inter-departmental services, in cities of all 
 sizes. In most of our larger cities services of exactly the same 
 nature are run independently even in some of the divisions 
 and sub-divisions of a single department. We made the effort 
 to eliminate as much of this waste as possible in our depart- 
 ment in Philadelphia. In the interest of increased efficiency 
 we made a number of consolidations. For instance: 
 
 (a) The employment of all labour, skilled and unskilled, for the 
 several bureaus of the Public Works Department, were 
 handled by a Labour Bureau in the Director's office. 
 
 (b) All the paying of wages for the different bureaus was done 
 under the durection of one head paymaster, the several pay- 
 masters previously engaged on this work for individual bur- 
 eaus being assembled in one place. This change resulted 
 in many economies, and, better still, tlie more prompt pay- 
 ment of the men. It is fair to say that the men on the per- 
 diem rolls were paid on an average of three days earUer tiian 
 they had been formerly. To men receiving small weekly 
 compensation a convenience of this kind cannot be over- 
 estimated. 
 
 (c) Records of appropriations and expenditures were filed col- 
 lectively for the department. 
 
 (d) Arrangements were made with the Department of Supplies 
 to purchase materials formerly bought by our own various 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 65 
 
 bureaus, amounting to several hundreds of thousands of 
 dollars annually, 
 (e) A lighting board was formed, consisting of the chiefs of the 
 bureaus of electricity, gas, and lighting. 
 
 There are numerous other places where functional manage- 
 ment is infinitely superior in every way. We developed a 
 regular routed messenger service which was a wonderful 
 help. An inter-departmental automobile service in which 
 all public automobiles are pooled means a great saving in 
 our larger cities. New Yorjs City recently reported a vastly 
 improved service at a saving of over $50,000 a year by this 
 means. 
 
 The nature and extent of the work done by our photogra- 
 pher's division is a splendid example of the possibilities of 
 functional management. Our photographer and his assistants 
 were called upon constantly by every department of the city 
 government. The genial way in which these sometimes 
 burdensome requests were met and the low cost at which the 
 work was done was a source of gratification to all concerned. 
 If we covdd have in every department of our large cities a divi- 
 sion that served every other department from day to day it 
 would tend to build up an esprit de corps. It would have a good 
 effect in reducing the cost of government and would bring 
 on the day of genuine functional management^ without which 
 no real efficiency is possible. 
 
 COMMITTEE CONTROL 
 
 Among the causes of municipyal inefficiency is the attempt 
 to hamper and control the actions of individuals by a multiplic- 
 ity of petty legal restrictions unknown in private business, 
 
 Tor details in regard to functional management see "Principles of Scientific 
 Management" and "Shop Management" both by Frederick W. Taylor. 
 Harper & Bros., N. V. 
 
66 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 and by the separation of the municipal service into scores of di- 
 visions with little or no mutuality erf interest. But un- 
 doubtedly the greatest bar tp efficiency is the unwillingness 
 to trust the individual as shown by lie attempt to thwart 
 evil or selfish designs of officials by board control. This 
 committee management is, in my opinion, the most costly 
 hallucination of democracy. As a present-day cause of ex- 
 pensive and inefficient government, this bulwark of the 
 stand-patter, of special privilege, of the politician, and of the 
 crook makes other influences tending in the same direction, 
 such as the complacency of civil service and the absence of 
 standards, seem almost negligible. 
 
 The public must be educated to place more responsibility 
 on individuals, thus making it possible to do away with the 
 great inefficiencies which inevitably accompany board and 
 committee management. As long as we have boards and 
 committees they will vote — and they will insist on voting— 
 on matters that are not questions of personal opinion but 
 questions of fact which ought to be determined by the facts. 
 It is one of the duties of the engineering organizations of this 
 country to carry on a propaganda which wiU show to the public 
 the difference between those problems of policy and public 
 Interest that are properly decided by public opinion, and those 
 scientific problems which are improperly solved unless they 
 are determined according to the facts. Mr. Frederick W. 
 Taylor, past-president of the American Society of Mechanical 
 Engineers, very forcibly and lucidly suggested this fundamental 
 difference in some of his lectures. My opinion may be as good 
 as that of any other citizen's as to how fast an automobile 
 should be allowed to operate in different sections of a large city. 
 Again the opinion of one citizen is as good as that of another as 
 to the penalty which should be inflicted for false registration. 
 On the other hand, the design for a bridge, the specifications 
 for a sewer, the plans for the laying out of a pubKc park, 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 67 
 
 the organization of the police department, the fighting of 
 fires, and the elimination of mosquitoes are necessarily the 
 work of experts. Such work will always be indifferently done 
 if done as the result of a vote, whether the voting is done by 
 the people at large or by a committee or board acting for the 
 people. Notwithstanding aH the boards and commissions that 
 are provided for in the generally approved laws of to-day, there 
 should be no uncertainty as to the class of questions upon which 
 they may vote. It is a most important duty of the educated 
 to carry this message to the people and in doing so I do not 
 think there will be aiiy more powerful method than to give the 
 great mass of the people a larger and larger knowledge of the 
 work of government and of the expert in particular. 
 
 This committee control is evident on all sides not only in 
 government but in our industries, in commerce, and even in 
 our universities and schools. There is everywhere a minimimi 
 of effort made to distinguish between those matters which 
 may properly be voted upon and those which can more or less 
 readily be determined by the facts. Too much effort is made 
 to have democracy express itself in voting rather than in the 
 correct determination of issues. In one of our great vmiversi- 
 ties a certain departmental committee always meets before 
 giving any instructions whatsoever to the lone machinist who 
 serves the department. In a further effort toward this pseudo 
 democracy the committee has no chairman; it has a "^ead" — 
 this to indicate that his vote and his preferences have no more 
 weight than those of his associates. Of course if, in the face 
 of the facts, we permit voting, there ceases to be much virtue 
 in securing the facts. On the contrary, there should be offered 
 in every situation every possible inducement to ascertain 
 the facts; if for no other reason, because the total of voting 
 decisions is thereby reduced. 
 
 A former president of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Com- 
 merce said of his city: 
 
68 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 In Greater Pittsburgh we have fourteen commercial and -civic 
 bodies organized for the purpose of fostering trade and for civic 
 betterment, composed of 3,500 leading business men and women, 
 all citizens. The great civic questions are taken up by some one of 
 these organizations and by them discussed and the, consensus of 
 opinion arrived at and passed on to the others and by them in turn 
 discussed and opinion arrived at. The final judgment should be 
 of inestimable value to any legislative body, and is a real contribu- 
 tion to the subject in hand and should have its weight in the final 
 determination of any question by a municipal legislature seeking 
 the highest good. 
 
 This represents, in my opinion, the limit of the function of 
 the committee, viz., that of an advisory body. The advisory 
 board, when properly handled, is an inspiration and a help 
 to any public official. I had such a board to assist me in 
 arriving at many of the important decisions as to policy in 
 our department. There was never a vote taken on any ques- 
 tion that came before the board. We could each of us estimate 
 the "sense of the meeting," and I do not recall a single occasion 
 when the action finally takeil was contrary to that consensus 
 of opinion. Matters were always so presented that the mem- 
 bers of the board were not called upon to determine detailed 
 questions of fact. They were given the facts as they had been 
 definitely determined previous to the discussion. When in our 
 discussions any difference of opinion developed it was usually 
 occasioned by our not having developed sufficient facts. A 
 delay of a week or two, during which some further investiga- 
 tion as to the facts was carried on, was usually all that was 
 required to make our views the same. Most people object 
 to serving on committees and largely in my opinion because 
 time is wasted in discussing and voting on opinions which 
 should properly be determined by the facts. A real committee 
 sits to interpret facts. 
 
 Two entirely different types of men are wanted as executives 
 and as directors. Louis D. Brandeis — now Mr. Justice Bran- 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 69 
 
 deis — speaMng at the conference of American mayors in Phila- 
 delphia described the function of the board of directors and 
 the administrative oflBicials as follows: 
 
 Obviously the only justification for the director's existence is 
 that he should direct; which means that he should be an absolutely 
 fair and intelligent adviser and critic of the enterprise. The men 
 who are in charge of an enterprise as executive officers are supposed 
 to manage, and to possess the required energy and determination to 
 go forward. But in a well-equipped organization there should be 
 men who will check up the manager's judgment and performance. 
 Only in this way can contiuued prosperity be assured. 
 
 For the proper exercise of the functions of the director, it is 
 essential that he be disinterested; that is, be free from any conflict- 
 ing interest. But it is also essential that he have knowledge. 
 Facts, facts, facts, are the only basis on which he can properly 
 exercise his judgment. It is as necessary that he know intimately 
 the facts concerning the business, as that he have only one interest 
 to subserve. Now, no man can have such detailed knowledge of 
 the facts of many enterprises. This is due to the hmitations of 
 time and place and to those other hmits set by nature upon human 
 intelligence. 
 
 The application of these principles to the control of the 
 affairs of a city would appear to be that the legislative body — 
 whether or not a commission in form — should confine its 
 attention to large matters and questions of general poKcy 
 and avoid, wherever possible, taking up details. The truth 
 of the matter is that most mimicipal governing boards are so 
 loaded up with details, many of them urgent, that time does 
 not afford for the discussion of large questions of policy. 
 Especially is this true with respect to those policies involvmg a 
 long look ahead. Anything that can wait does wait. The 
 next generation always has difl&culty in getting its claims heard 
 by this one. 
 
 Democracy up to date has had a considerable distrust of the 
 executive. Due to pecuhar experiences of the past instead 
 
70 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of taking possession of the executive by making him responsi- 
 ble, democracy has usually destroyed him. This 'tendency has 
 been peculiarly evident in the prevalence of committee con- 
 trol. As a people we have been too prone to change our types 
 rather than to work for the improvement of the existing order. 
 If a particular institution offend us we do not attempt the 
 logical but slower method of improving it and eliminating the 
 weak spots, but we cut it off bodily and develop a substitute 
 more or less de novo. 
 
 Just as publicity, or advertising, is good in other depart- 
 ments of government so is it an aid and inspiration to an ener- 
 getic and efficient advisory board. Especially when the ser- 
 vices of these boards are rendered gratis we should encourage 
 them in their work by full publicity of the things which they 
 consider and accomplish. 
 
 LEADERS 
 
 If in free governments some substitute is to be foimd for the 
 so-called efficiency of an autocracy, it is because we will 
 have given a new significance to leadership in hiunan affairs. 
 We were told, when we were children, that there could be no 
 sound where there was no ear to hear. In the same sense there 
 can be no leadership without followers. Of course, the leader 
 himself must not only have the ability, experience, and far- 
 sightedness, to outline a course of action for a free people, 
 but he must have the power to make his followers more 
 or less fully sense the programme and believe in its wis- 
 dom. On the other hand, the followers — the taxpayers and 
 voters or whoever make up the constituency — ^must in increas- 
 ing measure learn not only how to discriminate between the 
 true and the false in leadership but must take on what is 
 almost an entirely novel attribute of democratic people — that 
 of learning how to support efficient leadership in substaaitial 
 
MECHANISMS OF MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT 71 
 
 fashion. An ability to criticize intelligently must more and 
 more be accompanied by the power of rendering adequate 
 assistance to the agencies of government. Government must 
 cease to be a thing apart. The attitude must become "I 
 am of the Government and the Government is of me." This is 
 the attitude we take toward the family. It must become the 
 alititude of the Freeman toward the State. 
 
CHAPTER m 
 SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR CITIES 
 
 EILE is to be gained by acquiescing in the oft-repeated 
 assertion that government of municipalities in this 
 country is woefully inefiScient as compared with what 
 is found in private industrial enterprises. It must be re- 
 membered that the earning of dividends is a very poor index 
 to efficiency. Manufacturing and conunercial undertakings 
 are frequently operated so as to be able to declare large divi- 
 dends and yet their practices are such as to entitle them to a 
 relatively low efficiency rating. A sharp sales policy, an ad- 
 vantageous shipping location, the payment of niggardly wages, 
 or the possession of basic patent rights may any one of them 
 easily account, at least temporarily, for a type of prosperity 
 whidi has no relation at all to genuine efficiency. Of course we 
 are coming more and more to realize that all industry and com- 
 merce is carried on in an extremely wasteful manner. But such 
 weaknesses of private enterprises are very readily covered up. 
 
 The public business, on the other hand, is open to the constant 
 scrutiny of the public and to the relentless and often unfair-criti- 
 cism of the opposition. Its very life depends on keeping open 
 the channels of inquiry and publicity. It must be remembered, 
 too, that up to and including the present time we have had no 
 industrial democracy — at least not in this coimtry. All com- 
 merce and industry are conducted on a more or less autocratic, 
 semi-militaristic basis and at least a primitive type of efficiency 
 is more readily obtainable under such a system. But we are 
 learning — ^very slowly it must be admitted — to cany on our 
 
 72 
 
CLEANING T'lLTER S.VNDS 
 
 Under a method by which each indn-idual workman is assigned a definite task and 
 
 paid high wages for its accomplishment 
 
 TESTING CONCRETE SEWER PIPE 
 

 fc^'-' -^•■-- 
 
 i 
 
 m 
 
 1 ., 
 
 •1 
 
 If .!n,--*~ -<iLx»iiW Wn 
 
 H 1 
 
 AN OLD-FASHIONED DESK 
 
 AN UP-TO-DATE DESK 
 
 Correspondence should never be put inside of a desk. The drawer? should be used 
 
 for supplies and personal memoranda only 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 73 
 
 public business as a cooperative undertaking and under 
 rules which belong to a genuinely democratic rdgime. The 
 dishonesty and graft are rapidly disappearing. Both were 
 almost inherent in our hastily constructed municipal system. 
 The means abound for entirely eliminating them from our 
 municipal life. Perhaps it is a fairer statement of the matter 
 to say that from the standpoint of absolute efl&ciency our muni- 
 cipal work is fearfully unbalanced — some of it very good and 
 some of it quite the opposite. Then in our large cities espe- 
 cially the field covered is so great that it is impossible to get 
 men and women of sufi&cient breadth of view and training to 
 see the problems whole. But we pay a tremendous price for 
 assuming that our government — ^in the city, state, and nation — 
 must if necessity be so woefully lacking. I rather think that, 
 in so doing, we are unconsciously doing the, bidding of those 
 who, for personal gain, seek to degrade and debauch us. The 
 attitude for us to take in attacking this part of our problem is 
 rather that, under all the circumstances and in view of the 
 serious handicaps that are inherent in our immensely difficult 
 task, we have made fair progress. This allows to us the satis- 
 faction which grows out of accomplishment and at the same 
 time makes us eager to recognize every weakness in our pres- 
 ent situation in order to conquer it. 
 
 My own business is that of an engineer specializing in man- 
 agement. The first question I ask when I go into an industrial 
 establishment is: "What is the product?" or "What are you 
 trying to make?" When I became Director of Public Works 
 of the third largest city of the country, I asked myself the 
 same question: "Why this $46,000,000 of annual expendi- 
 ture?" "Why all this political turmoil?" In short, "What 
 is the product of the city?" You cannot get away from the 
 answer that it is the development of an increasingly ideal 
 home life for all the citizens. The answer is the same whether 
 you happen to live in Kansas or in Pennsylvania. 
 
74 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 The public official cannot do all he would like to do. But 
 the same thing is true in private establishments. We wrongly 
 assume that those in nominal control in business really control. 
 But whether we speak of the men or the management, such 
 control is only relative — ^never absolute. If much that we 
 dream of accomplishing is frustrated by those opposed to 
 us, we must admit that this condition is just as true in 
 industry or anjnvhere else. In spite of opposition the general 
 movement for the simplification and coordination of the 
 work of dty government and individualizing of responsi- 
 bility goes on with a rapidity that must be discouraging to the 
 stand-patters. 
 
 Democracy and efficiency must learn to work hand in hand 
 in this country. The overwhelming majority of our citizens 
 demand both. There is hardly a mimidpal campaign on 
 record in which the opposing candidates failed to promise an 
 efficient administration. Now there are two important steps 
 leading to this scientific management of the people's business. 
 The first is the organized expression of public opinion, and the 
 second is the training and employment of experts for the public 
 service. The first is a slow growth, which, when sufficiently 
 developed, will make the second ine\dtable. 
 
 EXPERTS 
 
 All industry is undergoing a transition from the so-called 
 " practical " to the scientific. Research laboratories have been 
 established in a few industries. In Germany they are practi- 
 cally universal. In this country hardly one industrial plant 
 in a thousand makes a science of its manufacturing methods 
 and processes. Ultimately, of course, every industry must have 
 its research department. During the last thirty years the 
 beginnings of a science of management has been worked out in 
 American industry. What is good for industry is good for 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 75 
 
 municipal administration. All over this field, the "thumb- 
 rule" man will give way to the expert. 
 
 The circumstances under which the great majority of 
 appointments to positions in the municipal service have been 
 made in this country have given rise to the theory that almost 
 anybody can fill "a city job." A large percentage of our 
 people are firmly convinced, for some reason which is not easily 
 explained, that municipal service is different from private 
 service and that a certain amount of common sense and a 
 willingness to work moderately hard are all the reqmsites that 
 are needed to fill mimicipal positions efficiently. We believe 
 the mimicipal service has everything to gain and nothing to 
 lose by accentuating the points in which it is like the service 
 in private institutions, and by minimizing the importance of 
 those things in which it differs from private undertakings. 
 
 In the industries it is becoming more and more the rule to 
 consult experts — ^men who know. The routine work of an 
 establishment will always be best done by those who are 
 schooled to do it. But if progress is being made, questions 
 are constantly arising which can be answered only by those 
 who have had the peculiar experience which develops the an- 
 swering facts. All such questions are being answered to-day 
 more and more by the logic of facts rather than by per- 
 sonal opinion, and it is to the expert that we must go to get 
 these facts. 
 
 One of the weakest points of the administration of municipal 
 affairs all over the country is the reluctance of the legislative 
 branch to provide for expert advice. Their attitude usually 
 goes further than mere reluctance — ^they consciously place 
 obstacles in the path. In all but a few cases where we called in 
 experts in Philadelphia the fees were paid from funds privately 
 subscribed. 
 
 It is not a popular thing to discuss and to advocate experts, 
 but whether it is popular or not, I may say very frankly that 
 
76 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 we based our whole municipal programme in the Depart- 
 ment of Public Works, upon the emplojTnent of experts. 
 The age of the jack-of-all-trades, whether in repairing your 
 homes or managing your cities, is gone. The word "expert" 
 has come to be discredited chiefly because it is so much abused. 
 So many of our "experts" are merely tinkerers in the subject 
 which they blushingly confess they have mastered. Perhaps 
 the expert who comes closest to our private lives is the doctor, 
 and we all are fairly well able to separate the fakir from the 
 real thing in the matter of family physicians. The fakir in 
 medicine has certain well-recognized ear-marks. You let him 
 practise on someone else. So it is in the municipal work. 
 The field is fuU of men whose only right to the use of the title 
 "expert" is in connection with the addendum "fakir." We 
 must learn to discriminate here as we do in the case of the 
 physician. "By their fruits ye shall know them." 
 
 There is no cause which contributed more to whatever 
 measure of success attended our work in Philadelphia than 
 this employment of experts. During the last two years we 
 employed over sixty such advisers, some of whom gave 
 their services to the city without charge because of the op- 
 position of a hostile Councils to their being retained. In 
 order to give an idea of the broad field which these extra 
 expert services covered the following is a list of the sub- 
 jects in which we secured such help: — 
 
 I. 
 
 Architecture 
 
 II. 
 
 Gas and Gasoline Lighting 
 
 2. 
 
 Landscape Work 
 
 12. 
 
 Acoustics 
 
 3- 
 
 Electric Lighting 
 
 13- 
 
 Tune Study 
 
 4- 
 
 Highway Engineering 
 
 14. 
 
 Fiscal matters 
 
 S- 
 
 Building 
 
 IS- 
 
 Markets 
 
 6. 
 
 Street and Steam Railways 
 
 16. 
 
 Construction Work 
 
 7. 
 
 Mosquito Extermination 
 
 17- 
 
 Street Cleaning 
 
 8. 
 
 Management 
 
 18. 
 
 Sewage Disposal 
 
 9- 
 
 Water 
 
 19. 
 
 Power Plants 
 
 lO. 
 
 Printing 
 
 20. 
 
 Garbage Disposal 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 77 
 
 21. 
 
 Music 
 
 2S- 
 
 Advertising 
 
 22. 
 
 Mechanical and Slow Sand 
 
 26. 
 
 Education 
 
 
 Filters 
 
 27. 
 
 Planning of Buildings 
 
 23- 
 
 Legal matters 
 
 28. 
 
 Employment 
 
 24. 
 
 Photography 
 
 29. 
 
 Real Estate 
 
 30. Sculpture 
 
 It seems trite to say that in the selection of experts one 
 naturally seeks to obtain the best. There are only two condi- 
 tions in which their selection outside of the city is warranted. 
 The first is the case where those in your city best qualified 
 to give judgment are agreed that the best man is to be found 
 elsewhere. This was illustrated in the case of our retaining 
 Dean Sabine of the Harvard University Graduate School of 
 Applied Science to pass on the acoustics of the Convention 
 Hall, Philadelphia. There is probably not an architect or 
 physicist in Philadelphia who would not immediately agree 
 that Professor Sabine is the greatest authority in the coiuitry 
 on the acoustic properties of buildings. Again it frequently 
 becomes necessary to go out of the dty to escape from 
 the sph^e of local prejudices and connections. Such a 
 condition was illustrated by our emplo3Tnent of William J. 
 Wilgus to advise the City in drafting a paragraph of the South 
 Philadelphia Grade-crossing agreement with the Pennsylvania 
 and Baltimore and Ohio Railroads. To have gone to any one 
 coimected with the local railroad companies with a matter of 
 such great importance and one in which they were directly 
 interested would generally be conceded to be unbusiness-like 
 procedure. 
 
 I think that a very large part of the unpopularity of'the 
 expert is due to the fact that perhaps half the time he has to 
 come from outside "our town." It is looked upon in some 
 quarters as very reprehensible to pay one who does not live 
 in your own town any money raised from the town's taxa- 
 tion. Personally I like to think that Philadelphia ("My 
 
78 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 City ") is big enough and wise enough to develop right in 
 her midst most of the experts we need, and thank God 
 she generally does! But I am not narrow-minded enough 
 to think that we have them all. I notice that aU our peo- 
 ple do not work outside of our city, a fact which seems to 
 remind us that all the experts do not live in Philadelphia. 
 In our opera house we very frequently employ singers who 
 have been developed abroad, a great many of them in Ger- 
 many and France. In other words, we do not lean altogether 
 upon our local conservatory of music — ^fine as it is — for aU our 
 singers. We have always had a good baU team, and if you will 
 point out to us a good third baseman, we will put him on our 
 team, be he from Carlisle, Peimsylvania, or Detroit, Michigan. 
 We took the pennant a few years back and noisily celebrated 
 the event. And yet there was not a single member of the 
 team who had the honour of having been born in Philadelphia. 
 We simply adopted our players and they felt as much at 
 home in Philadelphia as in the towns in which they were 
 born. So I do not believe that a man's being bom and 
 brought up in Reading, or in Carlisle, or Bethlehem, or 
 Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia, is the main reason why you should 
 employ him as an expert. I believe in favouring home talent 
 and in building up the educational and other agencies by 
 which home talent in every possible field is developed. But 
 if you discover that the man who knows the most about any 
 subject on which you want advice does not happen to live 
 in your home town, go to him and do not be ashamed of doing 
 it, because it is done in every field of endeavour aU over the 
 world. In baseball and music it is the rule — not the exception. 
 A study of the English and especially of the German system 
 of municipal administration suggests that it will be only a 
 matter of a few years until we in this country will exchange 
 as between cities not only tJiose who hold higher positions but 
 men and women in the lower-salaried grades. As the art of 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 79 
 
 municipal administration and municipal engineering becomes 
 more and more scientific it will become usual for the officials of 
 one town to seek assistance of all grades in any other town or 
 city where it may be found. 
 In our 1914 aimual report we made this announcement: 
 
 If there is any town in the country of over 5,000 inhabitants in 
 need of a city manager or one which wants to fill any other position 
 and is wiUing to pay sufficient salary we wiU be glad to point out 
 the best man in our service to take lie place. We have good men 
 and women working in our departments; we want to see them get 
 ahead even if we lose some good ones in the process. 
 
 The too-prevalent opinion that the employment of an "out- 
 sider" — even an expert from the next town — is a slur on local 
 conditions, is the chief obstacle to the development of this 
 inter-city exchange of employees. Philadelphia's civil service 
 rules require citizenship as an essential prerequisite for almost 
 every position in the classified service. This is quite a usual 
 provision throughout the country. The views of those of our 
 people who are most bitterly opposed to any breaking down 
 of existing practices ia this connection are revealed in the fol- 
 lowing statement recently made by a Philadelphia Grand Jury: 
 
 The grand inquest views with emphatic disapprobation the in- 
 troduction of a new and disloyal poUcy by Mayor Blankenburg's 
 administration, in contravention of the spirit and the letter of the 
 city ordinance, of importing aliens and investing them with im- 
 portant municipal positions to the proscription and the wounding 
 of the pride of our own citizens. 
 
 This grand jury regard the permanent emplo5anent of aliens, 
 however weU equipped they may be, as a direct and humiliating 
 reflection upon ^e inteUigence, the capacity, the technical and exe- 
 cutive abiUty of our own citizens, as a slur upon our magnificent 
 institutions of learning. 
 
 No residence requirements appear in the advertisements in 
 German and English papers for men to fill positions in the 
 
8o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 municipal service. Of something over 450 advertise- 
 ments appearing in twelve successive issues of the Municipal 
 Journal, an English publication, not one mentioned local resi- 
 dence as a requirement. For example: 
 
 ist August, 1912. 
 Town Hall, 
 Tunbridge Wells. 
 
 The Council invite applications for the appointment of DEPUTY 
 TOWN CLERK at a salary of £200 per annum. Age not to ex- 
 ceed 35. 
 
 Applications on forms to be provided with copies of not more 
 than three testimonials, endorsed "Deputy Town Clerk," to be 
 sent to the undersigned on or before Saturday, the 21st, September 
 1912. 
 Canvassing will disqualify. 
 
 A. C. Allibone, 
 Deputy Town Clerk. 
 
 Note the qualifications and attractions offered in the follow- 
 ing translation of a typical German advertisement for a muni- 
 cipal position. 
 
 NOTICE 
 
 The post of Syndikus in the Magistrat of this city has become 
 vacant. The stipend is 6,000 marks per year with an increase of 
 600 marks every three years until the maximum of 9,000 marks is 
 reached. The appointment is for life; and provision is made 
 for a pension on retirement after long service, as well as for the 
 granting of an annuity to the widow or orphans of a deceased incum- 
 bent of the post. The S3aidikus is expected to preside in the In- 
 dustrial and Mercantile Court and is intrusted with the general 
 supervision over the legal affairs of the city. Candidates who have 
 passed their second legal examination and who have had successful 
 administrative experience are requested to submit applications 
 accompanied by testimonials and other suitable documents to the 
 city clerk before August 20. 
 Frankfort-on-tbe-Main, The Magistrat. 
 
 July 17, 1906. 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 8i 
 
 No wonder municipal positions are a coveted honour in Ger- 
 many. 
 
 Another reason that keeps the field of the expert limited is 
 the fact that experts are apt to ask large fees and are frequently- 
 warranted in doing so. We have paid as high as a hxmdred 
 dollars a day, in Philadelphia, for expert advice. But of 
 course we have not kept a man engaged every day in the year 
 at that price. We paid one man about one thousand dollars — 
 it was first paid out of private funds and afterward reimbursed 
 by the City Council — to advise us on garbage disposal. We 
 give that man, Irwin S. Osborn of Columbus, Ohio, the major 
 part of the credit for saving the city, in the foiu: years, 1912- 
 191 5, a million dollars. We think that one thousand dollars 
 was a good investment, and the city councUs thought so, 
 because they paid the bUl, and they were not committed to 
 it in any respect. That expert has studied this subject 
 for many years. He went abroad in 1913 and spent three 
 months in travelling over France and Germany and England, 
 studying garbage disposal rfi order to enable him to continue 
 to be an expert. Nobody was paying him a hundred doUars 
 a day wMle he was studjdng and travelling. Of course the 
 fact that in some instances we have to pay experts good fees is 
 no argument against them. The question is: "Do they 
 make adequate return for what we pay them?" 
 
 A year or two ago. Professor Jeremiah W. Jenks, of the 
 New York University, in one of his addresses, told how Charles 
 M. Schwab had spoken to him of the advantages that he se- 
 cured by asking outside engineers to come to his Bethlehem 
 plant and look over its work. Very often these outside men 
 were able to suggest betterments which his own engineers 
 were unable to see merely because of their intimate acquaint- 
 ance with the plant. 
 
 The selection of Dr. HoUis Godfrey, who hailed from the 
 neighbourhood of Boston, Massachusetts, for the Bureau of 
 
82 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Gas was a very fortunate thing for Philadelphia, as it intro- 
 duced to our community the present President of the Drexel 
 Institute. The Civil Service Commission naturally opened the 
 examination for this position to people from all parts of the 
 country. If it had been confined to Philadelphia, the only 
 people who would have passed any properly conducted exami- 
 nation would have been those having affiliations with the 
 public service corporations whose relations with the city were 
 to be supervised by the incimibent. 
 
 The corps of engineers, from the chief engineer down, which 
 constructed the Philadelphia filter plants and revamped the 
 distribution system, was in large part brought in from the 
 outside. Indeed, one has but to read the various reports 
 which have been made from time to time by expert consulting 
 commissions to realize that the Philadelphia Water Bureau 
 has constantly made use of outside engineers in all capacities. 
 Possibly the fact that Benjamin Franklin, the sponsor of the 
 original works, was born in Boston created an impetus in the 
 Water Bureau which has not yet been overcome. 
 
 As it becomes increasingly apparent that men trained in the 
 school of division and ward politics cannot be the best road 
 builders and that the bacterial count of the city's water supply 
 is beyond the "thumb-rule" man, we will come to lean more 
 and more on expert advice, wherever it may be found. 
 
 SCrENTIFIC MANAGEMENT 
 
 The evolution of business organization is from the unsystem- 
 atized, through the systematized, to the scientific. Govern- 
 mental work — ^federal, state, and municipal — ^is still almost 
 exclusively in the imsystematized stage. 
 
 For the many, "scientific management" either means noth- 
 ing at all or is a term shrouded in the mystery of newspaper 
 stories of its accomplishments. When the casual inquirer 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 83 
 
 hears of the extraordinary changes that have been brought 
 about in some of our great industrial plants by the adoption 
 of scientific principles of management, he feels that the main 
 cause for the change must be some very attractive bait which 
 drives the workman to the performance of almost superhuman 
 tasks. The management is usually credited with nothing 
 more than the suppl3dng of this bait. 
 
 Mr. Henry P. Kendall of the Plimpton Press, Norwood, 
 Massachusetts, has explained that "there are few, if any, new 
 elements comprising scientific management; but a new com- 
 bination, a different proportion, another sequence; the whole 
 making a different form of organization." In the systematized 
 plant the orders from the centre particularize on what is to be 
 done; scientific management adds the method for doing it. 
 Mr. Kendall suggests that, under scientific management, the 
 efficiency of the worker and of his machine — assuming that the 
 purchasing, storing, etc., are properly taken care of — depends 
 on five conditions, viz. : 
 
 1. An analysis and sjm thesis of the elements of each operation. 
 
 2. The scientific selection of the worker. 
 
 3. The training of the worker. 
 
 4. Proper tools and equipment. 
 
 5. A proper incentive for work well done. 
 
 The carefiil selection of the worker caimot be too strongly 
 stressed. It is very often hard, if not impossible, to get all 
 the desired traits in one man. No man is 100% efficient 
 no matter how long he has been on a job, and he is away 
 below that standard when undertaking any new work. Under 
 scientific selection of the worker each man is put on that job 
 for which his inclinations and abilities demonstrate he is best 
 fitted. 
 
 The principles of scientific management as outlined by 
 Frederick W. Taylor, the father of the movement, are of 
 
84 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 course the same whether considered in their application to an 
 industry or to a governmental unit: 
 
 1. The development of a science for each element of the work. 
 Among the varied activities of a city there is the opportxinity for 
 literally thousands of such independent inquiries, each resulting 
 in the assembly of data and the development of laws as varied and 
 comprehensive as can be found in any other field. 
 
 2. The selection and training of employees. Siu^ely no one will 
 claun that in the hit-and-miss present-day method, largely domi- 
 nated as it is by politics, can be discovered even the basis of a scien- 
 tific system of dioosing and developing a staff. 
 
 3. The bringing together of the science and the properly selected 
 and trained employee. AU our governmental work is now done 
 under a minimum of supervision and control, and imtil this can be 
 amplified and standarchzed the work will continue to be carried 
 on in a wasteful manner. 
 
 4. A revision of the responsibility as between the management and 
 the men. Notwithstanding the responsibiUty supposed to rest 
 with those holding the higher positions, they assiune a far smaller 
 proportion of the actual responsibiHty than they should. True 
 in the industrial world, it is even more general in government work 
 because of the shifting brought about by the frequent changes in 
 administrations. 
 
 The foregoing is a brief statement of the whole theory of 
 scientific government. That these principles enunciated by 
 Taylor can be applied to city work, as they have been ap- 
 phed to scores of different kinds of industrial work, is ob- 
 vious. Routing, time study and planning — the vernacular of 
 scientifically managed industrial establishment — ^wiU soon 
 become the vernacular of the city administration. It opens 
 up a field of endeavour which staggers the imagination. 
 ' A most ioaportant requirement for a city ready to take up 
 seriously the development of scientific management is a modern 
 charter involving the largest measure of home rule and the 
 smallest niunber of state-imposed checks. In the case of 
 my own city even reasonably efficient government cannot be 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 85 
 
 brought about until by state enactment the city and county 
 of Philadelphia is given authority to consolidate or to 
 abolish unnecessary offices and to readjust and — ^what is more 
 important — ^to keep on readjusting the relations of those 
 tnat are left. In other words, we have outgrown the idea that 
 an industrial or governmental organization can remain to all 
 intents and purposes imchanged during a term of years. 
 If there is to be progress there must be a constant reforming 
 of its lines to meet new conditions and in order to undertake 
 the new work of an advancing civilization. Municipal govern- 
 mental machinery, if -it is to be efficient, must be in a constant 
 state of flux. Just as the head of a business concern is able 
 to take immediate advantage of a change in the market, so 
 must the administrative official be able to take advantage of 
 favourable circumstances. There must be a greater range for 
 the exercise of individual judgment. 
 
 The economic fact, of course, which is going to force good 
 municipal government — even scientific management in city 
 affairs — ^is, as has been suggested before, the growing cost of 
 running a city. As our population gathers in larger and 
 larger urban units it becomes necessary to perform collectively 
 functions which formerly, when performed, were performed 
 by the individual citizen. Then our people are rightly requir- 
 ing more and more from govermnent: better schools, more 
 amusements, greater safety, and conveniences of all kinds. 
 If we are to meet these demands, we shall have to learn how 
 to do what we have already undertaken much more efficiently 
 and at a largely reduced cost. The practising of wise econo- 
 mies win pave the way for these new undertakings of govern- 
 ment. It is also true that the complexity of governmental 
 action increases even more rapidly than do the cost and the 
 size of the field over which it operates. It is only because 
 we do not have the figures-, which represent the difficxilty of 
 the task ahead of us, that we are not appalled by it. 
 
86 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 , '' Permanency of progress has usually come about through wide 
 dissemination of changed methods. In other words, a change 
 in type is not likely to endure unless a large nimiber of individ- 
 uals have been affected by it. Usually also the individuals 
 affected must be widely distributed if the change is to be per- 
 manent. Put in a different way, the permanency of any change 
 affecting a type is proportional to_the nimaber of individuals . 
 upon whom the change has been mad^ effective and by the 
 breadth of their distribution. In the minds of those interested 
 in effecting changes in governmental agencies, the conditions 
 which bring about permanency are almost always confused with 
 the causes which bring about progress. We find the same thing" 
 true in the industrial world. Most people think that progress 
 can be brought about only through moving the mass. Those 
 familiar with the scientific-management movement have been 
 impressed with the way in which, during the last generation, 
 the work of a bare half-dozen manufacturing estabhshments, 
 none of them very large, has fundamentally affected industrial 
 methods all over the world. Taylor's work, principally at 
 Midvale, Bethlehem, and at two or three other places, has 
 resulted in giving birth to what appears to some of us to be the 
 greatest single force operating for good in the industrial world 
 "to-day. The same result can be brought about in municipal 
 administration. What the problem needs is intensive study 
 and intensive development at a few points accompanied by 
 proper publicity. 
 
 If, for instance, there could be found one city of, say, 
 100,000 popxilation where the electorate would permit itself 
 to be guided in such a study for a period of, say, five years — 
 preferably ten — it would do more to put municipal adminis- 
 tration in this coxmtry on a scientific basis than could be accom- 
 plished by the usual methods of reform operating in a thousand 
 communities. The point I want to make is this: that the 
 improvements brought about through the routine operation 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 87 
 
 of honest, unsystematized management, working through 
 two generations in a large niunber of cities would be meagre 
 as compared with what might be accomplished in a few years 
 through more intensive application of science in management 
 at a few points — ^perhaps in a single city. 
 
 The securing of permanency for the results so obtained is an 
 entirely different problem. However, to secure permanency 
 for good results, especially in government, and especially in 
 this country, is a much easier problem than it has ever been 
 before for we are beginning to sense the place of advertising 
 and publicity in the development of the democratic purpose. 
 
 ECONOMY AND EPFICIENCY 
 
 Administrative economy has become a widespread political 
 issue and looms large in every national, state, and municipal 
 campaign. Just what is the relation of economy to efficiency? 
 In ova departmental aimual reports we were fortunate in 
 being able to list savings in operation and maintenance total- 
 ling over $1,000,000 annually. Each year, during our four- 
 year term, some material savings were effected. The large 
 and spectacular pick-ups were naturally made in the first two 
 or three years of the administration and for the most part they 
 were those that were most easily made. The economies 
 effected toward the close of our term were of the kind which 
 should be continued ahnost indefinitely. They have resulted 
 from painstaking study and are made up of literally thousands 
 of minor economies practised at hundreds of points and dis- 
 tributed all over the city wherever our department had work 
 to perform. These are the economies which invariably and 
 ahnost automatically result from a well-selected persoimel and 
 a closely knit organization. To make a cut of a quarter of a 
 million dollars a year in the cost of collecting and disposing 
 of the city's garbage, of course, is desirable, It is even spec- 
 
88 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 tacular. As this was done practically four years in succession 
 with a total net saving to the city of about one million dollars, 
 the cut became almost sensational. Owing, however, to the 
 fact that the business of collecting and reducing garbage is 
 based almost entirely on thumb-rule and as the work is con- 
 ducted on an essentially political basis there is not necessarily 
 any gain to the city beyond the miUion dollars already in 
 hand. In the absence of remedial legislation, either by the 
 State Legislature or City Councils or by an Act of God, there 
 is nothing that wiU keep the city from revetting almost imme- 
 diately to the scale of prices formerly paid.^ On the other 
 hand, in omr 1914 report we spoke of the very large reduction 
 in the expense of operating and maintaining the Bureau of 
 Water, showing a saving of something less than $500,000 in 
 favour of the year 1914 as compared with 1911. 
 
 Now the greater part of this latter saving represents not 
 only money in hand but an increased efl&ciency on the part of 
 the personnel of the Bureau of Water which cannot be done 
 away with on the say-so of any one — ^much less at the dictation 
 pf a political boss or group of bosses or by a change in admin- 
 istration. In fact, there woidd be no special incentive for 
 either an incompetent departmental oflSdal or an ambitious 
 political boss to have the bureau "vmleam" some of these 
 lessons. No one is done any harm, for instance, through 
 our being able to handle coal at the Lardner's Point pumping 
 station at ten cents a ton instead of the forty cents which it 
 had previously cost. Nor was any interest injured when 
 we removed from the grounds of the Bureau of Water nailes 
 of useless fences which had to be painted once a year and 
 replaced every few years. Again we learned so to ma- 
 nipulate our filters that many thousand tons of river mud — 
 which, formerly, was deposited on the filter beds and had to 
 
 ^Since this sentence was written just this has actually happened. 
 

 1 
 
 n 
 
 I - " 
 
 'vVOODiiX CASES, 
 
 BOOKS, 
 LOOSE PAPERS- 
 OLD AND NEW— 
 
 Piled one on top oi 
 the other. To loolc 
 at one thing some- 
 thing else had to be 
 
 ^>ii 
 
 removed. 
 
 ^9l'^ 
 
 
 MJBOP^. .--'"!-->"'"'" ^ 
 
 
 
 HWfUMWiifHM 
 
 
 
 Wf fmmBmm 
 
 '■.:.; -jMM^^^ 
 
 ^^ ii 
 
 THE REMOVAL 
 OF FOUR TONS 
 OF OBSOLETE 
 
 ilKi^s^SiS 
 
 !!%■■ 
 
 ROOK'n PAPl^'R 
 
 1^ _l_jj_* 4I-M4 
 
 iL«™«-. I...!..»U. 
 
 
 
 
 
 M.,i. 1 i 1 
 
 ^^pwKiram^HS— 
 
 J 
 
 AND TRASH 
 Made possible glass- 
 co\-ered cases for let- 
 ter-copy books, and 
 other frequently con- 
 sulted records. 
 
 N 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 h 
 
 ri 
 
 Jteh^ k V 
 
 '" I 
 
 ^^^5^ 
 
 I 
 
 ^BT^r-^E^Bfe' '' ' iHWI 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 ^^^^^K.JHc ■ laiagia'''^'**'^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 TICKLER CABINET 
 Each month has its drawer; and 
 each day its jacket. 
 
VISIBLE INDEX OF PATROLMEN 
 
 DON'T FOLD BUSINESS PAPERS 
 The seventeen copies of specifications on the right arc shown folded in the basket 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 89 
 
 be removed, either 'by hand or by meGhanical methods — ^is 
 now eliminated before it reaches the filters. No one is the 
 worse for any of this and no one would be benefited by a return 
 to former methods. These are permanent gains in efficiency. 
 
 In assessing the real value of any economy that has been 
 brought about it is proper to inquire in the first place if Mr. 
 Citizen has been deprived of some service which he has here- 
 tofore enjoyed and which is of value to him. In the second 
 place, one must distinguish between those economies which 
 come as a result of chance or bluff, as in the case of the garbage 
 contract, or whether the economy has come, as such things 
 shoiild come, as the result of a steadily improving organization 
 in which economies are k necessary by-product. Personally, 
 I think we can easily overestimate the value of economies 
 when they only represent money saved. Increased effi- 
 ciency is the first object of administration, to make every 
 dollar buy not only more but the most possible. Any growing 
 city must expect to spend more money rather than less. The 
 public must never be allowed to lose sight of this fact. No 
 amount of saving will necessarily leave money in the treasury. 
 On the contrary, with the growing demand for the widening 
 of our city activities the principal value of savings is that they 
 can be made, in a measure at least, to fill the constantly 
 widening gap between receipts and expenditures. This 
 statement answers the question frequently asked in all good 
 faith: "Why, if you are saving all this money, does it still 
 cost the same total amoimt to run the city?" 
 
 One of our first steps in reorganizing the department was 
 the physical rearrangement of the central offices. A nmway 
 corridor was erected so that caUers could have direct access 
 to the person desired without disturbing others. Flat-top 
 sanitary desks replaced the old pigeon-hole dust-catchers 
 which so facilitate the losing of papers or the holding up of 
 their progress. An inter-bureau messenger service facili- 
 
90 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 tated communications not possible in any other way. The 
 messenger travelled over a designed and predetermined route 
 every hour between twelve regular stations. 
 
 Filing should receive a large share of attention. Records 
 are useful only to the degree to which they can be located. 
 In replanning forms of various kinds we made an effort so to 
 arrange them that all the necessary papers in connection with 
 a given transaction could be made out at one time on the type- 
 writer. When bills and vouchers begin to move through the 
 ofl&ce with reasonable speed, cash discounts wiU begin to be 
 heard of in municipal work. Much to the chagrin of the 
 printer we cut out the use on aU stationery of the name of 
 the individual who happened to hold a certain position at a 
 given time. All employees were addressed in commimica- 
 tions by their titles. ^ 
 
 Modern ofl&ce conveniences have come to be absolute ne- 
 cessities from the point of view of money savers. The use of 
 the telautograph for aimoundng visitors and telephone calls 
 is a great factor in increasing the amoimt of work possible 
 for an administrator during one business day. A part of my 
 ofl&ce equipment which I foimd most valuable was a wall dis- 
 play fixtiu-e with twenty leaves, each four feet, upon which 
 maps, photographs, drawings, etc., of current work could be 
 temporarily or permanently displayed. Although the dicto- 
 graph service throughout ovix ofl&ces was never used for any 
 other purpose than to take the place of the old-fashioned speak- 
 ing tube, many of our callers felt otherwise. It was the silver 
 ice pitcher which stood on the mantel that gave cause for the 
 suspicion. The ice was usually delivered in one or two large 
 lumps, too big to go down into the pitcher. These pieces 
 of ice, after melting to a somewhat smaller size, drop into the 
 pitcher and strike the sides making a pecuEar noise that 
 evidently suggests a dictograph. Some very weU-known callers 
 have displayed considerable anxiety when the drop came. 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 91 
 
 I remember particularly one man who was transacting with 
 me what was, to him, important business. We were both 
 walking up and down the room, he on one side, I on the other, 
 conversing as we walked. When the ice fell, he turned to me 
 and said " H ! Is that all taken down? " 
 
 It always pays to house-clean. A large city should naturally 
 have to spend regularly considerable sums' for this work. Like 
 every other kind of work, it can be done in many diflerentways. 
 There was about the same resemblance between the methods 
 of cleaning our city haU before and after we adopted scientific 
 methods, as there is between the broom and the vacuimi 
 cleaner. Besides getting a better job, we saved $100 every day. 
 By directing all the cleaners from one central office we saw 
 to it that an equal amount of work was assigned to each one. 
 
 An interesting incident of our house-cleaning was the finding 
 of a certified check for $9,700 which had remained tucked 
 away with some unimportant papers in the safe for over six 
 years. The check was cashed the following day. The bank 
 on which it was drawn felt that it shared with the city the 
 responsibility for the long delay in collection, and sent a check 
 for approximately $1 , 100 for interest. 
 
 One of the principal activities of the Bureau of City Prop- 
 erty of the City of Philadelphia involves the custody and care 
 of 73 smaU parks located in different sections of the city com- 
 prising, all told, 87s acres. By grouping these parks in such 
 a way that foremen and workmen could be assigned to more 
 than one park, a great deal more work was done than ever 
 before in the way of caring for the lawns and shrubs, and in 
 pruning trees. The total expense was $172.51 per acre. 
 Five years before, this same class of work — and poorly done 
 work — cost $242.43 per acre. The activities of the local 
 citizens' associations in the neighbourhood of these small parks 
 was a great help. A large number of boy scouts were made 
 tree wardens. Through exercises in the parks themselves 
 
92 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 and in the public schools, an effort has been made to teach 
 the younger members of the community something as to their 
 responsibility and especially as to the ways in which they can 
 cooperate with the city autborities in maintaining these public 
 breathing spaces in good condition. 
 
 PLEASE DON'T FORGET 
 TO TURN OFF THE SPIGOT 
 
 A LEAKY FAUCET MEANS A LEAKY PURSE 
 BY SAVING WATER YOU WILL 
 
 REDUCE WATER RENTS GET BETTER PRESSURES 
 
 RECEIVE PURER WATER HAVE £ETTER FIRE PROTECTION i 
 
 IT HELPS YOU. HELPS YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HELPS ME 
 
 THANk YOU. 
 
 BILLY PENN 
 
 ' TACK THIS UP IN YQUR KrTCHEN OR BATHROOM J 
 
 Ptjbucity in Waeer Saving 
 
 Every plumber and city inspector carried a stock of these to tack up above 
 
 the kitchen sink 
 
 Through a publicity campaign the per-capita use of water 
 was cut down about 15% in two years. This 15% represented, 
 of course, only a portion of the per-capita waste; no city should 
 have to stint itself ia the legitimate use of water. Part of 
 this water waste elimination was brought about by the vol- 
 untary introduction of over 50,000 meters. Better methods 
 of firing and changes in the size of coal used resulted in a cut 
 of over 10,000 tons in the yearly coal supply. 
 
 An interesting pick-up which saved the city money was the 
 reduction in the number of openings of a large bascule bridge 
 over the Schuylkill River. During the week of April 6-12, 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 93 
 
 1913, this bridge was opened sixty-six times and in the same 
 week (April 6-12) in 1914 twenty-eight times, a reduction of 
 approximately 58 per cent. The record for these two weeks 
 is practically that for the respective years. This was brought 
 about by asking the Atlantic Refining Company to lower the 
 flagstaffs on their tug boats. The difference in the number 
 of openings about represents the trafl&c of the Atlantic Refin- 
 ing Company's fleet. Every trip between two sections of the 
 plant — a distance of only a few hundred feet — formerly re- 
 quired the opening of the bridge, simply because the flagstaffs 
 were too high. Systematic checking up of city automobile 
 records is a money saver to the city and a general satis- 
 faction to everyone having legitimate use for the machines. 
 
 We dispensed with the services of a number of men on 
 account of changing the methods of work. A good example 
 6i this is the large number of teamsters who were laid off on 
 account of our contracting for the services of single and double 
 teams. It was no unusual thing for the individual team owner 
 to arrive at his work toward the middle of the morning, and 
 in order to be at his stable at the time the ofl&cial work day was 
 over, to leave the job toward the middle of the afternoon. In 
 some instances — once in every two weeks — these men would 
 hitch their horses and spend the entire day in making a trip 
 to the City HaU for their pay. 
 
 It is, of course, unnecessary to defend the introduction of 
 modern methods in keeping accounts of materials on hand, 
 as well as of subtractions and additions to the supply. Besides 
 making guesswork as to stock at any time impossible it re- 
 moves the temptation from employees whose duty it is to 
 handle materials, and saves money for the city. 
 
 Good administration is largely the result of the develop- 
 ment throughout the organization of a genuine interest in the 
 work of cooperation and of a spirit of friendly rivalry. The 
 imposition of iron-bound rules from the top is entirely unnec- 
 
94 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 essary. Some of our bureaus were reorganized in such a way 
 that the results obtained in two or more ofl&ces or divisions 
 on the same kind of work could be readily compared. Thus 
 a comparison of the cost of giving surface treatment to ma- 
 cadam roads in seven different districts was directly respon- 
 sible for materially reducing these costs. 
 
 It should be remembered that changing methods of doing 
 work of any kind is apt to be an extremely trying process to 
 ■ all concerned. The leader in any such worii must learn to 
 practise patience. Some of those whose interest is aroused 
 with the greatest difficulty often develop iato the most valu- 
 able men. If a man has always seen a given industrial process 
 carried on in the same way it is only hvmian nature for him to 
 resent a change. If no special pressure is put on him to do 
 anything himself, and at the same time he is shown- tiie value 
 of change through one object-lesson after another, he may 
 even work around to the point where he wiU know that the 
 present method must be the wrong method. 
 
 Fifty years ago, Gladstone took numerous occasions to 
 caU attention to the increasing complexity of governmental 
 administration. Had he lived to acquaint the public with 
 these subjects in 1918, he would undoubtedly have been much 
 more emphatic. Consider, for instance, any city's inspection 
 service. In industrial estabUshments, it has come to be recog- 
 nized as desirable not only to inaugurate a full system of in- 
 spection from the inception of the work but to cause to act 
 together, under the direction of a single head, as many as 
 ■possible of those engaged on inspection work. In our cities 
 at the present time we have at least ten or twelve different 
 officials who periodically inspect individual houses and places 
 of business. For instance, we have building inspectors, fire 
 marshals, poUce, meter inspectors of several different kinds, 
 water-waste inspectors, health inspectors, elevator inspect- 
 ors, truant inspectors, garbage and street-cleaning inspect- 
 
SCIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT 95 
 
 ors, and many others. These men, for the most part, 
 work so independently of one another that if, on a given date, 
 representatives of each of these groups should call at the same 
 house, they might do so without any knowledge that the others 
 had been there. In the Federal Service it may easily happen 
 that the Post-Ofl&ce Department, Treasury Department, War 
 Department, and perhaps other departments, each should 
 start a representative from Washington to a town on the 
 Pacific Coast on a relatively minor commission, simply be- 
 cause the business of the Government has become so com- 
 plicated that it is impossible for us to utilize our men and re- 
 sources efl&dently even when we desire to do so. 
 
 As soon as we learn more about inter-departmental co- 
 operation it will be possible to utilize the police for much of 
 the inspection work now being carried on by more or less in- 
 dependent agencies. In fact, the police department will be 
 apt to imdergo a very radical rehabilitation when we begin 
 to develop scientific management in our municipalities. The 
 policeman occupies a unique position in coming in hour-to- 
 hour contact with the employer — the people. It should be 
 possible so to organize the police force that it would become 
 the eyes of the administration. An instance of such con- 
 structive use of the police department is furnished by New 
 York City where the chief asked the cooperation of his men 
 in the location of playgrounds. As Henry Bruere, formerly 
 City Chamberlain of that city, remarked, in a paper read at 
 the 1914 annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical 
 Engineers:^ 
 
 The mere fact that the police themselves formulate such sugges- 
 tions and assist in putting them into effect, brings about a psycho- 
 logical change in the attitude of the policeman to his community 
 relationships which is full of the greatest possibilities for the de- 
 velopment of pohce service. It is merely another illustration of 
 
 ^Transactions A. S. M.E. 1914, Page 541, "Future of the Police Arm." 
 
96 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 appl)nng the scientific or engineering method to a particular prob- 
 lem, instead of continuing along from year to year, from generation 
 to generation with fatalistic resignation to whatever may happen. 
 
 It is probably true that almost every mechanism we 
 have in our public works departments to-day will be super- 
 seded within a comparatively few years. The same is true 
 as to processes and methods of doing work. Nothing has 
 been so sufficiently studied as to have reached even an 
 approxinlately scientific standard. All that can be said is 
 that we have started on the long road. Taylor took twenty- 
 six years to study the laws of cutting metals, finally reducing 
 them to a slide rule which answers complicated questions as to 
 feed and speed in a few seconds. Examine the mechanisms in 
 use for cleaning streets in even Washington, D. C, the clean- 
 est city in the United States. Study the " absent mindedness" 
 of the public which overloads its dimip carts, brushes store and 
 sidewalk sweepings into the street, and tolerates the open 
 waste can. Continue your observation in such matters as 
 snow and garbage removal, the elimination of insect pests, 
 the regulation of utilities, the building of roads and highways, 
 the distribution of water, our municipal music and our recrea- 
 tional methods, and a thousand and one other activities. You 
 will then not question that science in the management of our 
 cities and states and of the nation itself is only knocking at 
 the door. Some of us think we hear in certain quarters an 
 invitation for her to cross the threshold. 
 
 There never was a right endeavour but it succeeded. Patience 
 and patience, we shall win at last. We must be very suspicious 
 of the deception of the element of time. It takes a good deal of 
 time to eat or to sleep, or to earn a hundred dollars, and a very 
 little time to entertain a hope and an insight which becomes the 
 light of our life. . . . Never mind the defeat: up again, old 
 heart! It seems to say — there is victory yet for all justice; and 
 the true romance which the world exists to realize, will be the trans- 
 formation of genius into practical powers. — ^Emerson. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 COOPERATION BRINGS THE ONE BEST WAY ' 
 
 I 
 
 THE science of management has for its object the de- 
 velopment of the one best way in every part of its 
 field — and with emphasis on the "one." Largely 
 owing to the rapid increase of the available information on 
 all kinds of subjects it is becoming an increasingly expensive 
 imdertaking to ascertain this one best way. In fact, it is 
 literally impossible to accomplish it without a maximum of 
 cooperation of many different kinds. Again in the absence 
 of standardization and a widely entertained respect for stand- 
 ards it is virtually impracticable to hold to the one best way 
 even after it has been fully determined. 
 
 In the industrial field the rewards for the adoption of the 
 one scientifically best way for every operation become in- 
 creasingly great according as the complexity of the imder- 
 taking increases. And of course our cities have become ex- 
 ceedingly complex not only in the variety of their activities 
 but as to the conditions imposed by a more-and-more conscious 
 democracy. We can then confidently look forward to great 
 economies and a vastly improved efficiency in our municipal 
 life as the direct result of the development and application 
 of the one-best-way idea in every part of the work. 
 
 This more or less intensive study of methods is something 
 which will be well done only if it is participated in by prac- 
 tically every member of the organization — every employee. 
 Under a democracy science ceases to be a "high-brow" 
 activity. It is nothing more than a conscious and constant 
 
 97 
 
98 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 seeking after the facts and a reliance on the facts after they 
 have been determined. Science cares nothing for your whim 
 and mine. It cares everything for our Judgments based on 
 the facts. Science cares more and more as those judgments 
 are seen to be clearly in line with the facts, and more and more 
 as those facts are seen to have been developed with painstaking 
 care. Here then is a work in which all can have a hand, a 
 work which will always be ineffectually done if it is confined 
 to well-educated and highly trained men at the top. In our 
 cities administrative leadership will in the future more and 
 more consist in getting the largest possible niunber "into the 
 play" — ^in having the great body of employees increasingly 
 critical in their judgments about both their own work and the 
 work which is going on aroimd them. 
 
 It must be remembered that imder free political institutions, 
 and in the long run, the one best way cannot be used if the 
 people have no confidence in it. If because it has not been 
 adequately explained, or for any other reason the people object 
 to a given agency of government, over the side it goes — ^perhaps 
 never to return. In private manufacturing estabhshments 
 the owner can frequently put into practice measures and 
 methods not either understood or endorsed by the workers. 
 This is one reason why the scientific method may make more 
 rapid progress in private than it does in public enterprises. 
 But it also suggests the absolute necessity for taking the public 
 into your confidence if you wish to practise anything approxi- 
 mating scientific management. More than this, the efficient 
 administrator must go out of his way to make the public 
 imderstand what he is doing, how he is doing it, and why he is 
 doing it. Only in this way can there be built up a sufficiently 
 reliable public support for the one best way. There can be no 
 half-hearted acceptance of this programme. Every possible 
 opporttmity must be taken to keep the agencies through which 
 public opinion can be made to express itself in f uU and sympa- 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 99 
 
 thetic touch with governmental action. As these agencies 
 multiply and as governmental action becomes more compli- 
 cated, the task of keeping the two within hailing distance will 
 require all of vision and devotion which the public servant can 
 command. 
 
 COOPERATION WITH THE PEOPLE 
 
 In one of our pamphlets addressed to the public, the citizen's 
 position with respect to this city government was thus ex- 
 plained: 
 
 It should be understood, for it is true, that a city is a GREAT 
 INDUSTRIAL PLANT, owned collectively by aU its citizens. 
 Every public utility, both great and small, the highways and all 
 their improvements, the parks, the public bfiildings, the police 
 plant, the fire protection plant and the water plants, only to men- 
 tion examples — all belong to the citizens; and, could they all be 
 sold for cash, this GREAT INDUSTRIAL PLANT wound up, 
 and its owners (the citizens) move elsewhere, each citizen would 
 receive by absolute right his relative pro rata share of the total 
 amoimt of sale. The rich man and poor man would fare alike. 
 
 We tried every conceivable method, while in the public 
 service, to get the public to cooperate with our department 
 in its various activities. An extensive educational campaign 
 was carried on for the benefit of the public; a large number of 
 pamphlet bulletins were issued, including the complaint 
 folders; and numerous meetings on matters of public interest 
 were held in City Hall and elsewhere at which those posted 
 had a chance to inform their fellow citizens on municipal 
 matters. By erecting signs on or near public buildings and 
 other structures, the people were informed as to their functions 
 and other interesting details. Similar signs on sections of 
 important highway construction and other city contract 
 work, gave readable details as to their plans and cost. Such 
 
loo OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 methods were found to be great promotors of an enlightened 
 pubKc opinion. 
 
 It was interesting to note the wonderful response of the 
 public, both as individuals and as organizations, to this atti- 
 tude on the part of the department. In practically every 
 instance where we sought help from either the individual or 
 an organization we obtained it. One good example of this 
 was brought out in the matter of dedication of streets. Owing 
 to the very large damages which had in recent years been 
 allotted for land required for street openings — approximately 
 $5,Qoo,ooo of which stiU remained unpaid — ^we decided on a 
 general policy of not opening streets in the absence of deeds of 
 gift. Wherever such openings were demanded the owners 
 of the property were sought out and requested to dedicate, 
 and in practically every instance the appeals were successful. 
 It was our aim to give to those developing property good ser- 
 vice in the matter of making street improvements with the 
 idea that it would build up mutual confidence between the 
 city and property-owners. This method had the effect of 
 making the owners of property more anxious to dedicate than 
 they had been in the past. We have one instance on record 
 where the service given to a large property-owner so satisfied 
 him that he would not rest content with dedicating a large 
 number of streets for which he had already entered claims for 
 damages. He obtained information as to the location of a 
 piece of property owned by another party wherein, in the 
 opinion of the City Solicitor, property damages shoiild have 
 been allowed. He secured the dedication of this plot as a 
 further evidence of his appreciation of the business-like treat- 
 ment he had had at the hands of the department. The 
 genuine interest of intelligent citizens is needed to back up any 
 municipal programme. Installation of water meters received 
 an impetus when we were able to publish a letter describing 
 the successful experience, from a financial point of view, of a 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY loi 
 
 well-known carpet manufacturing concern, of the introduction 
 of meters. 
 
 Early in our administration instructions were issued to all 
 employees as to the necessity for handling the public, individ- 
 ually and collectively, with the utmost care, consideration, 
 and politeness. Several bulletins were addressed to depart- 
 ment ofl&cials on this subject, an excerpt from one of which 
 follows: 
 
 Our policy, of course, should be to do everything we can to get 
 the public in the habit of writing to us — and telephoning to us— 
 when there is necessity. It is unfortunately true that most 
 people won't take the trouble to do either unless they are absolutely 
 forced to do so. 
 
 We are very largely sized up by the public according to the 
 manner in which we reply to their letters and answer their telephone 
 calls. The most successful undertakings recognize this in taking 
 a great deal of trouble to have their correspondence not only at- 
 tractively prepared, but to have their communications couched 
 in such language as to create the impression upon the recipients of 
 their letters that it was a pleasure to reply to their communications. 
 For the same reason the telephone companies will not allow opera- 
 tors to go on duty imtil they have learned the rising inflection of 
 the voice, which introduces them pleasantly to the person with 
 whom they are talking. If this kind of thing is profitable in private 
 undertakings it should certainly be considered a much more desir- 
 able thing in municipal service, where every time we telephone 
 or write we are communicating with one of our stockholders. 
 
 I feel like adding that some efficient workers are seemingly 
 imable to meet the public on the proper basis, and bureau chiefs 
 should so arrange their work that this weakness is not allowed to 
 injure the department in the eyes of the pubUc. Such people should 
 not be allowed to write letters or use the telephone on public busi- 
 ness. 
 
 Within a few months after Mayor Blankenburg took office 
 he received resolutions of confidence and offers to be of assis- 
 tance from a large number of educational, technical, and scien- 
 tific institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, 
 
I02 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Fra nklin Institute, American Philosophical Society, American 
 Institute of Architects, American Society of Mechanical 
 Engineers, the Philadelphia Engineers Club, and the local 
 verein of the graduates of German technical schools. It would 
 be impracticable to list the numerous occasions on which 
 we drew on these institutions for help. This was just as it 
 should be. A genuinely satisfactory municipal administra- 
 tion must be considered as an agency through which all the 
 talent and experience and special training to be found any- 
 where within the borders of the city can find expression. 
 Every citizen organization — especially those with technical 
 standing — should have its part in the guidance and up-building 
 of the city. 
 
 A "mutually helpful" attitude was assumed in our relations 
 with the newspapers. We aimed to promote this feeling by 
 means of letters, personal interviews, oral and written state- 
 ments. Again, we made every effort to give them every 
 bit of information for which they asked. It was never 
 too much trouble to get out for them any tabulation or 
 schedule which might at the moment command their interest. 
 The cooperation of the newspaper press was seciu-ed to a 
 really remarkable degree. It is also a pleasure to- be able to 
 state that we have no record of a request for journalistic aid 
 being denied us, nor was there a single instance of an important 
 misquotation of the ofl&cials of our department. 
 
 Business men's associations often hold the balance of power 
 in swinging some new improvement for the city. Special 
 efforts should be made by city officials to get and keep not 
 only the good will but the lively interest of these associations. 
 Their requests for public improvements such as street repairs, 
 arc-lights, etc., should be given every possible attention. 
 We adopted the uniform poKcy of either doing in these matters 
 exactly as the association requested, or giving the reason why 
 this could not be done. Hundreds of addresses were made 
 
(:OOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 103 
 
 by^'our- employees for business men's associations, civic or- 
 ganizations, in churches and elsewhere. A speakers' bureau, 
 whose special duty is the answering of all requests of this kind, 
 should be a most important branch of any city administration. 
 To get city employees who have never done any public speak- 
 ing into the habit of addressing public gatherings is a part of 
 the work of such a bureau. 
 
 The comprehensive plans for restoring and reconstructing 
 the grounds and buildings connected with Independence Hall, 
 which were carried out by om- Department, were drawn up 
 without compensation, by the Philadelphia Chapter of the 
 American Institute of Architects. Among the professions 
 none is doing so much well-directed and public-spirited work 
 for the upbuilding of our cities as the architects. When Johns- 
 town, Pennsylvania, decided to build a new municipal building, 
 she enlisted the services of her local Chamber of Commerce. 
 The Johnstown Chamber of Commerce addressed the sister 
 organizations in aU parts of the coimtry asking for detailed 
 information as to the local municipal building;its conveniences, 
 its relative location with respect to various civic centres, its 
 cost, a photograph, and many other things that would place 
 at the- disposal of the local committee the experience of the 
 whole country in that particular line. 
 
 The Philadelphia Bureau of Municipal Research, an organi- 
 zation supported by public subscription to study municipal 
 problems, has pointed out many money-savers to Philadel- 
 phia's city ofl&cials. One study carried on by this Bureau 
 of Municipal Research covered the matter of the cleaning of 
 rooms in City HaU. Through this study it was discovered 
 that we were spending approximately $114,000 a year, or 
 over $2,000 a week, simply for keeping the City Hall clean. 
 Those who are famiUar with the building wiU hardly hold 
 that the result, even at this high price, was very satisfactory. 
 It was discovered that there was the greatest variation in the 
 
104 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 cost of cleaning different parts of the Hall, running all the 
 way from five cents a square foot to seventy-five cents a square 
 foot. The reduction in the cost of cleaning that part of the 
 Hall under the City administration was well worth the effort 
 ' — ^amounting to over $ioo a day. 
 
 INTER-CITY COOPERATION 
 
 We have all been told until we weary of hearing it that the 
 problems of each city are peculiar to itself. This is an absolute 
 misstatement of facts. The points in which the cities differ 
 are negligible as compared with those wherein they are exactly 
 the same. The grading of streets, the operation of street 
 cars, the manufacture and distribution of illuminating gas, 
 and a thousand other municipal activities which 1 might men- 
 tion, are, on any proper analysis, shown to be almost identical 
 in Lawrence, Kansas, and in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I 
 know there are people who argue otherwise, but they do it 
 only to conceal the real situation. In the olden times every- 
 thing was shrouded in mystery and many of the old-fashioned 
 ones still wish to keep everything mysterious — usually for some 
 ulterior purpose. 
 
 It is not necessary for each town to study and solve its 
 problems by itself, and to fight its fights by itself. If we will 
 work together, we shall solve together. In certain matters — 
 utihties for instance — ^it is necessary for our cities to stand 
 together against those private interests whose only thought 
 in connection with a city government is too frequently some- 
 thing from which to squeeze personal profits. This solidarity 
 of the cities in attacking their common problems has every- 
 thing to recommend it and as far as I can see there are no 
 dangers to be guarded against in bringing about the maximum 
 of cooperative effort not only as between cities in the same 
 state but throughout the nation. 
 
"KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR" EXCURSION 
 Citizens of Fresno, Cal, on an all-day trip to a neighbouring city 
 
 PHILADELPHIA VISITS WISCONSIN 
 125 leading men and women of the Keystone State go to school at Madison for an 
 intensive three-day course 
 
ASPHALT 
 TESTING 
 
 A speaking con- 
 trast -T/pical 
 tKe sreat Ckame5 
 aad Improvements 
 broxgkt aboAit in 
 HgL^ B'ured\i. 
 
 The old V4y - A laborer wimout arvy tecUical education /fequeatl/ keld balance q/'power 
 in determining y^&ss o/'aspkall; used on main tkorouslv/'ares . Misjudge- 
 ment as to kardness immaterial etc. was determined by diewing. 5ome- 
 times tke consistency waj determined h/ sticking several pieces to 
 il\e wall as skown above and tken measurmg tke elongation - 
 
 Ttie New Wa/ ■ Under Ijiis Administration a s/stem e/" inspection kas been, installed 
 wkereby all materials suck as aspkalt. sand and stone are tested 
 before mixing and by scienti/Ic metkods and instruments, in order 
 to determine wkclticr tliey cory&rna to Higkway bureau specj/i - 
 cations 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 105 
 
 Mr. Capes, Secretary of the Convention of Mayors and other 
 City Officials of New York State, an organization including 
 fifty-four cities in that state, told me that ia 1914, for the first 
 time, provision was made for the creation of an information 
 bureau. If any city wishes to secure information it can 
 secure all that is available through this bureau. One such 
 enquiry was about ash removal, and another about the price 
 to be paid for street arc lamps. The Secretary was authorized 
 to find out what each of the cities in New York State was 
 doing and then to codify this information and send it to the 
 member cities; thus each of the cities had an easy means of 
 comparing its own practice in any particular matter with that 
 of aU the other cities. Since this plan has proved so success- 
 ful, the Convention is about to adopt a plan by which the 
 Bureau will advise the members as to competent experts in 
 various lines of mimicipal work. This advice will doubtless 
 cover competency and availability, as well as fee to be paid 
 and the type of contract to be entered into. 
 
 An excellent example of inter-city cooperation was afforded 
 by a conference on the subject of snow removal held in Phila- 
 delphia in 1913, attended, as it was, by officials of about 
 twenty of the largest eastern cities. Ten or twelve papers 
 were presented. This subject for the first time was treated 
 as an engineering problem and one demanding not only in- 
 telligent but systematic treatment. A committee on resolu- 
 tions was appointed and its report, published as part of the 
 Transactions of the American Society of Mechanical Engi- 
 neers, may be said to initiate the treatment of this problem 
 as a distinct and important branch of municipal engineering. 
 
 The Merchants' Trade Journal, published at Des Moines, 
 Iowa, explained a novel yet sunple and effective way for ex- 
 changing the best thoughts on municipal matters: 
 
 The Mimicipal League of Seattle, Washington, recently made the 
 proposition to the Detroit Chamber of Commerce that they co- 
 
io6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 operate with one another in the matter of gathering general in- 
 formation. "Whenever you know of a man who is coming to 
 Seattle," they say, "who has a message worth hearing, let us know 
 in time so that we may arrange a spejiking engagement for him. 
 We will be glad to reciprocate the favour when we know of such a 
 person pknning to visit your city." 
 
 The idea is a most laudable one, and there is no reason why 
 the same general idea might not be carried out among cities a 
 great deal smaller than Detroit and Seattle. There are scores 
 upon scores of splendid cities of five, ten, fifteen, and twenty 
 thousand that have good Uve business men's associations, and 
 they undoubtedly could cooperate with one another in the way 
 that the Seattle League proposes to Detroit that they should 
 cooperate. 
 
 The business men in any town or city make a mistake when they 
 do not make it a point to gather aU the information and inspiration 
 possible from people passing their way. 
 
 In several Continental countries, the moving of the trained 
 municipal employee from city to city in the course of his pro- 
 fessional progress, accomplishes much the same thing, but per- 
 haps on a sounder basis. In this case the new idea brought 
 from the distant city is not only explained but it is put in force 
 and nurtured by its proposer. 
 
 ■ The rise of the commission-manager plan of city administra- 
 tion will hasten this cooperative movement between the cities 
 of the United States. It seems quite clear that those in respon- 
 sible charge of municipal administration must more and more 
 watch the work being done in towns and cities other than their 
 own in order to secure the people with whom to build up and 
 maintain an efficient administrative staff. That town or dty 
 which entirely depends upon its own resources will find out 
 sooner or later that too much inbreeding in this field is as bad 
 as it is in any other. The development of the profession of 
 city manager means that the men with successful experience 
 will have to move on to other cities to obtain the rewards of 
 efficient service in increased opportunity. We will gradually 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 107 
 
 develop a shifting group of municipal managers and other ex- 
 perts who win keep the best thought on their respective subject 
 continually advancing. There are many city leagues in all 
 parts of the coimtry whose chief purpose is to exchange ideas 
 at their several conventions, supplemented by correspondence 
 between such meetings. Among such leagues are the League 
 of Kansas Municipalities, League of Texas Cities, and the 
 League of Third Class Cities of Peimsylvania. 
 
 In. considering the problem of running a city it always seems 
 best to picture it as a problem in home building. Cleanliness 
 is the prime consideration. A wise and economical administra- 
 tion is also demanded. But we want also something that is 
 good to look at and comfortable, with a little music in it, lots 
 of recreation and other things that I might mention that go to 
 make up the home. So also is neighbomrliness one of the 
 essentials of the happy home. The same reasoning applies 
 in the case of cities. No more shining example of this spirit 
 of neighbourliness has come to our attention than that of the 
 200 citizens of Fresno, California, who spent two days visiting 
 their neighbours and learning how they grew their citrus fruits 
 and what the results were. These people were not himting 
 ideas of government but they could not help gathering ideas 
 for the betterment of their own city. 
 
 The journey taken by the 150 city officials and prominent 
 citizens of Philadelphia at their own expense to the Univer- 
 sity of Wisconsin to observe Wisconsin's best in the way of 
 government, introduced a cordiality in the official relations 
 between Madison and Philadelphia that was well worth the 
 cost in effort and money. The general good feeling and help- 
 fulness of this excursion was demonstrated by the return visit 
 of a delegation of Madison's citizens to Philadelphia. 
 
 In an open letter the City Club, under whose auspices this 
 journey was undertaken, addressed the manufacturers and 
 merchants of Philadelphia explaining the purposes of the trip, 
 
io8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the cost, and all other details, in brief and interesting form. 
 The practical side of linking the universities with the practical 
 in government and business was touched upon in this letter, 
 which was signed by fourteen of the city's representative 
 manufacturers. These community treks, where one city or 
 governmental community visits another to learn what it can 
 be taught, will become an increasingly important factor in 
 building up community life. A delegation from the legislature 
 of one of the southern states took this same trip to Wisconsin 
 and as a result the state appropriation for education was 
 doubled the following year. 
 
 NATIONAL COOEDINATION 
 
 The logical development of the functional management idea 
 in city work is toward state and national organizations hav- 
 ing mimicipal activities as the object of their study. Co- 
 operation between cities grows until the cooperation is under- 
 taken by a central agency for the whole country, which ties 
 together and coordinates the activities of all the cities in the 
 country. As the unemplosrment problem began to attract 
 the attention of the country, local commxmities, recognizing 
 it as a permanent evil, formed societies to study the causes 
 and combat them.!| It soon became apparent, especially in 
 fighting the surface evils, that the local society could not get 
 very far acting independently, t A wider distribution of labor 
 suggested the treatment of the problem on a state basis. 
 And finally the various state movements were centralized in 
 Washington, D. C, in a national bureau. It has been essen- 
 tially the same in a great many other fields. The farmer is 
 aided in various ways by our municipal and especially by our 
 state governments, but direction and leadership are given to 
 the work by the national Department of Agriculture. The 
 following announcement of the National Municipal League 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 109 
 
 suggests an interesting bit of cooperation on the part of the 
 national government: — 
 
 A most helpful and practical plan of cooperation between the 
 United States Bureau of Education and the National Municipal 
 League and other organizations has been arranged in order to 
 assist in the promotion of a more effective training for citizenship 
 through the schools and other educational agencies. 
 
 To promote the object of this cooperation, the Secretary of 
 the League's Committee on Civic Education has been appointed a 
 special collaborator in the Bureau of Education, and with his 
 derical assistants will have an office in the Bureau and will act as 
 the Bureau's specialist in this subject. 
 
 We have given space to this matter of cooperation because 
 we believe that up to the present time in American municipal 
 administration there has been practically none of it, and that 
 in cooperation is to be found the solution of many of our mu- 
 nicipal troubles. This includes cooperation between the city 
 and the public, between branches of the city administration, 
 between the City, State, and National governments, and be- 
 tween the different cities. The time has gone by when any 
 individual can qualify as an expert who does not cooperate 
 with his professional associates and learn from them. The day 
 has gone by when even New York City can solve its problems 
 without cooperating not only with its sister cities but with 
 every institution, educational or otherwise, that may be willing 
 or can be induced to cooperate with it. Now cooperation is 
 not an easy thing. It is something that, like everything else 
 of value, has to be struggled for and learned. 
 
 STANDARDIZATION 
 
 As this cooperation among the cities, and among the vari- 
 ous interested civic organizations within the city, increases, 
 and as the larger incentives to municipal employment en- 
 large the varied equipment of those engaged in city work, 
 
no OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 we shall come steadily nearer that goal where standardization 
 will eliminate guess-work and crookedness from mmiicipal 
 government. Standardization, it must be remembered, means 
 making the best better through the cooperation of msniad 
 minds, rather than the imposition of hard-and-fast rules from 
 the top. 
 
 The coffers of those who have debauched our cities have 
 been filled for the most part from four sources: 
 
 ist. Direct bribes. The fear of the law and the public conscience 
 are gradually cutting out this crude form of graft. 
 
 2d. Appointment to office. Civil service, with the increasing 
 public support which it is enjoying, can be counted on to remove 
 this abuse. 
 
 3d. The political assessment of office-holders. While this prac- 
 tice is fairly general to-day, legislation (generally originating in the 
 West and spreading to other parts of the coimtry) will make this 
 both Ulegal and impopular. ^ 
 
 4th. Illicit profits growing out of contract work. This most 
 important form of political graft wiU only be removed (i) by in- 
 creasing the definition of our specifications, and (2) by the rigorous 
 enforcement of these specifications. These two taken together 
 spell the elimination of the feature of reliance on personal judgment. 
 
 STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS ' IN CONTRACT WORK 
 
 I have noticed that even some of our best engineers like 
 to get their own "personaUty" into the specifications under 
 which they have their work done. What we need to look for- 
 ward to is a form of specification and contract imder which 
 these documents can be built out of individual clauses, just 
 as a, house is bvult out of individual bricks. It is common 
 knowledge that the average engineer is inclined to draw up 
 specifications for any particular kind of work, in such a way 
 as to safeguard himself against any lack of knowledge of the 
 subject. The attitude of our cities in the matter of employing 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY iii 
 
 experts really forces city employees to assume a breadth of 
 knowledge which they do not possess. Indefinite specifications 
 result. The engineering field is too broad and includes too 
 many difi&cult divisions for any one man to pose as a final au- 
 thority in very many of them. 
 
 Standard specifications, from the necessity of the case, 
 are more detailed than the specifications drawn up to cover 
 an individual job. Those specifications which must serve 
 as standards in a large number of cases are generally arrived 
 at only after a considerable exchange of ideas and consulta- 
 tion and are, consequently, to the extent of this consultation, 
 capable of a narrower range of interpretation than the speci- 
 fications drawn up by an individual, no matter how expert 
 he may be. 
 
 The standardization of specifications, due to the increased 
 exactness, may lead in many cases to a higher first cost than 
 would result from specifications more loosely drawn. This 
 fact is frequently cited as an argument against being exact. 
 But the argument is an entirely fallacious one. Standard- 
 ization may not only increase first cost in certain classes of 
 work, but it also allows less opportimity for the individual dis- 
 cretion by the man on the job. With specifications for city 
 work drawn up with scientific accuracy, the old line city 
 contractor begins to feel the pinch of progress. Witness 
 the following from the 1913 Report of the Bureau^of Highways, 
 Borough of Manhattan, New York City: 
 
 Such increase in unit prices as were experienced during the year 
 is attributable to the improved specifications and more careful 
 inspection, which has resulted in improving the quality of the work 
 done. Several new contractors were successful bidders for work, 
 there having been three new a^halt companies which took con- 
 tracts in addition to the four previously bidding, as well as several 
 new bidders on granite block, and another contractor engaged in 
 wood-block paving in addition to the company which had been 
 alone in the field the previous year. The organization and work 
 
112 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 done by most of the new firms measure up well in comparison with 
 that of the others. 
 
 A table taken from the same report shows very clearly how, 
 under standard specifications, the cost of construction in- 
 creased in Manhattan from year to year, but it also showed 
 how the cost of upkeep had an even greater relative decline: 
 
 YEAR 
 
 1906 , 
 1907, 
 1908 , 
 1909, 
 
 1910 , 
 
 1911 , 
 
 1912 , 
 
 I9I3' 
 
 COST PER SQ. YD. 
 10 MAINTAIN 
 
 $0.34 
 .20 
 
 .II 
 .II 
 
 .14.1 
 
 .13-8 
 
 In this case the difference in cost per square yard in the 
 two years 1906 and 1913 is almost 100%, but the saving in 
 upkeep in this same period the figures show to be over 146%, 
 so besides an actual saving in spite of increases in first cost, 
 there was superior service. The actual saving per square 
 yard, amounting to 20.2 cents, pays the interest on the in- 
 creased unit cost of 74 cents (at 5%) and leaves 165 cents 
 per square yard each year to apply on accoimt of principal. 
 Thus the increased cost, due to a large extent, as the report 
 contends, to improved specifications, is taken care of — ^prin- 
 cipal and interest — ^in approximately four years. At the 
 same time the public gets the benefit o,f better streets. There 
 were, of course, other cost factors, as the price of wages and 
 materials, which help make up the difference in cost to the 
 city between the years 1906 and 1913. Improved methods 
 of maintenance, as well as a street surface that required less 
 attention, has some part in the explanation of these differences. 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 113 
 
 Nevertheless the difference in cost factors was so great, 
 between the two dates under consideration, as to destroy 
 a prima-facie case in favour of adopting specifications that 
 specify. 
 
 STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS 
 
 In the bu3dng of materials standard specifications invari- 
 ably mean great saving. If, for example, a number of public 
 works departments in this country could agree upon the 
 same definite standards in respect to their more common pur- 
 chases, and then accept or reject all dehveries on the basis of 
 these standards, the prices of those commodities would soon 
 seek a lower level. Under the present method it often occurs 
 that deliveries rejected by one department are accepted by 
 another, to the confusion of the trade. The result is that 
 the people pay as part of the purchase price an insurance fee 
 to protect the seller against a certain degree of uncertainty 
 as to the final acceptance of his goods. 
 
 Through the standardization of screw threads, structural 
 steel shapes, and steel rails, the selling price has been materially 
 lowered owing to the lowering of the cost of manufacture. 
 The value resulting from the cooperation of different agencies 
 is emphasized by the fact that in the cases just noted, standard- 
 ization was brought about by the United States Government, 
 a rolling mill association, and an engineering society. 
 
 Mr. Kendall, of the Plimpton Press, notes an example where 
 twelve kinds of wrapping paper were in regular use in one 
 concern, requiring an investment of $2,500. By standardiza- 
 tion the twelve kinds of paper were reduced to four. The 
 stock requirements were kept up with a $1,000 investment and 
 only 60 per cent, of the former storage space was needed. 
 
 An example of the way in which specifications vary in differ- 
 ent localities is found in the clause regarding curbing in three 
 cities within easy reach of each other: 
 
114 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 The curb shall not be less than (s) five inches thick and (12) 
 twelve inches in depth; the length may vary from (3) three to (6) 
 six feet. 
 
 The curb shall be not less than (16) sixteen inches in depth, and 
 not less than (6) six inches thick and (4) four feet long. 
 
 The curb shall be cut in lengths of not less than (5) six feet, with 
 a width of (7) seven inches on top and a depth of (2o)_twenty 
 inches. 
 
 The highway engineer who called attention to these and 
 other discrepancies brought out the fact that a variation of 
 two inches in the depth of a granite curb means a difference 
 in cost of approximately $1,250 a mile. The structure of the 
 soil is practically the same in the cities adopting these curb 
 specifications. If twelve inches is deep enough for the curb 
 then twenty inches is gross extravagance. Even with an 
 error of two inches on the long side, the waste in the case 
 of the Borough of Manhattan, for instance, would amount to 
 $568,750; and in the case of Philadelphia, having in Jaiiuary, 
 1915, 1,090 miles of curb, the error would have cost $1,362,500. 
 It would certainly pay for these cities to get together and put 
 up a fair-sized sum of money to determine what size of curb 
 should be used under each of the several conditions likely to 
 be encountered. At present we are guessing, and our guesses 
 are costing the people a lot of money. 
 
 William H. Coimell, Chief of the Bureau of Highways of 
 Philadelphia, under Mayor Blankenburg's administration, in 
 speaking of highway work and standardization said: 
 
 There is very little doubt that the establishment of fixed standards 
 would stimulate and encourage practical experiments based on 
 scientific principles with a view to improving upon questionable 
 standards. This would be a marked improvement over the ar- 
 bitrary rulings and diversity of opinion of individuals, exemplified 
 in some of the present-day specifications. 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 115 
 
 THE SNOW ALARM 
 
 The experience with the snowfall of December, 191 2, in 
 Philadelphia led to the conviction, on the part of those having 
 charge of the work, that some entirely new methods were 
 needed in the matter of snow removal. In Philadelphia, as 
 elsewhere, clearing the streets of snow had been considered an 
 emergency duty to be performed more or less leisurely after 
 the snow had stopped falling. "Fighting the storm" is a late 
 development. Removal of snow in certain sections of Phila- 
 delphia at least, is now being treated as "a routine fxmction 
 which becomes operative as soon as the snowfall has started, 
 and continues aggressively throughout its progress." 
 
 It was formerly the custom to contract with one concern 
 for snow removal and only for the central section of the city. 
 This contractor never had enough teams to take care of even 
 a moderate snowfall. In a pinch the city was at his mercy, 
 and he, in turn, was at the mercy of a group of team owners. 
 When the teams did finally get on the job the method of loading 
 was a matter of individual choice. On the contrary, the new 
 specifications provide that the snow be first ploughed to the 
 side of the roadways and then shovelled into piles, from which 
 it is to be loaded into wagons and hauled to the specified dis- 
 posal places. Under these revised specifications the central 
 portion of the city was divided into nineteen snow districts, 
 of which no contractor was awarded more than two. The 
 methods of caring for the work are systematically detailed. 
 Provision is made for the assistance of three different groups of 
 workers as follows : 
 
 I. The regular street-cleaning forces, comprising 1,280 men 
 and 200 teams. The street-cleaning contracts specify 
 that when the streets are so covered with ice and snow 
 as to prevent regular street-cleaning work, the entire 
 
ii6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 force of the contractors shall be employed in fighting 
 the storm, and other snow removal work as directed. 
 
 2. The mimidpal road repair forces, numbering i,iio men 
 
 and no teams. Their work being mainly confined to 
 business thoroughfares in outlying districts where the 
 inspection of contract work would be difl&cult. 
 
 3. The regular contractors' groups. This force includes 
 
 2,oGo men and 800 teams, besides 38 horse-drawn road 
 scrapers and 3 automobile ploughs. 
 
 Besides this total force of 4,390 men and 1,110 teams, the 
 work is partly cared for by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit 
 Company's employees. This company is obligated to keep the 
 streets cleared between its tracks. Fiurthermore, arrange- 
 ments were made with the Company to equip five of its large 
 troUey ploughs with wing scrapers which plough the snow in 
 a winnow seven or eight feet from the edge of the rail. 
 
 To assist in this work the Bureau of Police agree to co- 
 operate on the following order: 
 
 Notify all property owners to clear their sidewalks of snow from 
 the house line to a point about three feet from the curb line, and 
 pile the snow on the sidewalk near the curb. The snow will then 
 be removed by the city contractor. 
 
 ' In order that the actual operation may be carried on with 
 as little friction as possible, each squad leader, besides being 
 given the name and address of the contractor for his district 
 and information as to the exact location of his equipment, is 
 also provided with: 
 
 1. A set of specifications which definitely indicate the nature of 
 the work to be done and the methods to be employed in its 
 performance. 
 
 2. A map which indicates the streets included in each of the nine- 
 
 teen snow-removal districts and the nature and exact locations 
 of the snow dumps in each. \ _ 
 
 3. An organization schedule indicating the name, address, home 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 117 
 
 telephone number, and assignment of each person detailed to 
 snow-removal supervision. 
 
 4. Tickets of distinctive colour for loading and dumping respec- 
 tively. 
 
 J. Ticket-issue records. 
 
 6. Squad leader's daily reports. 
 
 7. Squad leader's daily report summary. 
 
 STANDAEDIZATION EST PRINTING 
 
 An investigation into the "Efficiency and Cost of State 
 Printing" in Wisconsin announces at the start an " opportunity 
 to save $100,000." Wisconsin paid $258,000 for the printed 
 matter issued by the state during the year ending June 30, 
 1914. The State Board of Public Affairs estimated that this 
 cost could be reduced by $100,000. Some of the evidences 
 of waste, as given in the report, were: 
 
 1. Too many volumes. 
 
 2. Too many pages to a volume. The annual and biennial 
 reports average 14,642 pages each. The Capitol basement 
 contained at the time 786,390 books and pamphlets, 100,000 
 bound books being fit for nothing but Junk. 
 
 3. Very brief reports needlessly bound. 
 
 4. Too much literature of doubtful value published. 
 
 From January i, 1914, to October 27, 1914, the state sold 
 26,330 lbs. of printed book paper to one junk dealer for 
 $131.72. This record, however, is an improvement over an 
 older plan, practised prior to 1901, when all out-of-date state 
 reports supplied almost the only fuel for the boilers that 
 heated the water for the old Capitol. 
 
 Concerning the practice of duplications of type-setting the 
 investigating board reports: 
 
 Some laws are set up five times. The first setting is when the 
 bin is emolled for the Governor's signature, the second when pub- 
 lished in the official state paper, the third when it is published in the 
 
ii8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 bound volume known as the session laws, the fourth when it is 
 incorporated in the biennial compilation of the statutes. Such 
 laws as are issued in separate pamphlet form for distribution to 
 persons particularly afiEected by them are set up a fifth time. The 
 state pays for composition in connection with each of these pubhca- 
 tions. 
 
 Mayor Blankenburg of Philadelphia authorized the mak- 
 ing of a study of public printing in Philadelphia. The re- 
 sult was a long step in the standardization of such work. 
 "Standard Specifications for Book Printing," published in 
 1914, described the method resulting from this study and used 
 in contracting for the printing of all public documents. Prior 
 to using these specifications the Mayor's Annual Message, 
 published in three large volumes, had cost on the average for 
 the preceding five years $12,250 a year. In fact, in the 
 year immediately preceding the adoption of these specifications 
 it had cost over $17,000. For the three years during which 
 we used these specifications we paid about $5,000 a year. 
 These specifications are available for use in bu)dng book print- 
 ing anywhere. Under these specifications the regular work 
 that can be anticipated is clearly described so that the printer 
 may know exactly what is expected of him. Extras are taken 
 care of as a special matter. So detailed are the items of pur- 
 chase that an estimate on a large piece of work can be made 
 in a few minutes and without seeing the "copy." 
 
 STANDARDIZATION OF SALARIES 
 
 The standardization of salaries and titles in the public 
 service is a gigantic task which many have taken up but 
 only one agency has carried through with anything like 
 success. The Board of Estimate and Apportioimient of 
 New York City has probably gone further than any other 
 individual committee or person. They have really accom- 
 
COOPERATION THE ONE BEST WAY 119 
 
 plished the almost superhuman task of lowering salaries in a 
 niunber of cases in their efforts toward equalization. 
 The Pittsburgh Civil Service List contains the following: 
 
 Stenographer, City Clerk $1,800 
 
 Physician, Department Charities 1,000 
 
 Aide, Director Public Safety 5,000 
 
 Ornithologist, Bureau of Parks ("Honorary"). ... 60 
 
 City Architect S,ooo 
 
 There is plenty of opportunity here not only for definition and 
 standardization but for equalization. In the Juvenile Division 
 of the Mimicipal Court in Philadelphia a probation ofl&cer — 
 one who advises delinquents, and must really exercise a su- 
 perior order of intelligence and tact — gets $900 a year for his 
 services. The doorkeeper in the same division, officially 
 knows as the tipstaff, gets $2,000. 
 
 This subject is too large to allow of more than a mention in a 
 book of this kind. It is merely the intention to show, by a 
 few examples, which are dupUcated hundreds of times in 
 every city in our country, that there is really an untouched 
 field here for standardization. 
 
 FUTXTRE STANDARDS 
 
 Standardization must be a fluid principle. It must change 
 and grow with the advances of industry and science and of 
 public opinion. Standardization, as the result of widespread 
 expert consultation, is good business from every point of view. 
 
 The fight for standardization is in one respect only the his- 
 tory of civilization. We progress from one thing to another 
 only as we so standardize our practice as to make the thing we 
 have been doing so easy that we have time to do the next thing. 
 It is largely a question of attitude. Some people take the 
 position that to standardize is to discourage initiative, and 
 therefore to degrade. It seems to me that we cannot have 
 
I30 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 too much standardization in anything, and that it is only as 
 we do standardize — ^give definition to everything — that in- 
 itiative really begins to have its fullest opportunity. The 
 human spirit can never be standardized, and no degree of 
 standardization ia the materials and forces through which 
 the human spirit works can handicap it. On the other hand, 
 achievement in the future wiU be retarded principally by a 
 lack of standardization and definition of "the best that is 
 known and thought in the world." We need standardization 
 principally in order to free the spirit for new adventures into 
 imcharted seas. 
 

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 GYPSY ASH WAGON 
 
 ROAD SCRAPER USED AS SNOW PLOUGH 
 
TROLLF,Y SNOW PLOUGH 
 
 DUMPING SNOW IN THE DELAWARE RIVER 
 
CHAPTER V 
 THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 
 
 ONE summer evening while making an inspection 
 trip in South Philadelphia I left the automobile for a 
 moment to examine something across the street. 
 When I returned the chauffeur told me that a passer-by — 
 noticing the city's coat-of-arms on the door of the automobile 
 — stopped to inquire whose automobile it was. "A city 
 ofl&cial's " he was informed. A look of utter amazement came 
 over the inquiring citizen's face and, in a tone of deepest in- 
 credulity, he replied: "My God! they don't work overtime, 
 do they?" 
 
 On more than one occasion I have been asked by men al- 
 ready in the public employ for a "city job." When this first 
 occurred it was really difficult to get at the meaning of the 
 request. But it has long since been fully borne in upon me 
 that in the minds of a large number of people a "city job" 
 is one paying the incumbent a moderate salary but not re- 
 quiring that he assume any responsibility and demanding 
 only a minimum of actual work. The most desirable "city 
 jobs" are those which do not even require one's presence at 
 any given place at any given time. There is no suggestion 
 in this that the holders of "city jobs" are bad men, rather 
 that they are men who are — let us say — temperamentaUyfitted 
 to hold a "city job " and no other. There is in this conception 
 of the "city job" — especially as it is entertained by our more 
 intelligent classes — a little of the thought that the commimity 
 owes to each of us a living and that if John Doe cannot get 
 
 121 
 
122 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 and hold a position with a private employer the city should 
 stand with welcoming arms ever ready to receive John on her 
 pajTToU for at least $2 .00 per day. 
 
 The character of municipal administration in this country 
 will improve only in proportion to the betterment brought 
 about in the quahty of the individual service rendered by the 
 average municipal employee. Nothing will have a more power- 
 ful effect in attracting high-grade men and women to the mu- 
 nicipal service than to surround their employment with every 
 possible safeguard; to assist them, in the broadest fashion, 
 through fair treatment and high wages; and to place educa- 
 tional and other advantages at their disposal. The benefits 
 offered in municipal work must, in the long run, total up as 
 high or higher than those offered in private undertakings. 
 Obviously, progress along these lines must be slow. 
 
 There is a certain t3T)e of employee, in city work as in aU 
 other walks of life, who must be protected to a certain extent 
 from the results of his own actions. We owe this to the group 
 even if we do not owe it to the individual. For instance, I 
 foimd it advisable to issue instructions to the employees of oiu: 
 Department concerning the use of alcoholic liquors, especially 
 during working hours. We estabUshed a rule that no one 
 connected with the pay corps in the Depart^lent of PubKc 
 Works of the City of Philadelphia was to use liquor, either 
 in or out of oflSice hours, except on a doctor's prescription. 
 It speaks well for the corps that the initiative for this regula- 
 tion came largely from the paymasters themselves. Another 
 bulletin dealt with the relationship between the department 
 and the employee in the case of certain classes of debts. 
 
 We will take no action in the case of those who have loaned 
 money to employees at more than the legal rate of interest, nor 
 ordinarily on behalf of those who have sold things on installments. 
 Where employees are in arrears for necessities of hfe, food, clothing, 
 rent, etc., we will use our good offices to have the debt settied. 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 123 
 
 The employee will be notified that the complaint has been made, 
 and will be asked to state whether the debt is a just one; if it is not, 
 he should submit a statement as to why he considers it unjust. 
 If the debt is a proper one, he will be asked to make at least a 
 regular monthly payment on it, and will be expected to advise 
 the Department if, for any reason, these payments are not main- ' 
 tained. If, after he has agreed to settle a just obhgation by a 
 series of payments, he fails to Uve up to this schedule without giving 
 exceptional reasons for his failure to do so, it will be considered a 
 sufficient reason for his discharge. In other words, the Department 
 expects its employees to be most scrupulous in meeting equitable 
 financial obhgations which they may have incurred. 
 
 A very frequent cause of missteps especially on the part of 
 the lower-salaried employees is the fact that no sufficient 
 distinction has been made between public and private prop- 
 erty. One of our changes involved the removal of materials, 
 owned privately, from public property. The same step was 
 taken with materials owned by the city and stored on private 
 property over which the city had no control. One man, in 
 the public service of Philadelphia, who was permitted to re- 
 sign xmder the advice of the District Attorney for reasons not 
 necessary to discuss here, removed, within a few months, 
 twenty wagon loads of materials from a store yard where he 
 was in responsible charge. In one of our bureaus it had been 
 a matter of almost daily occurrence to have public material 
 used for private purposes. At one time, for instance, it was 
 considered almost criminal to take city paint and yet quite 
 proper to use city hardware. Some few months later the 
 style seemed to change, and a free use of the city's paints was 
 considered proper. These abuses come about very gradually 
 and in some instances the actual perpetrators of the wrong- 
 doing are responsible only in a very relative degree. Shift- 
 ing public and private property so that each occupies its own 
 ground, and the introduction of a modern stores method, make 
 this kind of thing very difficult. These precautions afford 
 
124 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 a very simple and effective rfemedy for all kinds of petty graft. 
 A decent respect for ourselves demands that whenever possible 
 we take temptation out of the reach of others. 
 
 POLITICAL WORKERS 
 
 City employees who insist on carrying on political work of 
 one Idnd or another, either in or out of working hours, are 
 dearly out of harmony with good business administration. 
 Appointive employees can surely be asked to refrain from 
 all kinds of party activity or guidance. Otherwise there are 
 too apt to arise questions as to the loyalty respectively due 
 to the city and to the political party. 
 
 Attending political meetings, belonging to political clubs, 
 and voting at elections are clearly the prerogatives of every 
 American citizen. We have in Philadelphia what is known 
 as the Shem Law which aims to prevent the mimidpal em- 
 ployee from becoming "active" in politics; that is, to keep 
 him from serving on campaign committees, going as a delegate 
 to conventions, "pulling door-bells," or soliciting subscriptions 
 for campaign purposes. These and many other t)^es of ac- 
 tivity on the part of public employees are plainly opposed to 
 the interest of good government. 
 
 The Shem Law long remained a dead letter in Philadelphia. 
 Within a few weeks after taking charge of the Public Works 
 Department I received complaints against 350 members of 
 our department for violation of this law. Each man was given 
 a personal hearing, being warned in advance to tell the 
 truth on penalty of immediate discharge if discovered telling 
 a lie. One of these cases gave me considerable trouble be- 
 cause of the high position of the man affected. I tTn'riTc it 
 is fair to say that I was forced to go over his case with seventy- 
 five or one hundred people who called on me asking that he 
 be retained. Special consideration on account of the high 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 125 
 
 salary attached to his position seemed to be the principal 
 argument used by his friends. 
 
 Investigation developed the fact that the defendant was 
 virtual leader of his division, and could be depended on in any 
 emergency " to deliver " a majority of the votes. He admitted 
 that he had assisted men to mark their ballots on election day 
 and that he had been in attendance at the polls virtually all 
 day. It was recognized that, if we condoned the political 
 activity of an employee simply because he stood high in the 
 city service and received a high salary, it not only would be 
 unjust to the men with modest salaries who were disciplined, 
 but would have a tendency in the future to make those in the 
 city service fed that the Shem Law was not intended for those 
 "higher up." 
 
 The salaries of those discharged ran all the way from $2.00 
 a day to $4,000 a year. Of the 350 cases, 81 were discharged, 
 67 suspended for fifteen days, 34 suspended for thirty days, 
 and 54 reprimanded. There were 12 found not guilty. Ac- 
 tion on the cases of the balance was too varied to be noted. 
 Thereafter there was a decided slump in the number of cases 
 which it was necessary to discipline for political activity. 
 
 OUTSIDE WORK 
 
 The practice of permitting regular outside work on the part 
 of municipal employees has several bad effects. There were 
 nimierous instances of unskilled labourers, in the city's employ, 
 who served milk and paper routes before beginning their work 
 for the city. In the higher grades, as for instance among the 
 engineers, it was not unusual for a man to have a larger in- 
 come from outside sources than from the city. The preva- 
 lence of this custom has often been advanced by the City 
 Councils as legitimate excuse for low salaries. 
 
 In general, outside work by municipal employees leads to 
 
126 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 a clash between public and private interest. When the out- 
 side work is of an essentially physical character it is reasonable 
 to suppose that the employee cannot render full service to 
 the city. In no case should such work be allowed without 
 the permission of a high administrative officer. In every 
 respect it seems desirable to minimize outside work as much 
 as possible and to have permission for it given only where the 
 work is of such character as to afford the employee recreation, 
 as, for instance, the playing of church organs or some kinds 
 of teaching in night school. In the higher grades permission 
 should be given where it is felt that the work is of a character 
 that will enhance the employee's reputation or give him 
 such experience as is desirable from the city's standpoint for 
 him to secure. Examples of this kind are in the nature of con- 
 ferring with officials of other cities on important public im- 
 provements and the viseing of plans. Nothing of a strictly 
 routine or regular character, however, should be permitted. 
 Fortimately for all concerned, such matters as these we 
 have been discussing are only the incidentals. If any con- 
 siderable part of the administrator 'a attention is to be centred 
 on checking petty theft and fraud, the engineer will have to 
 give way to the detective as the city administrator. 
 
 INDIVIDUALISM V. MILITAEISM 
 
 One of the most discouraging struggles going on in our city 
 govermnents to-day is that of individualism against mimicipal 
 militarism. I mean the struggle of the man with initiative and 
 ambition against the idea that all authority should be central- 
 ized at the top. Nothing is more disheartening to the fellow 
 "coming along" in the service. The extreme centralizing 
 tendency constitutes a grave municipal sin, nation-wide in its 
 field of operation, 
 i An effort should be made to individualize credit for work 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 127 
 
 done in all grades of the service. We always encouraged 
 members of tiie engineering and inspecting corps to sign the 
 reports prepared by them thus making it possible to give 
 the individual credit for his work. Even in the lower grades 
 plans may be formulated by which work of all kinds will be 
 so carried on that the man who does good work will get not 
 only the credit for it but additional compensation. The 
 best firemen and stationary engineers whom I have known 
 were those in the heating and power plant of the Hotel St. 
 Regis in New York City — ^men trained under a system of in- 
 dividual rewards for individual work. 
 
 Responsibility for the work of a department, bureau, divi- 
 sion, or section should, in every case, be placed squarely with 
 the man in charge. Those who lead should be given fullest pos- 
 sible credit for what they accomplish and be held responsible 
 for lapses and failures in that part of the work which they 
 direct. At the same time the good administrator will always 
 be eager to seek ways by which attention can be called directly 
 to those doing good work. To give a mayor credit for every 
 good thing being done throughout the service, or to load a 
 departmental director with direct credit for every individual 
 improvement made in his department, would be unjust and 
 not likely to get the best out of the employees. This 
 fact becomes especially true under Civil Service regulations 
 which limit, to a considerable degree, the discretion of the 
 director or chief in the selection of his subordiaates. Render 
 unto Csesar the things that are Caesar's, and xmto the under- 
 study the things that are his. 
 
 When a bureau has made a particular study, reached its 
 decisions, assumed the responsibility therefor and accom- 
 plished the results, the bureau has done the work— not the 
 department. So also should the bureau chiefs act with re- 
 spect to their divisions. The good which will result from 
 the general adoption of this scheme is incalculable. It 
 
128 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 takes a number of years of consistent application of such a 
 policy to get the employees, generally, to realize that, after 
 all, responsibility is an individual matter and that it can 
 properly be assmned only by the individual employee who 
 is actually in touch with the work. 
 
 REASONABLE TREATMENT PAYS 
 
 Every effort should be used by city officials to make 
 the conditions of mimidpal emplojTnent compare favourably 
 with conditions to be found in the best-conducted private 
 undertakings. We shoxild so organize the city's treatment 
 of its employees that those on the outside will turn to 
 the City Hall for a model. The whole trend of modem 
 thought in these matters is that the Govermnent, whether 
 National, State, or Municipal, must take the lead. We should 
 make the strongest possible appeal to the civic pride and re- 
 sponsibility of the employee. In a wordy make them feel 
 that to serve the city — and to serve it well — ^affords the most 
 honourable life and livelihood possible. One of the obvious 
 ways to foster this spirit is to equip aU public buildings*with 
 National, State, and City flags. 
 
 Frequently it is possible to make si decided improvement 
 in the quarters occupied by the men, especially from the stand- 
 point of comfort and cleanliness. An example of this was 
 found in the living quarters at one of our high-pressure pvunp- 
 ing stations. Owing to the character of work it was necessary 
 for a number of the men both to sleep and eat in this building. 
 We found the conditions such as to call for unmediate action. 
 The place was thoroughly cleaned, the sleeping quarters 
 painted white, and in various other ways made attractive — 
 almost homelike. In this work the men took the greatest 
 interest, doing a good part of the work themselves. 
 
 There are certain municipal activities which are not very 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 129 
 
 pleasant at best. Collecting and disposing of garbage is an ex- 
 ample. There is, however, more than one way of doing a thing, 
 and it is not necessary to carry on garbage disposal in the most 
 degrading way possible merely because it is considered a low 
 type of job. A little thought and common sense, translated 
 into action, can raise the plane even of such work as this. 
 In removing garbage from the scows tied to the wharf at the 
 reduction plant in Philadelphia, it was the custom of the con- 
 tractor to have men work knee deep and sometimes almost up 
 to their waists, shovelling the garbage onto the belt conveyors. 
 Those unaccustomed to such things will find it difficult to 
 picture this scene in its utter demoralization. I have with 
 my own eyes seen these men lying in the putrefying garbage 
 fast asleep — so degraded had they become by the process. 
 It is altogether impossible for any industrial establishment 
 to reach a high level of efficiency when degrading work such 
 as this is permitted at any point. The contractor on this 
 work — one who hSd grown rich and prosperous through mak- 
 ing the city pay two prices for its garbage removal and dis- 
 posal — ^informed us that the men really "liked it." ^This work 
 is now done with a clam-shell scoop at a considerable saving. 
 ( Uniforming of certain classes of employees is of undoubted 
 value. In actual practice in a number of our large cities, 
 it has produced results entirely beyond what might have been 
 expected. No one believed that Colonel Waring, Street- 
 Cleaning Coimnissioner in New York City, could keep the 
 street cleaners dressed in white. The idea was decried as 
 ridiculous. The parade of "White-wings," given for the 
 public's benefit and the sweepers' pleasure, convinced the 
 most skeptical. Now "white-wings" are a common sight 
 in any well-regulated city. 
 
 Uniforming generally results, in private as well as in 
 public employment, in raising the grade of the employees, 
 especially those engaged on certain classes of work. One of 
 
I30 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 our street-cleaning contractors discovered that it was almost 
 impossible to keep his men dressed in the white uniforms re- 
 quired by the contract, when the men were paid but $1.30 a 
 day and not given steady employment at that. In order to 
 avoid being fined for such lapses, he found that he had to 
 pay a minimum of $1.50 a day and give steady work. 
 
 HOUES AND EITICIENCY 
 
 It is as imperative that reasonable hours for work should be 
 granted to all city employees, as to men employed in well-con- 
 ducted private industry. One of the first requisites of efficient 
 work, in any department, is of course that the worker be pres- 
 ent. A total working week of only 28 hours, such as formerly 
 existed in the departments in Philadelphia, is unreasonable. 
 One of the first things we did was to extend the working day 
 from 3 p. M, to S P. M. A 38 hour week is certainly not exces- 
 sively long. Anything short of this gives just grounds for un- 
 favourable criticism from the taxpayer. 
 
 The extension of the working week in our department had 
 some curious effects. A ntunber of persons who were engaged 
 in remunerative employment on the outside left the city's 
 service because the longer hours interfered with their outside 
 work. Many resigned simply because they did not care to be 
 engaged over such a large part of the ordinary working day. 
 In some instances these men found employment in other de- 
 partments of the city and coimty government where the old 
 hours were still in force. An enjoyable effect, however, was 
 the added respect it brought to the men who remained in the 
 city's service and who realized that the character of their 
 employment and of their associates were now more like those 
 found in private undertakings. 
 
 On the other hand, the abnormally long day occasionally 
 prevails. This is even worse. We made a rule that em- 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 
 
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 ployees could work not more than six days a week nor more 
 than 12 hours in any one day. The violation of this seem- 
 ingly obvious rule was so frequent at first that it was quite 
 a long time before we could get the new rule in operation. 
 In the Bureau of Water, a large number of men worked 14 
 hours at a stretch, although the days off given them made 
 the daily average equal only 8 hours. We found one man who 
 worked 13 hours a day, seven days a week, and unfortunately 
 he had been doing it for nearly twenty years when relieved. 
 
,132 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 He had never had a real vacation. There is nothing to com- 
 pare with this in decently managed private establishments. 
 
 EQUALIZATION OF PAY 
 
 Equalization of pay is one of the most difficult problems 
 that must be attacked if we are to pay employees of the city 
 on a basis comparable with that obtaining on the outside. 
 Inequalities of all kinds arising from many different causes 
 have crept in, so that the city employee is constantly con- 
 fronted with injustice and with a realization that, as at present 
 made up, the salary roUs do not everywhere represent the same 
 compensation for the same services. 
 
 PROMOTION 
 
 There must be something wrong if the city cannot afford 
 the same opportunities for advancement to be foimd in 
 the best-conducted establishments on the outside. This 
 matter was forcibly brought to our attention by an employee 
 who had rendered peculiarly efficient and faithful service, 
 and yet had held the same title, done the same work, 
 and received the same pay, for over twenty years. Even 
 this deplorable condition was aggravated by the fact that the 
 man had been physically injured in the performance of his 
 duties. And on at least one occasion this was given as a reason 
 why he should not be promoted. Bureau chiefs should be 
 urged to keep track of their men, and wherever they feel that 
 for one reason or another advancement within the city service 
 will not be possible within a reasonable time, they should 
 make an effort to secure employment on the outside where 
 advancement is possible. In one of om: reports we called 
 attention to our willingness to lose even good men from the 
 service of the department if it came about through their re- 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 133 
 
 ceiving better positions elsewhere. We also stated that it 
 would be a "real pleasure to give information about any of 
 our men to prospective employers — either public or private." 
 Under former regimes our Highway Bureau had practically 
 three salary grades: the Chief of the Bureau received $5,000, 
 the Commissioners $2,500, and the Inspectors $1,300. Ob- 
 viously promotion within the Bureau on a schedule such 
 as this was impossible. Under the new salary schedule the 
 Chief's salary is $6,000; there are two Assistant Engineers 
 at $4,000, one at $3,000, seven District Engineers at $2,500, 
 two at $2,100, three at $1,800, several at $1,500, thirty or 
 forty at $1,300, and the balance at $1,200 and $1,000. AU the 
 men in this latter class, however, are not employed through- 
 out the year. 
 
 PENSIONS 
 
 ' Every new official coming into mimicipal work discovers 
 the necessity for the equivalent of a pension system. It is 
 bound to come, and the rapidity with which public opinion 
 is brought aroxmd to its adoption will depend very largely 
 upon the degree of cooperation we secure from our present 
 employees in bringing the service to a high state of efficiency. 
 If we had only the number of employees which the needs of 
 the city require, and each of these was engaged as efficiently 
 as if working for a private employer, there would be practi- 
 cally nothing to prevent the adoption of a satisfactory pension 
 system. If we should cut off the unnecessary employees and 
 remove the imworthies, we would be following a line of action 
 that more than any other would lead to the proper care of 
 those who have served the city faithfully for a long term of 
 years and who are now unable, by reason of age or disability, 
 to continue their labours. In 1914 the Philadelphia Bureau 
 of Water had forty-eight employees, or about 4 per cent. 
 of the total, seventy years old or more. 
 
134 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 In order to visualize what happens in the absence of a pension 
 law a photograph was made of five fine old fellows in the Water 
 Bureau, (see page 152) named Matthew Dallas, A. Potter 
 Broadbent, Isaac P. Williams, William Cubbler, and Jesse Way 
 Newes. Each of these men put in eight hours the day this 
 was written. The youngest of these men is sixty-seven and 
 Mr. Williams is over ninety. The latter served in both the 
 Mexican and Civil wars, and for over forty years has been 
 working for the dty. While, of course, we are proud to have 
 a man with a record like this working for us, it caimot be 
 denied that the city is not performing its obligations to Mr. 
 Williams in insisting that he continue to report for active 
 duty every working day. 
 
 Mr. Cubbler has on his record and to his credit the saving 
 from drowning of two women and two boys. I am informed 
 that in every instance he showed marked bravery that would 
 in itself entitle him to special consideration on the part of the 
 coijomunity. There should be a citizens' association in every 
 city devoted to the adoption of an increasingly generous policy 
 toward the pensioning of employees. 
 
 It has been the custom, especially on highway work, to lay 
 off men during the winter months. During the winter of 
 1 9 14, owing to imusual industrial conditions, we decided to 
 retain the services of our men, even if weather conditions 
 permitted them to work only part time. Owing to the 
 open character of the winter there were more working days 
 than we anticipated and the change proved a great boon to the 
 men. During the winter of 1913, when there were nvunerous 
 lay-offs, we succeeded in placing many of our men in private 
 establishments. 
 
 If appropriations could be determined early in the year, so 
 that work of all kinds could be begun earlier, and spread out 
 over a longer period, it would be possible for our bureaus to get 
 along with a smallernumber of men at the peak. This would 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 13S 
 
 mean a smaller labouring force and make it possible to keep 
 our men more steadily employed throughout the year. Again, 
 if the cooperation of the money-voting power could be secured 
 so that appropriations made to one branch of the administra- 
 tion for a certain kind of work could be expended by another 
 division, other ways might be opened for increasing the con- 
 tinuity of employment. Interrupted employment is one of 
 the grave industrial weaknesses of our country and no class 
 of employers is more callous in this respect than are our large 
 mimicipahties. 
 
 FEIENDLINESS IN THE DEPARTMENT 
 
 In any family of 4,000 — such as constituted our body of 
 workers in the Philadelphia Public Works Department — there 
 is sure to be an indefinite amount of sickness, poverty, and 
 distress of one kind or another. Miss LilUan J. Gibbs acted 
 as my secretary for social work and gave her entire time to rep- 
 resenting me in doing what should be done by any self-re- 
 specting and community-respecting employer in every such 
 instance brought to our attention. Miss Gibbs was not a wel- 
 fare worker in the common acceptance of that term. She had 
 well-defined duties such as looking after the cleanliness and 
 sanitation of the sleeping and dining quarters operated by the 
 dty. But for the most part her time was unassigned and was 
 filled in responding to calls. Her services were never imposed 
 on any one. She rarely made reports and those she did make 
 were usually at the request of some one of my associates who 
 "wanted the Director to know." 
 
 A large part of Miss Gibbs's activities came to my attention 
 only indirectly. I know that she went to the hospitals every 
 day to visit the employees who were sick, sometimes taking 
 flowers or fniit, that she straightened out the financial drfi&- 
 culties of the poorer families, and that she influenced some 
 
136 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 men to stop excessive drinking. As to full details I am, and 
 always have been, entirely ignorant. > We must be particu- 
 larly careful on this point, for much of the activity of such a 
 person so engaged is accomplished under the handicap of 
 suspicion. 
 
 Perhaps the most important part of her duties was done 
 in the capacity of "home adviser" in which she assisted the 
 wives of department employees to practise the more advanced 
 methods of household economy. Through practising the 
 methods taught by Miss Gibbs some of the men, even those 
 on low salaries, have been able to acquire small homes of their 
 own. 
 
 1 One of the greatest hardships that men working for the city 
 have had to bear, particularly men paid by the day, is that of 
 having either to face financial loss when temporarily laid off 
 through sickness or some other reason, or else putting them- 
 selves under obligations to the ward leader. A birth or a 
 death in a family Uving on $2.qo aday is amighty serious thing. 
 So is an Ulness that lasts for more than a day or two, or an 
 injury. Miss Gibbs arranged to meet every request for a 
 temporary loan and through these loans the department never 
 lost a penny. I consider this wOrk as legitimate a part of the 
 department's activity as suppls^ng the city with pure water, 
 or abolishing grade crossings. The day is not far distant when 
 it will be a regular feature of all municipal departments of any 
 size, and instead of a single social worker there will doubtless 
 be a corps of such workers, including a physician, a dentist, 
 a nurse, a librarian, an educational adviser, and an athletic di- 
 rector. 
 
 PEIZE COMPETITIONS 
 
 In connection with the question of the individuality of em- 
 ployees — that is, individual responsibility and individual 
 credit — the question of prize competitions arises. One of 
 
ANNUAL DINNER D. P. W. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA 
 1,300 employees celebrate the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the founder of the 
 
 Department 
 
 ANNUiVL BANQUET 15TII WARD REPUBLICAN CLUB 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 137 
 
 the principal objects of the prize competition is to bring 
 home to each individual employee a feeling of interest in his 
 own work and of responsibility for it. As municipal work 
 becomes more standardized it is going to be increasingly profi- 
 table to ofifer a large nimiber of prizes, covering different phases 
 of the work, to be given to those who get the results. This 
 method can be adopted only when the prevalent military 
 basis of municipal administration is laid aside. 
 
 Our call for a prize contest for photographs, sketches, or 
 statements which would show improvements that had been 
 made by our department, was answered by over 200 separate 
 entries . One of these entries, by the Superintendent of Meters, 
 Arthur C. Merrill, of the Bureau of Water, described an im- 
 provement which is indicative of the new spirit in municipal 
 government: 
 
 The establishment of a commissary department in the Bureau of 
 Water to provide meals for the men engaged in emergency work 
 is a step in the right direction. It has been installed at a very 
 small cost and in addition to decreasing the hardship required of 
 these men at such times, it will return many fold its cost by giving 
 each man an increased efficiency. Work of this nature usually 
 comes in severe weather and invariably requires continuous atten- 
 tion both night and day imtil the job is completed. Unless the 
 break has occurred near a place where food can be bought during 
 the night, the men have been obliged to practise Christian Science 
 and beUeve that they were not hungry and did not need warm 
 drinks unless some thoughtful citizen in the neighbourhood took 
 pity on them and made a pot of coffee and some sandAviches. 
 Happily this condition is now ancient history and the Water Bureau, 
 while looking out for the welfare of its workmen, has decreased 
 the time which any section of the city might be deprived of its 
 normal water supply through breaks in its distribution system. 
 
 SOCIAL AITAIRS 
 
 There are nxunerous ways in which the healthful dignity 
 of the city employee may be increased. Proper dignity 
 
138 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 means esprit de corps, and esprit de corps means efficiency. 
 For instance, it was my custom while in office to fix one night 
 in every month when employees could meet me in my office 
 to discuss any matter of interest to them when there was 
 no pressure of business to interfere with my giving to each 
 matter all the necessary time. The employees always seemed 
 to be more at ease at these " out-of -hours " chats. TheMayor's 
 reception for employees of the city and their families on New 
 Year's day was another move intended to enhance the dignity 
 of the mxmicipal service and to contribute to its democratic 
 spirit. 
 
 Employees should also be encouraged to come together in 
 a social way in departmental affairs held outside of working 
 hours. And the same is true with respect to bureaus. Our 
 Department of Public Works held an annual banquet on Frank- 
 lin's Birthday. These banquets were great promoters of a 
 spirit of comradeship throughout the department. Our 1914 
 banquet was attended by 1,300 men and women. Mayor 
 Mitchel of New York, who has since paid with his life for 
 gallant service in war as well as in peace, and Mayor Blank- 
 enburg of Philadelphia were our guests of honour. The 
 Water Bureau Beneficial Association held some very inter- 
 esting vaudeville entertainments. 
 
 ATHLETICS 
 
 Inter-departmental athletics is another agency of value 
 in developing a spirit of good fellowship among city employees. 
 Our bureau baseball teams fought with a real live interest 
 for the Director's Cup. The women's tennis club boasted 
 the use of two courts and gave several successful 
 dances. 
 
 These athletic activities of course require money for their 
 conduct and the "benefit" entertainment is a logical method 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 139 
 
 of raising these funds. At such a function the employees 
 work together without compensation for the common good. 
 No work is ever done quite so spontaneously; and the devel- 
 opment of just this spirit is the summum bonum of any 
 organization that is out for results. An athletic field for the 
 use of city employees is the natural result. If this matter 
 of organized recreation is a good thing for department 
 stores and manufacturing establishments, why not for the 
 city? After watching through three years the development 
 of inter-bureau athletics the Philadelphia City Councils gave 
 to our department not only a good-sized athletic field but 
 $5,000 with which to equip it. 
 
 When a feeling of cooperation and good fellowship has been 
 developed in a large body of workers, the spirit so inculcated 
 will soon begin to find a broader and broader outlet. The 
 workers will want to help those to whom help means most. 
 The spirit is self-nourishing and contagious. You cannot 
 stop it. During the Christmas season of 1915 the members 
 of our department, through contributions of money and toys, 
 brightened the homes of about one hundred and fifty fellow 
 employees. The contributions were both liberal and widely 
 distributed through the several bureaus. This work, which 
 involved considerable labour, was done by a large number 
 of employees who voluntarily gave up their evenings just 
 prior to Christmas and New Year for the preparation of 
 baskets containing food and other gifts under the leader- 
 ship of Miss Gibbs. Of course everyone will agree that the 
 spirit that prompts and carries through such a program 
 leads directly to departmental efiiciency. 
 
 SOCIETIES 
 
 During the fall of 1913 the Society of Municipal Engineers 
 of the City of Philadelphia was organized and over three hun- 
 
140 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 dred employees occupying technical positions in the several 
 departments joined it. The Society met once a month for 
 the presentation of technical papers and for social intercourse. 
 As tibe membership was drawn from aU the departments, it 
 had the effect of bringing more intimately together the sev- 
 eral branches of the city's technical work. A special effort 
 was made to draw into its membership and activities the 
 younger men and those occupjdng the less conspicuous posi- 
 tions. 
 
 Our Bureau of Water organized a society known as the 
 Mutual Beneficial and Protective Association, the chief ob- 
 ject of which was perhaps to secure higher wages for its mem- 
 bers. Here is another form of organization that may accom- 
 plish great good. The indirect results of this one were 
 manifold. Social intercourse built up a bureau solidarity. 
 The pajmient of sick benefits soon developed. A division 
 was formed for loaning small sums to members. Finally, the 
 association was vmexpectedly and almost unconsciously made 
 one of the important factors in increasing the ef&dency 
 of the bureau. An interesting case in point, and the way in 
 which it was handled, is explained by the following correspond- 
 ence exchanged between the Chief of the Bureau of Water, 
 and the Secretary of this Mutual Beneficial and Protective 
 Association. The representative character of this case war- 
 rants full quotation. 
 
 Letter No. i 
 
 Mutual Beneficial and Protective Association, 
 Me. George S. Mehaffey, Secretary. 
 
 September 17, 1915. 
 Gentlemen: 
 
 I am somewhat undecided in regard to the action I should take m 
 a matter affecting one of your members. I would appreciate it if 
 you would refer this case to a committee with instructions for them 
 to consider it and give me the results of their conclusions. Natur- 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 141 
 
 ally I do not bind myself to abide by their advice but I should much 
 appreciate having it as a guide in reaching a fair and just conclusion. 
 
 Without using names, either of individuals or places, I will indi- 
 cate the occiurrence. Last Saturday afternoon I approached a 
 certain plant and noticed a man reading a newspaper outside of 
 the building. This man's duties required constant attention on 
 his part inside the building. As I entered the building a fellow- 
 employe of this particular individual left his duties and ran outside 
 the building with the evident purpose of telling the said individual 
 that I was coming. When I readied the place, the said individual 
 had left the outside of the building and was at his post. The man 
 who gave the warning was walking outside the building to enter 
 by another door. While the intent to warn was at first denied, 
 it was later admitted by both parties. 
 
 Now I ask your opinion as to the action I should take. It seems 
 to me that both parties are more willing to be privy to wrong-doing 
 than to help maintain the high standard for which I thought we 
 all aimed in the Bureau. 
 
 Personally I feel hiort by this occurrence. I want to feel that 
 I can trust the whole corps of the Water Bureau and I likewise 
 want to have the Water Bureau feel that they can trust me. In 
 other words, I want to play fak. 
 
 If your committee wovdd consider this case and advise me, I 
 should much appreciate it. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Carxeton E. Davis, 
 Chief of Biureau. 
 
 Letter No. 2 
 
 September 23, 1915. 
 Mr. Carleton E. Davis, 
 
 Chief of Bureau of Water. 
 Dear Sm: 
 
 Your letter dated Sept. 17th received and wishing to apologize 
 for not responding sooner, but offering as an excuse, your letter 
 being received by a former secretary and the time consumed in. 
 getting the Executive Committee in session. 
 
 We wish to thank you for taking into your confidence our organ- 
 ization. We feel highly elated over the sentiment displayed in 
 your letter and assure you that the precedent which you have 
 
142 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 established, that of conferrmg with our association on a question 
 of this kind, will be long and pleasantly remembered. 
 
 Your letter was duly considered and it was unanimously decided 
 that the association having made a stand to promote better working 
 conditions and to create a spirit of fellowship between the workmen 
 and the heads of departments and wherever possible to improve the 
 efficiency of our bureau. That we could not, at this time, tolerate 
 or coimtenance the actions of our two members. It is unfortunate 
 that our two members are in such a predicament as you describe, 
 but it was agreed that they should be pimished for their wrong 
 doings as you, in your good judgment, should decide, but being 
 prompted by a fraternal spirit in their defense, we ask that you 
 liken us to a jury who pronounces the defendant guilty but with 
 mercy from the court, which in this case is your honoured self; 
 provided that after investigating their standing and finding their 
 records clean, that they are reprimanded severely enough to learn 
 them a lesson and set an example for the rest at the plant, so there 
 will be no repetition and the efficiency at this particular plant will 
 reach that high elevation which has been your aim and object to 
 establish in the Water Bureau since you have been with us. 
 
 Again thanking you for your courtesy, we remain, 
 
 Very respectfully yours. 
 Executive Committee of the Mutual Benefictal 
 AND Protective Ass'n of The Bureau of Water. 
 
 R. M. J. LiVEZEY, 
 
 Sec'y. 
 
 Letter No. 3 
 
 September 24, 1915. 
 Mutual Beneficial and Protective Ass'n, 
 Bureau of Water, 
 Mr. R. M. J. LrvEZEY, Sec'y. 
 Gentlemen: 
 
 I have received your communication of the 23d and appreciate 
 the interest your Association has taken in the matter submitted 
 for your consideration. 
 
 In the cases presented to you I propose to leave action entirely 
 in your hands. I shall not furnish you with names as I do not ask 
 that you take action towards individuals. 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 143 
 
 I feel that if knowledge of the sentiment expressed in your letter 
 is spread throughout your membership, the ends we all desire to 
 reach will be accomplished. The method by which you spread 
 this information is entirely at your own discretion. 
 
 I wish, however, you would transmit to all of your membership 
 as coming from me the statement that I have no desire to set 
 myself up as a court nor as a dictator. All I ask is your coopera- 
 tion in a spirit of fairness to do what we all know to be right. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 Carleton E. Davis, 
 Chief of Bureau. 
 
 A Circtdar Letter No. 4 
 
 October 11, 1915. 
 To Members of the Mutual Beneficial and Protective Association. 
 Deak Brother: 
 
 At our last meeting, held Thursday evening, October 7, 1915, 
 your Secretary was instructed to send the following to the various 
 stations coimected with the Bureau of Water. 
 
 Chief Carleton E. Davis, while on a visit to a certain station, 
 noticed an employee reading a newspaper outside the building 
 when his duties required constant attention inside, and the attempt 
 of another employee to warn the individual, when the presence of 
 the Chief was discovered. The men being immediately repri- 
 manded and the case subsequently turned over to the Association 
 for consideration, as the offenders are two of our members. 
 
 Our Chief has placed this question fairly and squarely before 
 our Association and while the act committed warranted an action 
 on his part detrimental to our two members, yet he feels that in 
 the Association handling the case properly, better results can be 
 obtained, more efficient effort realized, and the Department bene- 
 fited. 
 
 It is the wish of your Association that it be clearly understood 
 that we will endeavour to assist our members if imposed on, or un- 
 justly treated, but will not uphold, protect, or defend any violations 
 of the rules and regulations of our Bureau. 
 
 Our aim and object has been to obtain the respect and closer 
 relationship with the heads of our Department and to assist in this 
 grand effort, we as individuals must set the example and if we notice 
 any deviation from the path of duty by any of oiu: fellow workmen, 
 
144 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to immediately admonish and suggest to them to act differently. 
 To obtain respect, we must establish confidence and at all times 
 prove trustworthy. 
 
 Our Chief has set the pace to reach the highest standard of efl5- 
 ciency. It is the desire of our Association that each one of us enter 
 this race and although he leads, we can follow him closely and 
 the ends we all desire to reach can be accompUshed. 
 
 Very respectfully yoiurs, 
 
 R. M. J. LiVEZEY, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 Letter No. 5 
 
 October 13, 1915. 
 Mr. R. M. J. LrvEZEY, Sec'y, 
 Mutual Beneficial and Protective Ass'n., 
 Biu:eau of Water. 
 Deak Sir: 
 
 I have received your letter of October nth with enclosed circular 
 letter to your members. I thank you for giving me this copy as I 
 feel that it will help to accomphsh the ends for which we all aim. 
 
 Both Director Cooke and myself appreciate the cOrdial spirit 
 with which the Association is striving to meet the standards which 
 we have set for ourselves. I want again to assure you of the fact 
 that we look to you as our associates in the Water Bureau for mutual 
 help and that it is with this spirit that we desire to carry on our 
 share of the work. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Caeleton E. Davis, 
 Chief of Bureau. 
 
 Each of the pumpiag stations had its own system for warn- 
 ing employees of the approach of the "higher ups." It was 
 some time before I discovered that the steam whistle at one 
 of these plants was always blown when my automobile was a 
 block away. This gave everyone a chaiice to "get busy" be- 
 fore I turned up. 
 
 " Gum-shoe " work has no place in an organization assumed 
 to be made up of self-respecting men. If definite evidences 
 of crime are laid before a public officer of course he is only 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 145 
 
 safeguarding tbe public interest in conducting an investigation 
 along the lines usually followed in both public and private 
 business. But in every instance, both in matters of this kind 
 and in keeping track of the routine work of the department, 
 we found it desirable to deal through the regular organization. 
 We depended absolutely upon our bureau chiefs — first, last, 
 and all the time. And we urged them to take the same atti- 
 tude toward their division heads, and, in turn, these men 
 were encouraged to bmld up relations of this kind with those 
 whose work they had the honour to direct. Espionage of any 
 kind was not only not encouraged; it was not tolerated. On 
 the other hand, "hush-business" was taboo. We tried to 
 make it the fashion to drag the scandal or near-scandal out 
 into the open in the hope that fresh air might have a good 
 effect. There is nothing so demoralizing to an individual or 
 to an organization as the fear of facts. On the other hand, 
 it is pure joy to work with men who are not afraid to admit 
 mistakes. 
 
 Of course the quite obvious inference is that the organization 
 must be made up of men and women of a cahbre capable of 
 doing good work — their best work — ^in an atmosphere of this 
 kind. We never had any hesitation in making those changes 
 in personnel necessary to effect this result. I inherited, for 
 instance, one bureau chief who, so far as we could find out after 
 a diligent search continued over months, was not allowed 
 to affect the work entrusted to him one iota over the long 
 period of years during which he held his position. There 
 was nothing to show that he had either the desire or the ability 
 to affect it. There was another chief in nominal charge of 
 another bureau who, whether he knew it or not, was not allowed 
 during most of the time to see those who called on him, to 
 open his mail, or to answer telephone calls. The depressing 
 effect, especially on capable and high-spirited men, of a sys- 
 tem of this kind is simply inexpressible. 
 
146 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 DISCrPLtNE AND DISCHARGE 
 
 It is quite usual to assume that the civil-service laws 
 protect inefficiency in governmental work. The civil-service 
 system should not prevent the appointing officer from dis- 
 pensing with the service of an unwilling, inefficient, or other- 
 wise undesirable employee. This subject was covered in a 
 letter of instructions to our bureau chiefs from which I quote 
 as foUows: 
 
 My interpretation of the present law is that men can be removed 
 from the public service for the same reasons that they can be prop- 
 erly removed from the service of a private company. There is 
 nothing in a city job that is essentially different from a private one, 
 except that the law, ia order to protect employees, has provided 
 that certain formalities shall be followed. . . . 
 
 The causes that should bring about a resignation or a discharge 
 are just about the same in private undertakings as they are in 
 public, and the sooner our own employees realize that lie same 
 yardstick is going to be used on them the better it will be for the 
 city. 
 
 In order to help you in this matter I quote as follows from an 
 opinion from Justice Mestrezat which develops this idea: 
 
 "But after all, the efficiency of the service depends upon the 
 integrity, faithfulness, and capacity of the iadividuals who perform 
 the service and these are personal qualities which cannot be given 
 any one by legislation, nor can any Act of Assembly make a 
 man efficient if nature or personal habits have otherwise decreed. 
 Hence, it appears to me, that the head of the departrnent having 
 the power of dismissal should be permitted, in assigning a just 
 cause for removal under the twentieth section of the Act of 1906 
 under which this proceeding was instituted, to take into considera- 
 tion the moral character, the personal qualifications, the fitness, 
 and all other quaUties of the employee, which affect the efficient 
 and proper and decent discharge of his duties." 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 147 
 
 Under the terms of the Civil Service Act, the law provides 
 that all cases of discharge shall be made under the nominal 
 direction of the Director of the Department. For this reason 
 it had not been customary to have the name of any one except 
 the Director appear in the case of discharge, suspension, or 
 other forms of discipline. We found that this was as unsatisfac- 
 tory to the employee as it was obnoxious to the Director. The 
 employee recognized that in 99 cases out of a 100 the Director 
 of the Department personally knows absolutely nothing about 
 the matter. This gives rise to a suspicion on the part of the 
 man or his family, or both, that an injustice is being done. 
 For this reason we saw to it that our employees were sent — 
 in addition to the formal notice signed by the head of the 
 department and required by law — a further notice in which 
 the cause of the action was stated by his immediate "superior," 
 approved by the man in charge of the division of the work, 
 as well as by the Chief of the Bureau. "Superior" is a word 
 which like "gang" and "boss" should find no place in the 
 lexicon of industrial democracy. 
 
 I quote as follows from the general circular sent out at the 
 time this was put into effect: 
 
 When a man is laid off, disciplined, or discharged, he is entitled 
 to the fullest statement that can possibly be made, as to the causes 
 thereof and this statement can only be made intelligently by the 
 one immediately directing his work, and it is only fair that the man 
 recommending this action advise the person affected that he always 
 has the right of appeal, first, to the Chief of the Bureau and then to 
 the Director. 
 
 Bulletin boards were put up in all places where any consider- 
 able number of employees were engaged, and wherever disci- 
 pline was meted out to an employee the instructions provided 
 that a notice should be posted submitting the details and the 
 penalty inflicted without giving any name. This method was 
 
148 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 copied from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and has 
 the double effect of acting as a guide to those men who 
 might be tempted to commit the same offense ia the future 
 and as a further check on those in authority against arbitrary 
 action. 
 
 There are, generally speaking, five principal reasons for 
 discharging an employee. A man may be: first, essentially 
 unnecessary; second, not qualified to perform the duties of 
 the position; third, rendered superfluous because of change in 
 the method of doing the work; fourth, disloyal; fifth, crooked. 
 
 Instances of useless employees were to be found in such 
 cases as the twenty-three bridge "watchmen" absolutely with- 
 out duties to perform. We could find no record of a single 
 ofl&cial act performed by any of them. A large number or 
 per-diem men employed in the Water Bureau attached to our 
 pumping stations were not able to give any definite answer 
 when asked what they were supposed to do. 
 
 The most notable examples of employees not qualified to 
 do the work for which they were paid were the assistant com- 
 missioners of the Bureau of Highways drawing $2,500 a year, 
 but having almost no knowledge of highway engineering. They 
 were in most instances given these berths because they were 
 ward leaders rather than on account of any knowledge they 
 had as to the work entrusted to them. 
 
 Among the number classed as "crooked" are those whose 
 private lives entitle them to this classification and those whose 
 methods of work put them in the criminal class. No one can 
 estimate the demoralizing effect on the great bulk of our self- 
 respecting city employees when they realize — ^as they are 
 often forced to do — that men whose private lives are simply 
 imspeakable are being retained in positions of trust. I dis- 
 charged one man because he used his official position for 
 intimidating week iti and week out the poor class of for- 
 eigners among whom he made his home. One holding a 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 149 
 
 high position in the Water Bureau was discharged because he 
 could not see the impropriety of housing beer and whiskey in 
 his sitting room on election day for the benefit of the political 
 organization. A fourth spent the better part of his time, for 
 which he was paid by the city, ia selling policy slips; a fifth 
 actually operated an immoral resort of a peculiarly unspeak- 
 able character; and three foreman in charge of the work of 
 cleaning sand used in the filter beds were discharged for 
 defiling those places in such a way as to imperil the lives of our 
 citizens. These are merely a few examples. The list could 
 be lengthened almost indefinitely. In weeding out the chaff 
 one often nms upon a humorous situation. On one occasion 
 I received a suggestion from a weU-known citizen of inter- 
 national reputation that a certain highway inspector made 
 a regular practice of selling policy slips and that he had 
 already served a term in jail. I sent for him and asked him 
 peremptorily to resign. He asked me whether I was ''sure 
 I had the right man, as there was another man by his name 
 from the ward in which he lived. Upon being assured that 
 there was no mistake he promptly signed his resignation and 
 rushed out of the room. In a few hours I heard that he had 
 beaten up a well-known Philadelphia politician in a near-by 
 saloon on the supposition that he had been instrumental in 
 his discharge. Soon thereafter I understand he began his 
 second term in prison. 
 
 On another occasion I asked a man to resign and he de- 
 murred, asking my reason. I told him that when a man 
 resigned it was not necessary to tell him why and that if he 
 refused to resign I would discharge him and disclose the cause, 
 as compelled by law. He seemed, however, so insistent on an 
 explanation that I told him he was "inefficient." Replying, 
 " Oh ! Is that so? " he took up the pen and signed the resigna- 
 tion blank. Then looking at me with a curious, quizzical look, 
 he said, "See here, Director, there is something wrong about 
 
I50 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 this. I never had anything to do; so how do you know I aA 
 inefi&cient?" 
 
 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC 
 
 Obviously no amount of planning within the city govern- 
 ment can result in a radical and permanent improvement in 
 the morale and efficiency of the municipal service in the absence 
 of an intelligent supporting public opinion or without certain 
 definite types of cooperation on the part of the public. To 
 perpetuate such sayings as "Politics are rotten"; "They are 
 all grafters"; "What can you expect when the city does it?" — 
 and others equally depressing and imtrue — of course does not 
 help an iota. The public must organize to bring the same 
 honour to the efficient municipal servant as is rendered to 
 men and women in other walks of life who serve the commu- 
 nity creditably. 
 
 But perhaps the greatest help will come from the educational 
 institutions which more and more will provide intelligent 
 and ample preparation for the pubKc service, both for those 
 already in it and those who plan to enter it. Too much 
 of this kind of work in the past has consisted of a more 
 or less dry and, to a very large extent, unprofitable study of 
 the form and mechanisms of government. What is required 
 is an enlightened study of the functions of government both 
 present and prospective. This can only be brought about 
 by a more intimate association of the university and the college 
 and the school with city government. It would be a good 
 thing if we could have in this field some part-time teachers 
 and professors — ^men who would serve the city, say six months 
 in the year and teach the rest of the time. We tried this 
 experiment and it proved a wonderful success. For instance, 
 Dr. Clyde L. King of the Wharton School, University of 
 Pennsylvania, was several different times entrusted with im- 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 151 
 
 portant city work and each time he rendered an exceedingly 
 valuable service. His experience as a city employee inevitably 
 broadened his usefulness as a teacher. 
 
 There are about ninety institutions in this country giving 
 instruction in mimicipal government. Of these, by far 
 the great majority give only the most general courses on 
 the structure and organization of government, very little 
 attention being given to its functions. The cause for this 
 condition is simple. A study of organization can be made in 
 the University Library; the functions must be learned, to 
 some extent at least, in the city's workshop. All but a few 
 of these ninety institutions are privately endowed universities. 
 The strictly mtmicipal colleges and imiversities, where theory 
 and practice seem to come nearest to working hand in hand, 
 form as yet an almost insignificant group as far as size and 
 equipment are concerned. 
 
 The Bureau of Municipal Research and Reference of Austin, 
 Texas, forms the connecting link between the University of 
 Texas and the cities of the state. Robert M. Jameson, Secre- 
 tary of the Bureau, writes of the work at the University: 
 
 It took some time to get the cities of Texas interested in our 
 purposes. At last, however, we believe that the officials of the 
 cities of Texas are cooperating with us very creditably, and that 
 our work is meeting with some response and appreciation. In fact, 
 we have expressions to this effect in our correspondence. 
 
 No wonder the cities of Texas are becoming interested in 
 the work of the Bureau for, since its organization in 1913, it 
 has prepared studies on: 
 
 1. A Model Charter for Texas Cities. 
 
 2. Methods for Sewage Disposal for Texas Cities. 
 
 3. AModd Civil Service Code for Texas Cities. 
 
 4. What is the City-Manager Plan? 
 
 5. A Student's Survey of Austin, Texas. 
 
IS2 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 The University of Cincinnati is another municipal univer- 
 sity which is doing much to elevate the general plane of muni- 
 cipal service. Most of the city's testing and inspection work 
 is done by the University. Dean Schneider, of the College bi 
 Engineering, writes that they have about five hundred students 
 in cooperating work in various municipal departments and 
 private corporations. The Dean gives the following list of 
 the public and quasi-public agencies with which they have 
 working cooperative agreements: 
 
 The City of Cincinnati. 
 
 The Big Four Railroad. 
 
 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
 
 The Bell Telephone Company. 
 
 The Cincinnati, Dayton, and Hamilton Railroad. 
 
 The Cincinnati Traction Company. 
 
 The Dayton (Ohio) Power and Light Company. ' 
 
 The Pennsylvania Railroad. 
 
 The Union Gas and Electric Company. 
 
 The Union Light, Heat, and Power Company. 
 
 The United States Government. 
 
 President Kolbe of the Mimicipal University of Akron, Ohio, 
 has worked out a very promising system of cooperation be- 
 tween' the University and the City for whose benefit it was 
 established. Their graduate students, especially, are placed 
 in the City's engineering, charity, health, and research de- 
 partments. The Bureau of City Tests is located in the Lab- 
 oratory of the University. One of the Bulletins of the U. S. 
 Bureau, of Education, The University and the Municipality, 
 gives in a condensed and interesting form a digest of what is 
 being accompHshed in this field in different parts of the coun- 
 try. The Association of Urban Universities is doing much, 
 through the cooperation of its members, to hasten the day 
 of trained public servants. Of similar purpose is the Society 
 for the Promotion of Training for the Public Service, with 
 
GOOD FOR A GOOD DAY'S WORK 
 
 These five emploj'ees of the Water Bureau, City of Philadelphia, each over 70 years 
 
 of age, still put in 8 hours a day 
 
 WATER BUREAU COJIiMISSARY DEPARTMENT 
 Furnishes hot coffee and "eats" to the men detailed on street work at night and 
 during the winter months 
 
Mayor Thompson of Chicago awarding 
 a civic diploma 
 
 Mayor Mitchel of New Yorli 
 bestowing the efficiency button 
 on a street cleaner 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 s ^»> 
 
 
 
 Mayor Blankcnburg of Philadelphia giving trophies to street cleaning contractors 
 PRIZES AS TESTIMONIALS OF A CITY'S APPRECIATION 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 153 
 
 headquarters at Madison, Wis., whose aim is expressed in 
 Article 2 of its Constitution to be " the promotion of efifective, 
 coordinated, theoretical, and practical training for public 
 service and the continued trainingof men in the public service." 
 A school which has concentrated its attention on this 
 work with great effectiveness, especially from the standpoint 
 of developing administrative public oficials, is the Training 
 School for Public Service, located in New York City. This 
 school, originally provided for by Mrs. E. H. Harriman, is 
 drananding more and more exacting qualifications of its enter- 
 ing pupils. Almost without exception .the students are 
 college graduates, and often they are men who have already 
 earned their Ph.D. degree. The student body also includes 
 ex-pubHc officials of various ranks, not excepting that of 
 mayor. Naturally their results have been encouraging. 
 They work in closest harmony with the governmental depart- 
 ments in New York City. Although they had passed only 
 two mile-stones, Assistant Supervisor Smith wrote me^ in 
 November, 1915: 
 
 Since January first we have practically ceased all effort to 
 obtain new applicants and have rather discouraged them because 
 we shall probably restrict our membership in the future to a rather 
 limited number. That the Training School will continue as a 
 permanent institution, we have little doubt. 
 
 I believe that with the progress of the scheme of municipal 
 aid for local institutions it will become increasingly difficult 
 for private donors, giving to private imiversities, to compete 
 with public subsidies for local institutions. The mimicipal 
 college or university drawing its financial support very largely 
 — or exclusively — from the mimicipaUty will almost inevitably 
 result. I have no hesitation in sajdng that many accomplish- 
 ments of our department would have been impossible had it 
 not been for the help I received from the experts on the faculty 
 
IS4 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 
 I am led to believe, on the other hand, that those genuinely 
 concerned for the increased usefulness of the University did 
 not regret the closer relationship between the Department 
 of Public Works and the Wharton School. 
 
 In cases where the city is tmable or unwilling to support a 
 purely municipal coUege, some arrangements should be made 
 for cooperation in this respect with the best-equipped private 
 institution. For example, the City of Philadelphia could very 
 profitably, tmder reasonable conditions, make arrangements 
 with the University of Pennsylvania for the establishment of a 
 department giving courses designed to lead directly to the 
 municipal service. The title of that department should be so 
 selected that there could be no mistake as to its purpose. 
 The courses taken in under-graduate years should be selected 
 by a joint committee representing the faculty and the city 
 administration. Arrangements should be made to have these 
 students spend part of their time, during Junior and Senior 
 year, in actual field work in the various bureaus of the city 
 government. Graduate courses, open to those students com- 
 pleting successfully the under-graduate work in the depart- 
 ment, should cover various phases of municipal engineering 
 and mxmicipal administration. A well-thought-out system 
 of scholarships for those showing special capacity and interest 
 might prove of great value. 
 
 It is well to remind ourselves constantly that education is 
 not designed exclusively for those at the top. We must 
 bear in mind the men of the lower grades already in the ser- 
 vice. In recognition of this our Bureau of Water held reg- 
 ular classes at some of our piunping stations for the benefit of 
 the fireroom employees. The following is a synopsis of one 
 of these weekly talks as sumimarized for the bulletin board: 
 
 Talk No. 4: Last week the chimneys smoked more than necessary. 
 The bar was put in the fire too much and green coal was pushed 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 155 
 
 down too soon toward the dump grate. Now in Talk No. 3, we 
 took up the different kinds of gases given off when coal is heated. 
 If the carbon which is in these gases meets and unites with only a 
 small amount of oxygen in the air, a mixture of gases is formed 
 which burns to CO. If the carbon meets and unites with a larger 
 amount of air, the mixture which is formed burns to CO,. When 
 CO is formed, the heat which is developed by the burning is only 
 about 4400 B.T.U. per pound of carbon. When CO, is formed 
 in the burning, about 14,600 B.T.U. is formed or more than three 
 times as much heat. If CO goes away and up the chimney, just 
 that amount of possible heat is lost. CO is the gas that is made by 
 the U.G.I. to sell at $1.00 per thousand cubic feet. Think of the 
 waste if we let gas which is worth $1.00 per thousand cubic feet 
 go up the chimney. This may seem absurd but it is a fact just the 
 same. When you put the bar in the fire and push a large amount 
 of green coal down to the dump grate, you let the hght gas distill 
 off so quickly and in such large amounts that it has no time to 
 take up the proper amount of oxygen. The result is that a great 
 deal of unburned carbon in the CO gas goes up the stack in great 
 clouds of smoke. 
 
 The object of these gatherings was to bring to the attention 
 of the firemen lessons whose bases were the actual happenings 
 of the week. The aim was to increase the interest of the men 
 in their work and to profit by the resulting economies. This 
 Bureau effected savings in coal, in one year, of over $232,000. 
 That is, the Bureau spent $232,000 less for coal during the 
 year 1914 than it did during the year 1913. 
 
 The interest our department had in the matter of improving 
 the educational opportunities of the employees, and inciden- 
 tally of increasing their efficiency in the service of the city, 
 is best presented by the excerpts from an open letter which 
 I addressed to every member of the department. 
 
 PERSONAL LETTER TO EMPLOYEES 
 
 For some time past we have had it in mind to develop a plan by 
 which the employees of this Department could, by special effort 
 
iS6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 on their part, educate themselves for advancement in the service 
 of the City. This has now happily been made possible by the 
 arrangements described in a letter from his Honour the Mayor, as 
 follows: 
 
 Mr. Morris L. Cooke, 
 
 Director, Department of Public Works. 
 
 My Dear Sir: 
 
 In any private undertaking the matter of the educational ad- 
 vancement of the individual employee is one of prime importance 
 and for some time I have been considering the several means at our 
 disposal for making it possible, for the men and women now engaged 
 in the City service to so improve themselves as to make them avail- 
 able for promotion to the higher grades. 
 
 The aim of this Advisory Committee (a committee of leading 
 educators to advise municipal employees) is to give helpful counsel, 
 concerning the means and methods of educational improvement, 
 to any one employed in the Municipal Departments. 
 
 The individual members of the Committee (not the Committee 
 as a whole) will at the stated time gladly confer with any one as to 
 what studies ought to be undertaken, how they ought to be pursued, 
 and what facilities for the purpose are at hand in Philadelphia. 
 
 "I am sending a copy of this communication to the Civil Service 
 Commission witfi the request that they consider what steps may be 
 taken to give credit in their examinations to those who may under- 
 take work of this kind. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 (signed) Rudolph Blankenburg, 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 It is becoming a quite general practice for private employers to 
 offer their employees the means of improving themselves, and as 
 the City under the present administration wants to be the best kind 
 of employer, we must do the same. ... In case any employee 
 of the Department would prefer to see me personally about this 
 matter before seeking the advice of this Committee, I will be glad 
 to have him do so. 
 
 The Chiefs of the several Bureaus have been asked to advise 
 with any of their employees who request the opportimity and 
 
THEY WHO SERVE THE CITY 157 
 
 especially to give permission whenever possible for an employee 
 to meet with the Committee at the time and place mentioned in 
 this circular. 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 MoEEis Llewellyn Cooke, 
 Director, Department of Public Works. 
 
 Carr)Tng out the spirit of this same policy arrangements 
 were made for giving a course in highway engineering at the 
 local Y. M. C. A. The instructor was one of the assistant 
 engineers in the Bureau of Highways. A course of lectures 
 on Scientific Management was also given under the same 
 auspices. For the benefit of our highway inspectors and others 
 engaged in this class of work, a course of fourteen lectures was 
 arranged by W. H. Easby, Professor of Municipal Engineering 
 at the University of Pennsylvania. These lectures had an 
 average attendance of 125. On three occasions lectures on 
 subjects of special interest to our employees were given in the 
 Mayor's office. The first of these was on road building and 
 was attended by over 500 people, a larger number than 
 had ever before been gathered in the Mayor's office. An- 
 other lecture on street-cleaning methods in Washington, D. C, 
 was given and largely attended. 
 
 Columbia University has for several years been giving two 
 short courses of lectures during the winter months especially 
 designed for those employees of townships and municipalities 
 engaged in highway work. We arranged that some of the 
 more promising of our highway inspectors should attend them. 
 
 At the suggestion of the Department, The Free Library of 
 the City of Philadelphia established in City Hall a mimicipal 
 reference library which was of the greatest assistance to thg 
 bureau chiefs. It was used even more by employees in read- 
 ing up on matters pertaining to their work. 
 
 Whether it be in industry or in trade or in the field of 
 Government, that which makes for the largest prosperity of 
 
158 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the worker is coming to be recognized as the element of maxi- 
 mum importance. Anything that makes for a heightened 
 morale must be cultivated, for it is only through the services 
 of healthy, happy, and enthusiastic workers that really great 
 tasks can be accomplished. It is equally true that the well- 
 being of the individual workers cannot be left to accident. 
 We must organize this part of the work. Unfortunately, 
 it is by no means an easy task to organize to produce felicitous 
 himian relations. But it can be done! And it must be done 
 if Democracy is to survivel 
 
CtlAPTER VI 
 FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 
 
 IT HAS frequently been suggested during the past decade, 
 and especially during the past four years of the war, that 
 democracy is undergoing the test which shall determine 
 whether it is to sweep over the world, or stagnate and finally 
 perish. That test is based essentially on efficiency. Democracy, 
 if it shall flourish, must be efficient, it must be able constantly 
 to increase its efficiency. Of course such increase in efficiency 
 must necessarily be obtained chiefly through a new personnel 
 in the public service, selected and advanced according to merit. 
 
 The mercenary element in a community can be enlisted for 
 political work only as long as there is a fairly certain financial 
 reward. To the extent to which the chances for this reward 
 are reduced, the mercenary element wiU cease to be a potent 
 factor in politics. Take from Tammany Hall the power to 
 distribute political sinecures, and the Hall will soon be for rent. 
 To accomplish this we must reduce to a minimiun the number 
 of public offices subject to unrestricted distribution. The 
 rapidity with which we approach this ideal goal will be deter- 
 mined by the development of our civil-service regulations. 
 Civil service has been made a plank in many party platforms, 
 both state and national. In 1914, nine states adopted this 
 principle in one or more of the party platforms. The prin- 
 ciple is spreading rapidly; it is up to us who thoroughly be- 
 heve in it to make it grow more practical as it grows more 
 powerful. 
 
 Carl Schurz, in speaking of civil service, said: "The object 
 
 159 
 
i6o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 is not merely to discover, by means of examinations among 
 a number of candidates for public employment, the most com- 
 petent, ijut to relieve the public service as well as our whole 
 political life as much as possible from the demoralizing in- 
 fluence of political favouritism and mercenary motive, and 
 thus to lift them to a higher plane not only intellectually, but 
 morally." This attitude was necessary when the dvil-service 
 movement was launched. But the failure to escape from 
 this rather narrowing conception after the establishment of 
 the system, impedes the progress of a genuine merit S3retem. 
 Civil service was instituted to circumvent the political crook; 
 it must be developed for the purpose of obtaining the most 
 efficient and capable employee the public service can attract. 
 Unless we lose sight of this old idea and work on the new, we 
 shall not get very far. The new and constructive purpose takes 
 care of the ills expressed in the old and more or less negative 
 idea. We must come to consider the further purpose of civil 
 service to be the hunt for the loo per cent, man for any given 
 job. This ideal man will never be found, but this goal should 
 of course be the inspiration of the dvil-service commission. 
 
 The public believes that there are loo per cent, men 
 available for almost any vacancy, and our dvil-service 
 commissions to a very large extent share this view. For 
 generations past the people have witnessed the spectade 
 of weak, vacillating, ine^erienced men thrust — sometimes 
 actually against their wills — ^into positions of great responsi- 
 bility. More frequently than not even kings themselves 
 have arrived by some such route. Hence it is not strange 
 that when we, the people, come to fill these positions out of our 
 awn. ranks, we consider almost anybody available for the or- 
 dinary nm of positions. And for even the higher positions 
 we usually act as if there were quite a number from among 
 whom the choice might profitably be made. But if our de- 
 mocracy is to set any new and worthy standard in govermuent 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND i6i 
 
 we must very largely abandon this idea. If one lists, for in- 
 stance, the qualities, abilities, experience, and character 
 requisite for an ideal mayor of a city like New York — or even 
 of Denver — ^it wiU be seen that no such man has thus far been 
 produced. In other words, most positions are fiUed, even 
 when well filled, by men of five eighths, three quarters, and 
 seven eighths dimensions. Probably it we recognized more 
 clearly the real possibilities of even the lower positions we 
 would use somewhat smaller fractions. 
 
 The public entertains the opinion — and the civil-service 
 arm of the Govenmient largely shares it — that, for every 
 position which is open, there are, not one, but a number of 
 men almost equally qualified. 
 
 Yet any one who has had experience in employing men and 
 women under conditions approximating scientific management 
 win agree that almost invariably there is one man or one 
 woman who, when the facts about each possibility are fuUy 
 determined, stands head and shoulders above all the others 
 considered for any one position. The higher the position 
 the more likely is this to be true. Another civil-service con- 
 ception which is exactly the opposite of my own experience 
 is to the effect that the one best man — the man in ten thou- 
 sand — ^is so anxious to get the position that he wiU not only on 
 his own itiitiative take the civil service examination but other- 
 wise inconvenience himself in order to demonstrate his fitness 
 for it. I have always found that it required considerable 
 research work to discover the one best man and that, having 
 discovered him, it was necessary to do more than offer an at- 
 tractive salary to secure his services. The truth is that 
 more and more high-class men are studjdng their employers 
 and are only attracted to those places where there is afforded 
 the opportunity to work imder right conditions and where 
 there seems to be the chance to do constructive work. In 
 other words, a city will more and more need the reputation 
 
i62 OUR CITIES AWAKE ■ 
 
 of being a good employer, and more and more require the 
 intervention of the administrative oflScer with vision, to attract 
 men of like character. Less and less will even so-called non- 
 assembled civil-service examinations be responsible for filling 
 in any satisfactory maimer the higher municipal positions. 
 
 The assimiption about the similarity of public and private 
 business stood us in good stead at every turn in our public 
 work. Thus we assumed that our civil-service laws were 
 only a codification of the best practices of private business, 
 and that considerations which would make E. A. Filene, of 
 Boston, the Deimison Manufacturing Co., or any other good 
 employer, either employ, discharge, or discipline, should hole? 
 good with us. Acting on this theory we never failed to get the 
 man we wanted piloted through the civil service procedure. 
 On the other hand, the courts never reinstated a single man, 
 although we found it necessary to "discharge hundreds. 
 
 One of the chief weaknesses of the prevailing civil-service 
 system of appointment to public ofl&ce has been its general 
 failiure to place responsibility for the appointment. If an ap- 
 pointing ofl&dal in a responsible position is given the credit 
 or discredit for the performance of his appointees, the chances 
 are becoming greater every day that he will hire competent 
 helpers. When one or two commissions, boards, or legisla- 
 tive houses are parties to the making of an appointment, no 
 one can be actually responsible. New York State has sixteen 
 methods of appointing heads of state departments. Some are 
 appointed by the Court of Appeals, others by the Supreme 
 Court; by the Governor, either alone or with consent of cer- 
 tain bodies; and in various other ways. It would be a tsisk 
 even beyond one "learned in the law" to place responsi- 
 bility in most cases. This is a feature that is rarely to be 
 found in private concerns. Some one person should be held 
 responsible foreverything thathappens. Of course thisinvolves 
 a reasonably quick remedy for any abuse of this power. 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 163 
 
 Much sound advice on this subject is contained in the follow- 
 ing official communication from Frederick W. Ballard, the 
 efficient designer and operator of Cleveland's very remarkable 
 3-cent Mimicipal Electric Plant to C. W. Stage, Director of 
 Public Utilities. 
 
 I am handing you herewith a new list to be passed by the Board 
 of Control as a salary resolution for the Municipal Light & Heat 
 Division. . . . 
 
 You will note that there are some new positions hsted, and also 
 some increases in salaries. There are, however, no increases in the 
 larger salaries, and there are comparatively few in any of the 
 others, as it is my intention to hold all our expenses, including sal- 
 aries, down to the lowest possible minimiun until such time as we 
 have our plant in operation up to its capacity, and we have estab- 
 lished the whole proposition on a firm footing. 
 
 However, there are a nmnber of positions in my department, the 
 duties of which have grown so that the salaries paid were out of all 
 proportion to the service rendered, and it has been only in these 
 cases that I have made any adjustment whatever. 
 
 In regard to the new positions created would say that the same 
 condition holds as stated in regard to the increases in salaries. 
 There are really no new people placed at work. These parties 
 have been employed and paid on the day Usts, but have gradually 
 assiuned duties and responsibilities such that it was necessary and 
 proper to give their position a proper title, and estabhsh them on 
 the monthly pay-roll. In fact, this is the only way I know of for 
 biulding up an organization. This system is made necessary by 
 the fact that it is impossible to go out and find men who would fill 
 an ideal position. It is always necessary to make the position fit 
 the man, rather than to attempt to make the man fit the position. 
 This is one of the f imdamental principles for securing high efficiency, 
 and in fact, in trying to develop an organization such as we have 
 been developing through the last two years, it is necessary to find 
 the best man possible, and then let him find his job, as the sajdng 
 is, and gradually develop and make his own position and assiune 
 such responsibihties as he is best suited for. 
 
 It can readily be seen that such a system must be accompanied 
 by very flexible conditions, as the responsibihties and duties of 
 
i64 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 positions in the department are always changing; one man may be 
 growing and acquiring more important duties and larger responsi- 
 bilities, while, on the other hand, another man, who is not doing 
 his work as he should, and accomplishing the greatest possible 
 results, will be shifted to other duties which may be more suitable 
 for him, and the importance of his position and of his responsibili- 
 ties may be contracting rather than expanding. 
 
 This is one of the underlying principles which is recognized by 
 the large private corporations of the country, who have the most 
 efiBcient and best-developed organizations. To my mind, one of the 
 most important differences between public work is the different 
 manner in which this problem is treated. 
 
 I realize that the difference is considered fundamental and that 
 any attempt to make a change would be revolutionary. I have 
 no reason to complain because of restrictions on my own depart- 
 ment. I have been accorded privileges in building up my organiza- 
 tion by the administration and by the Civil Service Commission 
 which at once attests sjmipathy with our undertaking and a con- 
 fidence in our sincerity and ability which is most gratWying. 
 
 I very much desire, however, to have an opportunity at some 
 future time to explain at greater length some ideas I have of placing 
 this whole question on a different basis, and while I realize that it is 
 probably impractical to place public work on the same footing as 
 private work, yet I do believe that everything we can do to minimize 
 the difference will be just that much gained in the way of increased 
 efi5ciency. 
 
 PUBLICITY 
 
 In civil service, as in most other public functions, pub- 
 licity is one of the first essentials. Publicity as to the methods 
 and workings of the commission, as weU as publicity as to 
 the examinations to be held. As the former President of 
 the Philadelphia Commission, Frank M. Riter, has expressed 
 it: "Absolute publicity and an open door to the public." , 
 Mr. Riter consistently practised what he preached. , 
 
 The ordinary publicity provisions, when they are attempted 
 in a civil-service law/are lamentably^ weak. It would be 
 better simply to provide 'for full publicity without saying how 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 165 
 
 it was to be accomplished. The Pittsburg Civil Service Rules 
 require: 
 
 The Civil Service Commission shall maintain in an easUy accessi- 
 ble place a bulletin board on which shall be posted notices of all 
 examinations and public hearings, and copies of all eligible lists, 
 except the hsts of ordinary vmskilled labourers. 
 
 If this commission only carried out the letter of the law, 
 publicity would be a very weak agent, whereas, when properly 
 nourished, there is none more powerful. Very frequently 
 civil-service laws go into detail on this point, specifying the 
 number of papers, etc., in which various notices are to appear. 
 
 There is also the pubUcity in coimection with examina- 
 tions. Most commissions allow the candidates to examine 
 their papers after they have been corrected. The Philadel- 
 phia commission goes even further in this particular, allowing 
 any one to examine any paper that has been presented in 
 competition. Such open methods do much to promote public 
 confidence, and certainly cannot do any harm. The New 
 York City Commission, under the leadership of President 
 Moskowitz, has made effective use of publicity on the practical 
 side of .many of their civil-service examinations. Electric 
 cranemen desiring to enter the pubhc service are almost 
 convinced that "things are on the square" when they see a 
 group of examiners actually trying out candidates on one of 
 the city's cranes. 
 
 President Moskowitz has developed pubhcity in many 
 other ways in connection with the work of this commission. 
 Long reels of movies, owned by the Commission, and available 
 for public entertainments, tell all the "secrets" as to how the 
 various examinations are conducted, especially as to their 
 practical side. A number of these reels were shown at the 
 Panama-Pacific Exposition. 
 
 There is still another form which the publicity work may 
 
i66 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 take, and that is in connection with the methods of the Com- 
 mission itself. Their attitude toward various phases of the 
 work and toward suggested reforms should be constantly 
 available to those interested in the work. Only by such 
 means are the friends of genuine civil-service reform encour- 
 aged to make suggestions for the benefit of the service. A 
 Hve commission should be most considerate of individual as 
 well as public opinion, for it reaches the very nerve centres 
 of our public service. Respectful attention to both poor and 
 good suggestions wiU advance the public appreciation of the 
 merit system. 
 
 SOME WEAKNESSES 
 
 In civil service, as in everything else that is worth doing, we 
 must continually guard against self-satisfaction. Everything 
 connected with the subject is in a state of flux. It is for the 
 greatest good of all that those entrusted with carrying out our 
 civil-service laws recognize that fact. Self-satisfaction is the 
 forerunner of internal rot. One of the most prominent men 
 in this field, in speaking of the "misimderstandings, ridicule, 
 and falsifications" of the civil service, made the remark that 
 this "ghost should be buried absolutely and not rise again." 
 He was, in reality, asking the pubhc to stop criticising civil 
 service. Nothing more harmful to the future growth of the 
 principle could be imagined. We must be continually sub- 
 jecting each branch of the service to the severest tests. Criti- 
 cism is the very life-blood of progress. And with helpful, 
 constructive, and honest criticism there wiU always be a modi- 
 cum of that which is fault-finding in spirit — ^not to say 
 vicious in intention. We can usually assume that our work 
 has little vitality if it is not criticised. 
 
 A case in point — one in which the basic principles are not 
 yet satisfactorily adjusted — ^is the relative credit to be given 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 167 
 
 theory and practice in many of the examinations. It is an 
 in<feputable fact that it is often possible for the applicant for 
 clerical, stenographic, engineering, and other work, who is 
 just out of school or college, to pass highet on the list than the 
 man of equal ability who has had just as good training, and 
 who besides this has been in practical work for several years. 
 Experience is at a discount because the test is dependent on 
 theoretical and sometimes stock questions. Experience is 
 expected to count heavily for the candidate in his answers, but 
 unfortunately this theoretical assmnption does not always 
 work out. We are undoubtedly on the right track, but we 
 have not arrived. The basic idea in the minds of the com- 
 missioners or their examiners is sometimes too much like 
 that in the old story of where "pigs is pigs." It must not 
 be assumed, because pigs are pigs, that, therefore, clerks 
 are clerks and engineers are engineers. There wiU probably 
 be an increasing tendency to give more weight to experience 
 and especially to personality in aU lines. 
 
 One need not be' considered unduly critical of the written 
 examination in urging the oral — especially for the upper grades. 
 Roger Babson tells us that it is entirely possible to reduce the 
 ratings of these oral examinations to an exact science. It is 
 certain that the emplo3mient bureaus of a number of large 
 industrial concerns have made great progress in this direction. 
 The results being achieved by a half-dozen concerns of my 
 acquaintance who use oral tests even for positions in the lowest 
 grades, do not appear to be opea to serious criticism. The 
 oral examination offers indefinite opportunity for the develop- , 
 ment of many phases of the appUcant's qualifications which 
 are clearly out of the range of written examinations. 
 
 There are two characteristics which seem to me to be abso- 1 
 lutely fessential qualifications for a municipal executive — and 
 in fact for executives in any field: (i) a highly developed 
 sense of business honour and (2) that t)Tpe of resourcefulness 
 
i68 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 •which knows how to get results by following untrodden paths 
 if necessary and in the face of unexpected difficulties. In one 
 examination for a position where the former of these points was 
 especially important, at my request, several "ethical" ques- 
 tions were asked in such a way that it was not at all evident 
 to the applicants that this phase was under inquiry. It was 
 surprising to see how many men fell imder this test. Again, 
 by depicting an untoward set of circumstances and asking 
 the applicant what he would do to accompKsh his object in 
 spite of these handicaps, one gets an idea as to his resourceful- 
 ness. 
 
 There is an ever-growing opportunity for the development 
 of a more or less exact measurement of the personal equation 
 through examination. On the one hand, there is the fellow 
 who depends on almost piure bluff to carry him through every- 
 thing, while at the other extreme is the unf ortimate individual 
 who has the knowledge but a minimum of ability to apply it. 
 It is the duty of civil service to find the man in the middle 
 ground. I know of two candidates for an executive position 
 in the public service who were separated by only four tenths 
 of a point in a civil-service test for the position. There was 
 all^e difference in the world in their ability to fill the position. 
 One man was an executive, the other was a student. There 
 is a certain Ph.D. in Philadelphia who actually passed seventy- 
 two different examinations for various branches of the public 
 service. He merely possesses a highly developed knack for 
 writing out answers to a wide range of questions. Of course 
 it would be easy to multiply evidence of this kind. It probably ' 
 always will be as long as civil service is a live growing arm of 
 the government. All we can ask is that those who are respon- 
 sible for civil service shall be on the watch-tower to detect 
 those points of failure and to erect the necessary saf eguardsl*^? 
 against a recurrence. 
 
 Our own experience has been that civil-service officials are 
 
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FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 169 
 
 too well satisfied with what has been accomplished and have 
 too little faith that the best we know to-day in this field is 
 really crude and only preliminary to something which will 
 answer very much better the more exacting demands of the 
 more efficient democracy of to-morrow. Here as everywhere 
 else we must resist the fatalistic doctrine of the weakness 
 inherent in all human institutions. We must, rather, feel 
 that every miscarriage of Justice or failure to determine the 
 exact truth in these civil-service tests retards the movement. 
 Out of each such instance disclosing a weakness some policy 
 or corrective measure should emerge to become a permanent 
 part of the civil-service system. 
 
 THE $3,000 PLUS JOBS 
 
 Positions in the municipal service may be divided roughly 
 into two general classes using the wage as a basis. I have 
 generally thought of the line as being drawn at the $3,000 
 mark, although it may vary, of course, in different cases, on 
 one or the other side of this figure. 
 
 With the positions paying less than $3,000 annually the 
 civil service is generally conceded to be working along reason- 
 ably satisfactory lines, and to be obtaining fairly satisfactory 
 results. In the cases of positions paying $3,000 and above 
 the results are not so satisfactory. It is here that there appears 
 to be the greatest chance for development. It goes almost 
 without sajdng that the methods and considerations that in- 
 fluence men of the lower clerical grades will not apply to the 
 higher-class executive and technical experts of recognized 
 ability in their several lines. The cities are seeking the best 
 that can be had for each particular position, and if they are to 
 have anj degree of success in the competition to secure first- 
 class men, ttey must pattern after the methods of their com- 
 petitors — the industrial world. 
 
I70 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 In order to learn whether any civil-service commission 
 treated the higher-paid positions in a different way than those 
 of the lower grades, we wrote to a representative ntimber of 
 commissions asking this question. In particular we asked 
 whether any special method was used for getting men to take 
 examinations for positions pa3Tng $3,000 or more. Here are 
 some of the answers: — 
 
 "We have treated those positions in the same way that we have 
 treated all others." 
 
 (St. Louis, Mo.) 
 
 "We have no particular procedure for filling positions above 
 $3,000." 
 
 (Detroit, Mich.) 
 
 "There is no fixed method for 'lining up' men to take examina- 
 tions for these higher positions." 
 , (Acting Secretary of the Navy.) 
 
 "We have not developed any particular method in filling posi- 
 tions paying $3,000, and above." 
 
 (Chicago, HI.) 
 
 And so it goes through the whole list. The Secretary of the 
 National Assembly of Civil Service Commissions informs us 
 that the same newspaper and magazine methods of solicitation 
 are used for all grades of positions. 
 
 We have always contended that for these higher-paid jobs 
 personal solicitation is necessary. Nothing short of this will 
 give satisfaction i. e., will get the best men to apply. We 
 must continually apply ourselves to the development of 
 methods for literally hunting for possible candidates. For it is 
 in the higher grades that the civil service is having its real 
 test. The job must hunt the man — the vtry opposite of the 
 situation that may quite possibly obtain in the lower class 
 positions. Mr. George A. Levy, Efficiency Chief of the Pitts- 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 171 
 
 burgh Commission, maintains "that a capable director of a 
 department should know the kind of a man he desires for a 
 high-grade position, and a newspaper advertisement is of 
 little value in getting that man; it is a case of the position ' 
 seeking the man." 
 
 Although present methods make no concessions in seeking 
 out the high-priced man, they do sometimes recognize that 
 there is a difference when it comes to examining him. In 
 general, there are three such variations from routine procedure, 
 viz. : the unassembled examination, the qualifying examination, 
 and the test that is based entirely on experience. All of these 
 special methods are adopted in irregular fashion as if still 
 feeling the way. Their application is usually optional with 
 the examiners. The Chicago regulations state that: "Ex- 
 aminations may be conducted without assembling candidates, 
 may be oral or written, and may be supplemented by practical 
 tests." A wide margin for discretion is desirable for the mana- 
 gers of any new imdertaking, and the general permissive 
 character of most of these regulations only serves to demon- 
 strate the nebulous state in which our civil service finds 
 itself at the present time. These unassembled examinations 
 are used principally in examinations for the higher positions. 
 The examination for Chief Chemist for the Bureau of Stan- 
 dards of the Federal Government was conducted in this in- 
 dividual fashion. Generally such tests are so arranged as to 
 bring out the candidate's knowledge of research methods, and 
 the absence of military methods gives him a chance to dem- '■ 
 onstrate his initiative and constructive powers. The un- 
 assembled examination is undoubtedly a step in the right 
 direction. 
 
 The qualifying examination is borrowed from European 
 civil-service procedure. As Professor Munro points out in 
 his "Government of European Cities" (page 178), the na- 
 tional laws of Germany frequently provide that appointees 
 
172 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to certain positions shall have stated professional qualifications, 
 but all examinations are qualifying and not competitive. The 
 examinations are for the purpose of determining the list of 
 eligibles. From this list the Magistrat makes his unrestricted 
 selection. There is no limiting the appointing official to the 
 three or four highest as is the usual provision in the American 
 system. This method has drawn the best material into the 
 public service in Germany where the employing official is 
 quite as much limited by appropriations as is the American. 
 The qualifying examination is not so general in the United 
 States as is the imassembled. Wisconsin, the leader in so 
 many things governmental, has made a mrmber of such tests. 
 Last year she secured an actuary for the State Insurance 
 Department by this method. The position paid from $2,500 to 
 $5,000, "depending upon the ability, training, and experience 
 of the person appointed." The result in this, and in a number 
 of other instances, was most encouraging. The freedom of 
 choice permits the appointing officer to select the candidate 
 having the greatest abundance of those quaUties which we can 
 usually more easily recognize than describe; qualities which 
 cannot be brought out by the question-and-answer method. 
 Since men already established in their professions are so out 
 of S3anpathy with the red-tape of most of our governmental 
 processes, the plan of appointment based on experience and 
 accomplishments has a particularly hopeful outlook. Wis- 
 consin, again, is in the lead in this field. By such methods 
 she determined who should be business manager for her uni- 
 versity, at a salary of $5,000. The following were essential 
 qualifications demanded by the successful candidate: 
 
 . I. Integrity of character. 
 
 2. Tact and skill in handling men, and at the same time firm- 
 ness. Ability to deal with business men and also with the educa- 
 tional staff of the university (about 500), many of whom have not 
 business training. 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 173 
 
 3 . Sound health and the prime of life. 
 
 4. Large business ability and large previous business experience. 
 
 5. A knowledge of materials and of methods of construction. 
 A knowledge whether or not contracts are properly drawn, and 
 whether plans and specifications are being carried out. 
 
 6. An understanding of methods of accounting and practice of 
 purchasing. 
 
 7. Culture, preferably graduation from college, and an under- 
 standing and appreciation of the great educational problems that 
 arise in a modern up-to-date university. 
 
 8. Decision, executive ability and push, so that poUcies decided 
 upon by the regents and faculty will be promptly carried out. 
 
 Hon. Charles M. Galloway, United States Civil Service Com- 
 missioner, is our authority for the statement that' his com- 
 mission considers life history and accomplishments, given 
 under oath, as a real competitive examination in many cases. 
 Most high-calibre men who have accomplished things by 
 honest methods are anxious to have their careers looked into — 
 and published if possible. Publicity increases both their pro- 
 ducing and their earning power. But such men are not usually 
 on the hunt for positions — especially mimidpal positions. 
 Neither will they give much consideration to formal or group 
 appeals. The appeal must be absolutely personal if we would 
 get the best. To my mind, this personal appeal is best en- 
 gineered when the appointing power acts in conjunction with 
 the civil-service commission — the approving body. For in- 
 stance, it would have been practically impossible for any body 
 of men to get William H. Coimell to go to Philadelphia as 
 chief of our Bureau of Highways and Street Cleaning at a 
 salary of $6,000 a year, or at any other salary. A man of this 
 type demands more than financial considerations. He de- 
 mands a promise of support and cooperation, and an untram- 
 melled opportunity for carrying on high-grade technical work 
 as well as for professional advancement. A group, from its 
 very nature, is incapable of giving such assurances. The 
 
174 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 same thing is true with such a man as Carleton E. Davis, chief 
 of our Bureau of Water, at $10,000 a year. It is a difi&cult 
 thing to find such a man and to approach him successfully 
 with the proposition of mimicipal employment. Boards and 
 committees and newspaper advertisements certainly cannot 
 usually accomplish it. 
 
 ' Many municipal engineers in this country are begiiming 
 to adopt the European system of employing non-residents 
 for certain highly specialized positions. Whenever this is 
 practised it excites criticism and abuse. As yet no technical 
 organization, so far as I know, has recognized the opening 
 thus made for technical merit, and given moral support to 
 the movement. I tried to get support from organized en- 
 giaeers ia the obviously necessary procedure of employing 
 experts outside our regular staff, but without results. There 
 are certain positions in the city's service, as real estate assessors, 
 for example, where the local man is preeminently best qualified 
 to serve. Outside of this small list of positions we should 
 take the best men we can get for our money, no matter whence 
 they come. Public service is most ef&cient when it is a 
 national service and not such a narrow and provincial affair 
 as most of our city bosses would have it. Dr. Clyde L. King's 
 explanation^ of the "foreign" municipal employee in German 
 cities will serve to point the goal toward which we are tend- 
 ing in filling the higher-salaried municipal positions: 
 
 The oft-repeated assertion that there are no politics in German 
 city positions is far from accurate, for in many cities an avowed 
 member of the social-democratic party could never be ratified for 
 a leading city position no matter what his worth whUe a conserva- 
 tive of tiie landed gentry point of view could be ratified no matter 
 how incomplete his preparation. But in Germany the provincial- 
 ism characteristic of so many American cities, whidi brands experts 
 
 ^^Training for City Employees in the Municipal College of Germany, an address 
 ^ven at the 1914 annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Eaffr 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 175 
 
 I from other cities or states as "outsiders" or "aliens," finds no place. 
 The result is that a public employee with adequate qualifications, 
 who finds himself blocked in one city because of his party affiliations, 
 can look towards employment in other cities. Moreover, promotion 
 is made from city to city so that there is no limit to the economic 
 returns and social prestige of the public official of competence and 
 skill. 
 
 ' During the four years 1912-1915 the Civil Service Com- 
 mission in Philadelphia was directed by three gentlemen 
 of exceptional ability and rectitude of purpose, operating under 
 what is considered an ideal civil-service law and surrounded 
 by appointing administrative officials desirous of cooperating 
 in every way to make civil service a success. Notwithstanding 
 all these favourable conditions, the fact remains that, during 
 this entire period, not a position paying $3,000 and above 
 was actually filled by what are generally recognized by the 
 public as civil-service methods. Every single person appointed 
 to this class of positions in all the departments imder the 
 Mayor was sought out and selected by the appointing officer 
 before — and in some cases long before — the civil-service ma- 
 chinery had begun to operate. The fact that these men, to 
 the nimiber of nearly a score, were examined later by the 
 Civil Service Commission and their names certified to the ap- 
 pointing officer is simply an incident which proves nothing 
 as to the possibility of securing men of this class by the present 
 civil-service methods. Notwithstanding this the late Chief 
 Examiner of the Philadelphia Civil Service Commission — an 
 exceptionally able and conscientious man by the way — ^in a 
 speech given before the CivU Service Reform Association in 
 Baltimore, Maryland, listed fourteen positions which had 
 been filled under his administration where the salary was $3,000 
 or above and without a word of explanation. This simply 
 proves that he did not make a distinction between seeking out 
 the right man and securing his consent to serve on the one 
 
176 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 hand and simply testing out his fitness in a more or less rou- 
 tine fashion on the other. Former Commissioner Lewis 
 R. Van Dusen, at the meeting of the National Civil Service 
 Reform League, held in Philadelphia in December, 1915, made 
 the statement that his commission had given sixty exami- 
 nations in the last four years, for positions paying from $2,400 
 to $6,000 (most of them over $3,000) as an evidence that civil- 
 service methods were "working" on this class of positions. 
 In my opinion, the men responsible for pushing the civil- 
 service propaganda in this coimtry are doing the cause a very 
 grave injury when they keep on attempting to make themselves 
 and the public believe that the present mechanisms of the 
 civil service are accomplishing more than they really are. 
 
 Of the twenty-one positions, paying $3,000 or more, filled 
 by the Philadelphia Civil Service Commission for the De- 
 partment of Public Safety and Public Works, fifteen were 
 originally filled by provisional appointment, secured on the 
 initiative of the appointing ofl&cer. Not one of these pro- 
 visional appointees failed to pass the subsequent competitive 
 examination and appear on the eligible list for permanent 
 appointment. Most of them stood first on the eligible list. 
 This is rather good evidence that there is a method other 
 than that of written examination and entirely outside the cur- 
 rent civil-service tests whereby the highest dass of offices can 
 be satisfactorily filled. 
 
 There are in every good-sized community many men with 
 the qualifications needed in a chief clerk at $2,500. Any 
 good office executive starts in with many of the requisites. 
 And it is also true that the hiun-drum character of work of 
 this kind in private establishments seems to make the public 
 employment seem attractive. Hence the civil service, through 
 its routine publicity methods, is quite able to discover em- 
 ployees of this type. But going somewhat above this salary, 
 and more especially asking for technical and other qualifi- 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 177 
 
 cations not so frequently encountered, the civil service is more 
 and more going to depend on the appointing ofl&cer, not only 
 to discover the best man, but to land him on the job. 
 
 I wish to repeat what I have said over and over again, that, 
 had it not been for the protection given to me by the civil- 
 service system, I could not have held my position as Director 
 of Public Works with any satisfaction. This friendly attitude 
 toward civil service — which is better called the Merit System — 
 gives me the right thus to emphatically protest against what 
 appears to be a fxmdamental weakness in that system without 
 being accused of carping criticism. 
 
 .1 am confident that honest and fairly competent men can 
 be secured by present civil-service procedure even for positions 
 of $3,000 and above. I am equally convinced that the best 
 men cannot be secured in this way. No one of the men whom 
 I had the hono\ir of appointing to the higher positions in our 
 department would have responded to a civil-service adver- 
 tisement. In my opinion men with reputations already es- 
 tabhshed are more and more going to refuse to submit to the 
 accidents usually inherent in a four-hour examination, only 
 too frequently carried on by examiners who know much less 
 about the subject than do those whom they are questioning. 
 Civil service, as applied to the higher positions wUl, in my 
 opinion, take the form of cooperating with the appointing 
 oflEicer in finding the right man and in fearlessly and exhaus- 
 tively checking that officer's judgment rather than insisting 
 on taking the initiative, as is the present practice. 
 
 Theoretically, at least, civil-service methods do not now 
 provide any part for the appointing officer until after the ex- 
 amination has been held and a certification has been made. 
 As has been said already, the most essential question that 
 raises itself in the minds of high-class men, when considering 
 the acceptance of responsible positions, is the character of the 
 support to be received from the appointing officer. Questions 
 
178 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of salary, of possible success or failure, and other consider- 
 ations affecting the position all pale into insignificance as com- 
 pared to the one central idea as to the measiure of cooperation 
 to be received. This is a question on which civil service never 
 has had and never wiU have anything to say. Is it not strange 
 — ^in view of the fact that in at least a score of cases the inciun- 
 bents of positions paying $3,000 and over were originally dis- 
 covered and really secured by the appointing officer and not 
 by the Civil Service Commissioners — that the latter body has 
 not even begun to consider changes in its methods which will 
 frankly recognize this condition and plan out something that 
 will harmonize with the spirit of the merit system rather than 
 to seem to keep on pretending to do something which they 
 are really not doing? 
 
 Even if public emplo)Tnent should come to be considered 
 more desirable than it is at the present moment, this difficulty 
 in finding the best man will still be encountered just as it is in 
 industry. Therefore, if we are to have the highest class of 
 men in important engineering and other highly technical 
 positions we must develop some merit system by which the 
 appointing officer is given a greater opportimity than he now 
 has of finding the right man for the job. 
 
 I believe, for instance, that if the secretaries of the four 
 national engineering societies could be authorized by their 
 several coundls to associate themselves as a civil-service board 
 to act in an advisory capacity to federal, state, and mimicipal 
 civil-service commissions, it woiild be a decided step in the 
 right direction in filling engineering positions. Suppose the 
 president of the Borough of Manhattan should want to secure 
 a competent engineer to put in charge of the highway depart- 
 ment. Through the New York Civil Service Commission 
 he would state the problem to this suggested advisory board 
 which in turn would appoint a special committee, say of three 
 engineers, to act as his counsellors in finding the man. The 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 179 
 
 appointing officer would keep these covmsellors in touch with 
 the search and, when he was ready to make a choice, secure 
 their approval before entering into a contract. In this way 
 the merit system would act as a check against favouritism but 
 would allow the appointing officer the widest possible oppor- 
 tunity to search for the best man available. It would probably 
 not be foimd desirable to have all of the counsellors from the 
 engineering profession and one of the engineers should 
 probably be an expert in the particular branch to which 
 the position to be filled belongs. Provision can be made for 
 as full and open a written record as may be needed to pro- 
 vide the necessary safeguards. 
 
 This procediu-e is a radical departure from the present idea 
 of civil service, which is based on the assumption that it is 
 impossible to aUow the appointing officer any voice in the 
 selection of his men. Even under the most advanced forms 
 of civil service the appointing officer is confined to a full and 
 usually a written statement of the quahfications he is trying 
 to seciure. One never exactly fills a position with just the 
 kind of man in mind when the search began. It is a ques- 
 tion of compromise, and the appointing officer is the one 
 who is in the best position to know where concessions can best 
 be made and which among the several requirements are the 
 most indispensable. There would be no objection to any 
 reasonable check on his action. 
 
 There are a niunber of men who are in favour of this inti- 
 mate cooperation between the Commission and the appointing 
 power. Mr. John A. Hazelwood, Secretary and Chief Exam- 
 iner for the Wisconsin Civil Service Commission, stands for 
 this improvement. Commissioner Van Dusen of Philadelphia 
 said, at the recent Civil Service Conference in that city, that 
 "a good deal is to be said for direct picking of men, and 
 the commission testing him, provided he has to stand number 
 one on the subsequent examination." It should be made 
 
i8o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 obligatory by statute, although it is evident that real coopera- 
 tion can never be legislated into existence. As long as the 
 civil-service effort was principally to prevent favouritism and 
 graft a method might be above criticism, which in this day of 
 the difl&cult struggle for efficiency, is entirely out of date. 
 
 PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENTS 
 
 The subject of provisional appointments is almost always 
 bound up with the problem of the higher-class positions. For 
 positions of the lower grades an eligible list is generally on 
 hand; high-salaried men are not accustomed to waiting very 
 long for work. Under present circumstances and until the 
 civil-service machinery has become sufficiently limbered up 
 to adapt itself to the high-speed requirements of high-priced 
 men, provisional appointments in this class are an absolute 
 necessity. As has been shown, the high-salaried provisional 
 appointee almost invariably gets the job; and were this not a 
 general rule, selecting men for these positions would be even 
 more difficult. 
 
 Massachusetts has an unusual and advanced provisicm in 
 respect to the provisional appointee:^ 
 
 Any provisional appointee who has served for six months or 
 more in a department and who takes the regular competitive ex- 
 amination and passes the same, may, upon request by the appoint- 
 ing officer, be certified for permanent emplo3rment, regardless" of his 
 position on the list; provided the original requisition upon which 
 the authority for provisional appointment was authorized called 
 for a permanent employee. 
 
 Over and over again, when a new piece of work was imder- 
 taken without much preliminary notice, entirely unnecessary 
 burdens were placed upon those in charge on account of the 
 
 'Civil Service Rules, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Rule No. 2g, Section 6. 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND i8i 
 
 delay in certifying the technical assistants required. Rail- 
 roads and other industrial estabKshments carr3dng on large 
 building and construction undertakings utilize great numbers 
 of college students on vacations in the drafting rooms and on 
 surveying corps and in other capacities. We were never able 
 to utilize this class of men because by the time the civil-service 
 examining procedure had fully run its course the fall term had 
 opened and the students had to return to coUege. 
 1 One of the most insistent aims of the average civil-service 
 commissioner is to reduce the number of provisional appoint- 
 ments. This is one of the barometers by which he measures 
 the success of his work. Such an idea is a false measure of 
 success at best. Furthermore, the mere figures by them- 
 selves may mean nothing as to the falling off in the tendency 
 to provisional appointments. The Philadelphia Civil Service 
 Commissioner's Report of January 30, 1915, contains this an- 
 nouncement: 
 
 There were 86 provisional appointments made during 1914. 
 This constitutes an imusual record. Reference to former reports 
 will show that there were 605 such appoiatments during 1913. 
 The number made in 1914 is a reduction of 85 per cent, under 1912. 
 Since provisional appointments are made only when lists are in- 
 adequate or not in existence, it becomes evident at once that such 
 a marked decrease in the number of provisional appointments 
 indicates that eligible lists have been kept up to date. 
 
 The figures given are, beyond doubt, correct. The infer- 
 ences drawn from these figures are what the college sophomore 
 would call non sequitur. We must be acquainted with the 
 facts to appreciate the mistake. In the first place, inadequate 
 eligible lists almost always occur in connection with the high- 
 class positions. In the second place, most of the changes in 
 these higher-class positions are made at the beginning of a 
 new administration; and especially is this true when a good 
 
i82 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 administration follows a poor one. This is Just what hap- 
 pened in Philadelphia in 1912. Hence the abnormal num- 
 ber of provisional appointments during that year. 'As the 
 new organization was worked out naturaUy there became less 
 and less call for the higher-class men, where the provisional 
 appoiutment comes so much ia evidence. So the rapid fall off 
 ia the number of provisional appointments from 1912 to 1914 
 was a very natural and predictable process, which, if it proves 
 anything, proves that the new administration was settling 
 down to business with a new style of leadership. It must 
 also be remembered that the more ordinary the calibre of men 
 on a list the more permanent it is. The higher the class of 
 men being attracted to the city's service the more frequent 
 examinations become because the good men not immediately 
 required by the city are snapped up by private employers. 
 
 PROMOTION WITHIN THE SERVICE 
 
 There is an almost evenly balanced difference of opinion 
 among the friends of civil-service reform as to whether or not 
 promotions within the service should be regulated by com- 
 petitive tests. It is almost universally admitted that practical 
 efficiency and executive ability are good criterions on which 
 to base eligibility for promotion. Ordinarily, the adminis- 
 trative official knows which of the men working under his 
 direction are deserving of promotion. Some contend, on the 
 other hand, that a public officer may be subject to political 
 influences, or personal prejudices of one kind and another, and 
 that these influences rather than his own good Judgment may 
 be the determining factor. People who are continually think- 
 ing in these grooves are thinking of the civil service as a 
 deterrent, and not as a constructive, agency. We prefer to 
 think of its main purpose as an effort to get the best men into 
 govemmeat work, and not to put politics out. Here again we 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 183 
 
 must enquire as to the product desired. Surely the main 
 product of the civil service should be efficient employees, and 
 every ounce of energy should be utilized to that end. 
 
 Mr. H. S. GUbertson, Executive Secretary of the National 
 Short Ballot Organization, assures us that "civil-service reform 
 is developing in new directions and is correcting some of its 
 mistakes, and there is a tendency to make records of efficiency 
 the basis of promotion." Once again it becomes necessary 
 to divide the field. Records of efficiency are possible over the 
 greater part of the field of municipal work, but there are posi- 
 tions, especially those charged with executive leadership, 
 where only the opinion of the superior would come anywhere 
 near measuring the efficiency of the man in the service. The 
 direct results of his work may be hard to see, while the in- 
 direct results, known only to his chief, may be of the greatest 
 value. 
 
 My work in both the public service and in private under- 
 takings has been very largely in connection with building up 
 the organization, and yet I do not recall more than one or two 
 instances at the most where those of us who were ia responsible 
 charge with a given position to fiU were in any doubt as to 
 who was entitled to promotion. Men and women considered 
 with relation to a given post do not differ imperceptibly. It 
 usually happens that, among any given number, when all the 
 facts are known there is one who stands out as being quite 
 distinctly the best one for the place. The most common and 
 satisfactory test grows out of the day-to-day observations of 
 the executive directing the efforts of any given group of 
 workers. It would of course be a mistake for the civil service 
 not to use this information. 
 
 The question as to the feasibility of promotions by civil 
 service of course depends primarily on two considerations. 
 Is such aid from the commission a help in civic betterment? 
 Is the dvil-service commission actually in a position to give 
 
i84 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 assistance to those in charge, in the matter of promotions 
 within the service? Under existing drcmnstances I believe 
 the civil-service commission has reached the limit of its effec- 
 tiveness as a reform agency when it has acted on original 
 appointments. This fact seems to be pretty generally recog- 
 nized by those in the work. Practically aU the laws give the 
 appointing office a free hand in the discharge of appointees. 
 This fact alone would seem to indicate that it is the present 
 intention that the function of the commission should cease 
 with the original appointment. 
 
 In reply to the second question there is certainly a good deal 
 to be desired in the present methods used in determining the 
 fitness and the personal and temperamental qualities of the 
 candidate for an advanced position. Such being the case, 
 the person who would do justice to the applicants must rely 
 very largely on the records of the division in which those ex- 
 amined have served; and the selection made will approach the 
 ideal only to the extent to which an intelligent interpretation 
 is made of these records. As has been said, this is best done 
 in the department and not by the civil service. So-called 
 efficiency records, such as I have seen used by civil-service 
 agencies, are very largely fakes judged by the standards used 
 in industry. 
 
 The question of the possibility of the appointing officer's be- 
 ing influenced by corrupt politics should not enter into it. If 
 such is the case, and the civil-service commission does not put 
 his man ahead, the appointing officer can always find a way to 
 get rid of others, so why play to the exceptions and make rules 
 to cover cases which are disappearing from Ajnerican municipal 
 Kfe? 
 
 Just a word should be said about inbreeding in this connec- 
 tion. Promotion examinations, i.e., examinations open only 
 to present employees, if permitted too generally will lead to an 
 undesirable amount of inbreeding. It is to the advantage 
 
Even the dentists must prove that they have the "know how! 
 
 Prove that yoa are a paver by laying a few of these Belgian blocks' 
 CIVIL SERVICE AT ITS BEST 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 185 
 
 of the service, and in the long run to the employees themselves, 
 that in every grade there shall be a constant influxof employees 
 from the outside. These new people coming in with diEEerent 
 training and other ideas have a tendency to keep everybody 
 awake. The .Government, and more especially the railroads, 
 suffer from the fact that filling the higher positions by promo- 
 tions is too universally the rule. It is good practice in theory 
 but should not be followed so as to prevent constant infusion 
 of new blood. 
 
 EXEMPTIONS 
 
 Perhaps even more of a nightmare than a provisional ap- 
 pointment to the stand-pat civil-service enthusiast is the 
 position exempted from civil-service regulations. To him 
 the exempted position represents the epitome of adverse criti- 
 cism; each position so exempted adds to the life of boss rule. 
 It is very true that many of the positions now exempted from 
 civil-service regtdations coidd be filled by that method just as 
 easily and just as efficiently as others that do come within the 
 scope of the commission's powers. 
 
 Exemption provisions are general throughout the states 
 where civil-service regulations are in force. Heads of city 
 departments are universally exempted. Often each depart- 
 ment is allowed one or more " confidential " assistants. Many 
 other positibns are exempted in various cases for local reasons. 
 In one city that came to our attention there were a number 
 of exemptions in various technical positions for the purpose of 
 enabling the appointing officials to seek outside assistance 
 with greater ease. There was practically no local talent along 
 certain lines, and it was wisely considered that the appointing 
 official, who is responsible for his subordinates, would be better 
 armed in his search for expert assistance if placed in a position 
 to act promptly and finally. 
 
i86 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 St. Louis, Missouri, exempted 375 positions in 1915. These 
 exemptions, which are fairly liberal, include: 
 
 (a) All officers elected by the people. 
 
 (b) All heads of departments, offices and divisions. 
 
 (c) All boards appointed by the mayor. 
 
 (d) All boards however appointed where serving without com- 
 
 pensation. 
 
 (e) One secretary, deputy, or assistant to each officer elected by 
 
 the people, head of department, office, division or board, 
 where such subordinate is authorized by law. 
 
 (f) One stenographer to each officer elected by the people, head 
 
 of department, office, division or board, where such subordi- 
 nate is authorized by law. 
 
 (g) All members of the Board of Aldermen. 
 (h) AU officers of the Board of Aldermen. 
 
 (i) All surgeons, physicians, or other experts serving in a consult- 
 ing or other capacity without compensation. 
 
 (j) Such other officials or employees requiring exceptional scien- 
 tific, mechanical, professional, or educational qualifications 
 as may be ordered from time to time by the board upon a 
 unanimous vote. 
 
 The heads of departments, being policy-determining ofl&cers, 
 are justly exempted from the operation of the civil-service 
 regulations. In a responsible government, the only kind 
 which will get results, directors of departments should be 
 personal appointees of the one to whom the people have 
 entrusted their interests, and he should be held responsible 
 for that trust. 
 
 The truth seems to be that if civil-service "examinations" 
 could be made actual tests of merit for the particular position, 
 rather than a species of mental gymnastics not especially de- 
 signed to pick out the one best man, perhaps many of the 
 positions now exempt could be put in the classified service. 
 The men who are appointed to many places now exempt 
 would not object to having their fitness fully demonstrated 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 187 
 
 B 
 
 in some sane fashion but they very properly resent being sub- 
 jected to the chance of the race track. 
 
 » The so-called "confidential" position is another object of 
 attack by those who prefer to believe that present civil-service 
 methods are the complete cure for all our present municipal 
 iUs. With Dr. Carl Schurz, I feel that most confidential 
 posts have very few duties of a confidential character. 
 The Department of Public Works of Philadelphia has two 
 positions whose titles are Special Inspector and General 
 Inspector. These positions pay salaries of $2,500 each and 
 were formerly both "confidential" positions. These two 
 inspectors were expected to do the "gum-shoe" work for the 
 Director in the various bureaus. When I became Director 
 of the Department other duties had to be found for the Special 
 and General Inspectors. Both were put under civil-service 
 regulations and assigned principally to accounting duties in 
 connection with the various bureaus. Later, because of the 
 fact that I could get no appropriations for expert investiga- 
 tions, the General Inspectorship was made a "confidential" 
 position simply to have it relieved of civil-service regulations. 
 TMs was done almost entirely to get away from the routine 
 civil-service delays. Could each department be allowed a 
 small percentage of the total appropriation for special work, 
 the money to be accounted for after it was spent, as hereto- 
 fore suggested, I can then see no reason for a confidential 
 assistant being assigned to department heads. 
 
 REMOVALS FROM THE SERVICE 
 
 Replying to the query as to his opinion of the section of the 
 model civil-service bill of the Civil Service Reform League, 
 which provides for removals by the commission exclusively, 
 Henry M. Waite, City Manager of Dayton, Ohio, said:^ 
 
 i"Good Government," XXXII, No. 10, p. 92, November, 1915. 
 
i88 OtR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 I have your letter concerning the Civil Service Reform League 
 model charter in which "The power of removing subordinates is 
 no longer left in the hands of the supervising of&cer, as he cannot 
 deal eSectively with questions of personnel." This is again where 
 the theorists step over the line of practical operation. No executive 
 can successfully operate if he cannot be responsible for his organiza- 
 tion. Discipline could not be maintained. Your civil-service 
 board had better abdicate, your results would be more likely to 
 attain success than under the proposed idea. 
 
 I cannot see how any person who desires success could afford 
 to attempt to operate under such a rule. Certainly I would 
 not. . 
 
 The opinions of a number of railroad ofl&cials and large 
 manufacturers brought out, with one exception, the same 
 thought. Their contention was that the man at the wheel 
 should be given free rein. The best results were impossible 
 to their thinking if some of the subordinates kept their posi- 
 tions against the judgment of the leader. 
 
 The position of the men giving these, opinions as far as their 
 own establishments are concerned is almost parallel with that 
 of the civil-service commission in respect to the public service. 
 These business men would not permit an employee to be re- 
 moved from their service with their knowledge, merely because 
 some foreman did not happen to like the colour of his hair. 
 By analogy a civil-service commission should not permit the 
 removal of a public employee in the classified service, merely 
 because he happened to have voted for the losing party at the 
 last election. In this type of cases, as in aU others, the com- 
 mission may well model its action after that of the progressive 
 private employer in similar cases. Any private employer 
 should act in a fearless and constructive way to protect his 
 employees from the results of personal caprice. So should the 
 commission take the initiative in protecting efl&cient public 
 servants from the whims of political bosses. The only kind of 
 permanency that the municipal employee should expect is 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 189 
 
 the kind that the private employer offers — the only guarantee 
 capable men desire. 
 
 ENTJMEEATION OF DUTIES 
 
 Specific duties attached to various posts are often re- 
 quested by the civil-service commissions, presumably for the 
 purpose of making up the examination questions. An exact 
 enumeration is often as impossible as it is undesirable, espe- 
 cially in the higher grades. It is just this impossibility 
 of specifying exactly the duties of these higher positions 
 that makes their satisfactory filling by civil-service commis- 
 sions so difficult. 
 
 The administrator wants flexibiUty in his organization. To 
 effect this the duties of most positions must vary from time to 
 time. To change men every time the duties of their positions 
 change would be absolute foUy, The successful candidate 
 in an examination based strictly on specified duties may turn 
 out, in the course of a year, to be wholly unfit for the position. 
 If the duties of different officials may be defined in such gen- 
 eral terms as one civil-service commission used in defining^the 
 duties of some of its employees, there is possibly no harm in 
 outlining the duties attached to the various positions. For 
 example, part of the work of a "head stenographer" was offici- 
 ally given as: "acts for the chief clerk in various matters." 
 Such definition makes sufficient allowance for the flexibility 
 demanded by the appointing officer; but it does not define. 
 A generous use of "etc." — another predilection of this same 
 commission — suggests another method of defining titles while 
 retaining flexibihty of duties. 
 
 Even in the lower-grade positions, this exact definition of 
 duties is liable to encmnber the efficiency of the department 
 to no good purpose. It was necessary for the Bureau of High- 
 ways and Street Cleaning in Philadelphia to get rid of a number 
 
190 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of skilled labourers who had been shifted temporarily to clerical 
 work. There was at the time a scarcity of clerical assistance 
 in the Bureau and an over-abundance of skilled labour, and 
 the men transferred were fully quali&ed for their new duties. 
 They had to seek other jobs and new men were brought into 
 the Bureau from the eligible list of clerks, possibly leaving 
 vacant clerical positions in industrial concerns. It is not 
 possible in a Bureau of Highways to maintain at all seasons 
 of the year a uniform balance as between clerical and other 
 kinds of work. 
 
 At a time when skilled labour was over-plentiful there was 
 need for two additional chauffeurs. Two capable men from 
 the skilled-labour class in the same bureau were transferred 
 to these positions. The city was getting the services of two 
 chauffeurs at the cost of skilled labourers, and two men were 
 kept on the job. Here strict interpretation of the civil-service 
 law demanded additional imnecessary expense to the city, 
 unnecessary shifting of four men, two being thrown out of 
 work, and the training of two new men to the particular re- 
 quirements of their positions. Such methods on the part of 
 the munidpaUty do their share to increase the city's unem- 
 ployment problem. An inflexible system in civil service is as 
 cumbersome and costly as inflexible men in the public service. 
 
 Civil-service commissions, as a class, have not come to realize 
 that their function is the active one oi finding the best available 
 man for the job, and not the passive one of recommending a 
 passable candidate. For the man already employed, and for one 
 who listens to overtures with reluctance, the passing of the 
 quahf5dng examinations is usually a perfunctory detail. As 
 President Moskowitz of the New York City Civil Service 
 Commission has said, a live-wire commission will find ways 
 to disregard rules when they interfere with progress. Civil- 
 service commissioners cannot afford to be fatalists in their 
 regard for the mechanisms of the law. 
 
FINDING THE MAN IN TEN THOUSAND 191 
 
 It has been suggested" that possibly the civil-service com- 
 missioners themselves should possess certain qualifications 
 to secure their jobs. One of the first qualifications that I 
 would suggest is that every commissioner shall have served 
 at least two years as an executive official. As a matter of 
 fact, most civil-service commissioners are lawyers. 
 
 Methods should be adopted that will obtain quicker results 
 from examinations. In departments such as those in which 
 there is a great deal of construction work which varies in 
 amount from season to season, it is necessary at times to in- 
 crease quickly the force in certain divisions. The most de- 
 sirable candidates will not wait around two months after an 
 examination to find out whether they are to be available for 
 -^pointment. Civil service has operated in most cities as if 
 it had a negative object — the prevention of unwarranted 
 favouritism. Peculiarly enough it is operated almost exclu- 
 sively by men who have never had any practical experience 
 in the handling of employees. The really remarkable thing 
 is that the results are as good as they are. 
 
 This brings us to one of the fundamental handicaps in con- 
 nection with civil-service work, namely the appropriation. 
 Civil service, where enforced, touches every fibre of our 
 public service. As the methods advance, any city coimcil 
 can well afford to provide without stint for the operation of 
 the civil service. To demand the best services — not charity 
 work — of the most competent examiners requires large fimds, 
 which will be returned to the city many-fold through efficient 
 workers. Funds should be available that will make it possible 
 for the commission to conduct thorough personal searches for 
 the right man for any particular position. 
 
 We wish to register a deepening conviction that some form 
 of civil service is absolutely necessary for a proper conduct 
 of mimicipal business. Were it not for civil service, the life 
 of the average administrator would be rendered almost 
 
192 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 unbearable. At the same time, we are.convinced that the civil- 
 service system in this country is suffering from an over-confi- 
 dence in its present methods by those administering it. We 
 believe that over a large part of the field the methods used 
 are archaic; that as the grade of the position to be filled rises, 
 the present methods of examining are less and less likely to 
 produce the right kind of men. The civil service should be 
 looked upon as corresponding to an employment bureau in 
 the ordinary industrial establishment. Among the changes 
 which would appear to be for the good of the system are: 
 the appointing officer should be allowed greater scope in 
 signifying the particular tjrpe of employee he wants at any 
 given time; more weight should be given to a candidate's pre- 
 vious experience and record, and less to what he is able to 
 submit in a four-hour examination; promotions shoiild in 
 greater measure be dependent on record of work done 
 rather than on examination; civil service should be operated, 
 primarily, to promote efficiency rather than to check fkvour- 
 itism. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 
 
 MY ADVERTISING policy is based on the recognition 
 of two fundamental facts. First : with our advancing 
 educational standards and with the development of 
 a finer public spirit in city, state, and nation our people become 
 increasingly anxious to know about public affairs. Second: 
 with the rapid increase in the total sum of human knowledge 
 and amid the growing complexities of modem Ufe it becomes 
 more and more difficult for the average man to know enough 
 about his government to enable him to act intelligently. Ob- 
 viously both these statements must be qualified in various 
 ways. But any administrator will be well advised if he as- 
 sumes an eagerness on the part of all his public to know, not 
 something, but everything about the government — its purposes 
 and the manner of their execution. There is nothing in this 
 to prevent us from recognizing that our people become in- 
 creasingly busy; that for every governmental function of a 
 generation ago we have perhaps ten to-day, and that, therefore, 
 if we are to keep our constituencies informed, very simple and 
 sometimes novel methods must be utilized. If public imder- 
 standing is necessary for public support then the successful 
 administrator — other things being equal — ^will be the one who 
 uses a maximum of those methods which tend toward the 
 broadest possible enlightenment of the public. 
 
 Publicity is the backbone of progress. Our largest and 
 most successful private corporations are more and more taking 
 
 193 
 
194 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the public into their confidence. This includes facts both 
 about the commodity sold and methods of operation. Espe- 
 cially during recent years a very large number of instances 
 could be cited where private corporations have accomplished 
 almost marvellous results through advertising and publicity 
 campaigns. During recent years advertising space in the 
 newspapers — especially in our larger centres of population 
 — ^has been used very efficiently to afford the public fuller in- 
 formation on matters of interest to the public such as (a) the 
 purchase of an electric distribution system in Los Angeles, 
 Cal.; (b) opposing the erection of a government armour plant, 
 (c) the strike of garment workers in New York, and (d) the 
 eight-hour day for railway employees. 
 
 If no particular and immediate object is sought by the ad- 
 vertising corporation, facts are widely circulated in the hope 
 of creating a generally favourable public opinion. It has come 
 to be recognized that upon the opinion of the consumer very 
 largely depends the success of any enterprise. There is prac- 
 tically no limit to the field of endeavour in which pubHcity 
 may operate successfully. The practical politician must be 
 a skilled advertiser in his efforts to mould pubhc opinion. A 
 good bill can be put through any legislature in a legitimate way 
 if the funds are available for the proper sort of publicity cam- 
 paign. In October, 191 5, E. St. Ehno Lewis and his associates, 
 counsel in organization and management, annoimced their 
 preparation for the business of "creating a town spirit. " This 
 is an end undoubtedly quite possible of attainment by the 
 methods proposed. 
 
 If it is a well-recognized fact that publicity brings rich 
 returns to large private corporations the case is no different 
 in its essentials when the corporation is the city. The city 
 caters to the same customers as do our industrial corporations, 
 the pubKc utilities and the railroads. It behooves the public 
 official to use to the utmost the opportunities at hand for edu- 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 195 
 
 eating and influencing public opinion to a favourable im- 
 pression of the concern he represents. 
 
 With the widening of the field of government it becomes 
 increasingly difficult to instruct the people as to the uses to 
 which their money has been put as well as those objects for 
 which it is proposed to expend future siuns. The ever-widen- 
 ing of the reaches of human knowledge, the gathering together 
 of our population in larger and larger municipal imits, and 
 the constant influx of those not even acquainted with our 
 language, make novel methods of publicity necessary. For 
 one reason or another public officials are not as a rule able to 
 get pubhcity , nor to make the people imderstand their purposes 
 and work. A man in private business frequently answers 
 that he does not have to give his reasons; sometimes he even 
 resents being asked for them. But a public official should 
 beg for widespread discussion of public problems, for only in 
 this way can he get the necessary public support for those 
 plans deserving support. Too frequently the public has 
 either half information or misinformation. 
 
 There is probably no question affecting the administration 
 of American municipalities to-day which is of greater moment 
 than this one. We have to get rid of the now old-fashioned 
 idea that advertising is a crime. I admit that as a part of 
 my work as a public official I put in a great deal of thought on 
 what may be quite properly called advertising. Especially 
 was this so in respect to my annual reports whose chief aim 
 was rather human interest and "easy reading" than dignity 
 of form and diction. It is only as public officials learn to 
 make the public, sometimes against its will, imderstand their 
 work, that they will get that degree of popular support which 
 win make it possible to do the work in an efficient manner. 
 
 It is going to become more and more a necessity, not only 
 in public but in private work, for those in charge to be able 
 to populanze what they do. It is true to-day that a man who 
 
196 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 wants to do really good and efficient work can do so only after 
 an aroused public opinion. You cannot drive people in a 
 democracy. In offering employment to an engineer, other 
 things being equal, I want what might be called a good adver- 
 tiser. You can secure appropriations for work more easily 
 when it is well advertised. The building of the Panama 
 Canal is a good example of this principle in action. 
 
 Again, advertising is the best possible check against ill- 
 advised expenditures. In building our Byberry and Bensalea. 
 Service Test Roadway we erected sign boards on each of the 
 twenty-six sections giving to the layman the exact method 
 of its construction in non-technical language. If the public 
 is iaf ormed how a street is supposed to be constructed or 
 cleaned, you do not require so many paid inspectors. 
 
 The erection of these signs on the Service Test Roadway 
 was generally considered quite an innovation but I would 
 now advise going even further. For every man who will 
 stop and read a sign there are one himdred who will stop 
 to look at a cross section of the road itself if we had 
 such a cross section cut out and properly displayed at the 
 roadside. It would be better still to have a typical cross 
 section painted on a sign board to a sufficiently large scale 
 so that the method of construction can be taken in al- 
 most without stopping. Those who advertise soup and 
 whiskeys realize that by using a picture which can be read 
 without stopping they get perhaps a thousand readers for one 
 who woidd stop. There is so much to command our interest 
 and to divert us that only that man gets our attention who 
 really makes it easier for us to get his message than to 
 avoid it. 
 
 The development of some varieties of municipal engineering 
 is absolutely dependent upon the development of public opin- 
 ion and must proceed with it. The matter of street cleaning 
 is largely a question of an improved public taste in the matter 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 197 
 
 of street paving. Unless streets are well paved they cannot 
 be well cleaned except at a prohibitive cost. To jump from 
 one degree of cleanliness on the highways to another, without 
 a supporting public opinion, may be enough to wreck an ad- 
 ministration and to set the tide of civic improvement running 
 in the opposite direction. 
 
 The newspaper is the great educator in these matters to-day, 
 but moving pictures, parades, and exhibitions will come into 
 increasing popularity. The possibilities of these and other 
 means of publicity are not yet fully understood. 
 
 OFFICIAL EEPORTS 
 
 In the matter of writing reports there is the greatest room 
 for improvement. Too frequently in the past they have been 
 stereotyped in form, weighted down with page after page of 
 dry and almost meaningless figures, and written in a style for- 
 bidding to all except a small professional class of municipal 
 administrators. 
 
 Almost without exception the engineering reports from 
 other cities contain page after page of inconsequential matter 
 or at least data and information which it is more than useless 
 to put in type. 
 
 The last annual report of the Department of Public Works 
 of Boston, after addressing his Honour the Mayor of that 
 City, almost arouses curiosity at the outset by its lack of 
 human interest. 
 
 Sir — In compliance with the Revised Ordinances, 'the annual 
 report of the operations and expenses of the Public Works Depart- 
 ment for the year ending January 31, 1914, is herewith submitted. 
 The PubUc Works Department created by Ordinances of 1910, 
 Chapter 9, was formed by consolidatiog the Engineering, Water 
 and Street Departments, etc., etc. 
 
igS OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Then follow 495 pages of charts, diagrams, and statistical 
 tables. It is a safe guess that not even in Boston was this 
 read to any considerable extent. This report is not an excep- 
 tion, a freak example; it is the usual thing. Send for some of 
 them and see how ridiculous they sound. They are sent free 
 to the public. 
 
 Compare the interest aroused by the introductory sentences 
 of the report just cited, with the following: 
 
 Director, Department of Public Works. 
 I beg to submit a review of the Bureau of Water's operation for 
 
 1914- 
 
 The following portion is written for the purpose of being read; 
 data, statistics, and tabular information which may be useful for 
 study and reference will be foimd in an appendix. 
 
 That portion written for the "purpose of being read" occu- 
 pied twenty-three pages; that part interesting for study and 
 reference occupied forty pages. 
 
 Pages 89 to 104 of the last annual report of the Board of 
 Water Commissioners of Wilmington (Delaware) listed spare 
 parts of water meters on hand in the storehouse. Such>illu- 
 minating entries as these are printed — ^probably at a cost of 
 two dollars per page: 
 
 1 Brush-wire $0.25 
 
 2 Drift pins .10 
 
 5 Emery sheets 20 
 
 I File Eoill 15 
 
 Another glaring example of the same thing is the thirty-ninth 
 annual report of the Board of Public Works of Grand Rapids, 
 Michigan. Again any printer's mouth would water at the 
 sight of the compact volume, about one and a half inches thick, 
 which contains the "Annual Reports 1910, 1911, 1912, and 
 1913, Department of Engineering, Cityof Rochester." I cannot 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 199 
 
 believe that anybody every really reads such ponderous public 
 dociunents. Such masses of figures evidently published with 
 the idea of providing publicity really act in the contrary 
 manner. At best the taxpayer's attention can only be at- 
 tracted by the big essentials. Most municipal reports are 
 trackless mazes of inconsequential bookkeeping entries of the 
 old-fashioned — if not entirely obsolete — sort. 
 
 We continually made the effort, in our official reports, to 
 retain in the body of the report only such matters as were 
 of more or less general interest, and to present them in 
 such shape as to command public attention. Tabular and 
 other technical details, interesting to only a limited class, were 
 either put in the appendices or left out altogether. When the 
 data was omitted entirely it was noted in the report that such 
 information was on file in the bureau where it could be con- 
 sulted, or from which place it would be sent out to those in- 
 terested. 
 
 Public reports should be freely illustrated with photographs 
 and charts. The illustration showing the City Hall of Phila- 
 delphia in an aquariiun makes an instant and lasting impres- 
 sion on the mind of the citizen reader. It enables him to 
 vfeualize the enormous amount of water used by his city. 
 
 There is apparently indefinite room for improvement in the 
 matter of the graphic presentation of cost and other financial 
 data of interest to the public. ' A good exhibit of this is the 
 chart showing the distribution of Philadelphia's expenditures 
 shown in an earlier chapter. 
 
 Public officials should remember that "news" from the 
 newspaper man's standpoint has certain definite — ^more or less 
 technical — characteristics which it is well to study. The same 
 thing said at different times may on the one occasion and in 
 one connection be "news" and be handled as such by the pa- 
 pers, while three days later it will not cause the reporter to 
 raise an eyebrow. Many matters which by themselves are not 
 
aoo OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 conspicuously available for newspaper use can be made so by 
 a proper setting. 
 
 Sewers and news about sewers do not fire the public imagina- 
 tion and hence the newspapers pay little attention to them. 
 We were able to secure a large appropriation ($200,000) for a 
 sewer that had been pressing for many years, largely through 
 the hmnan interest injected into a public hearing by the pa- 
 thetic story of a poor baker-woman who had her small stock of 
 flour ruined at every heavy rainfall and all for the want of 
 the sewer. The story reached the first page of the news- 
 papers and a public agitation and the appropriation were the 
 xesult. 
 
 For one person who reads an article ten glance through it 
 or read the first paragraph and one hundred read the headlines. 
 In an effort to reach the larger number by putting the work of 
 the department in the headlines we changed entirely the 
 character of the cover and title pages of our reports. There 
 had not been previously any appreciable change in the Water 
 Bureau Reports in this respect for over 100 years — both 
 cover and title pages were always the same. The range 
 is shown by these two samples: 
 
 First Last 
 
 Report Annual Report 
 
 of the of the 
 
 Joint Committee Bureau of Water 
 
 Select and Common Councils City of Philadelphia 
 
 on the For the year 1913 
 
 Subject of Bringing 
 Water to the City 
 Philadelphia 
 1798 
 
 These pages were undoubtedly exceedingly chaste and 
 dignified and involved the author in very little trouble, but 
 
PRACTICAL TESTS ARE THE LAST WORD IN CI\TL SERVICE 
 Sifting out the men who can quickly caulk a joint which will not leak 
 
 CIVIL SERVICE AS AN AID TO MUNICIPAL GOVERNJIENT 
 These candidates seek appointments as detectives 
 
ll.l.rSTKAl KIN Til SHOW TH K KNOU.MOIS V(.)l,l ,M K ( >F ril.TEItKD 
 WATEK rSEl) HY THE CITV 
 
 Cit> ll;ill is isii'j fell li.iiir rn>iii Hu' ri"i-lli t" tlic south anil 11" fii-t wide from i-a.st t.i 
 \v.--l, IVoiii tile p.ivpitKiit hi tlif rnimi ot" thi' hat nf Uic William IViin statue surniiumtiiifj: thf 
 Inurr is ;,ir IV,-t. II '.. Indii-s. 
 
 Thr la'nplr of l'!iila<h/l|iliia ctiisunR- (■\ 'TV (i7 h.airs cn-.u^ili pur.- liltt-rt-d water to eoln- 
 ).l.t. I\ lill a Imjr,- ri-ceptaih- (as iihovo shown in tin' form ol" an aqnarinni) larffe enoujfh to en- 
 rl,.M- ('ih. Hall, inihi.iiiiy- IIk- InMir and all. 
 
 VISUALIZING THE WATER PROBLEM 
 
 Such an illustration will assist Mr. Average Citizen to understand the need for a 
 
 $5,000,000 annual expenditure 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 201 
 
 they were not enlightening to those who paid the bills. The 
 cover page for the 1914 report for the same bureau reads: 
 
 REVIEW OF THE YEAS's WORK 
 
 IN I914 
 
 PHILADELPHIA BUREAU OP WATER 
 
 FIVE POINTS TO REMEMBER 
 
 1. Waste of water is the principal obstacle to further improvement 
 
 of the supply. 
 
 2. Cost of operation and maintenance in 1914 was $450,000 less 
 
 than ui 1911. 
 
 3. Lowest typhoid rate of recent years proves the quality of water 
 
 fiumshed by the filters. 
 
 4. Meter and fixture rates should be equalized and meters placed 
 
 upon wasteful users. 
 
 5. Additions to the water system should be planned for 25 years 
 
 ahead. 
 
 ^ What had formerly been the title page of the same report 
 appeared as follows: 
 
 BUREAU OF WATER STATISTICS 
 REVENUES 
 
 Increasing Receipts 1912 $4,947,649 
 
 1913 4,949,701 
 
 1914 5,191,345 
 
 COST OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 
 
 Decreasing Costs 1912 $2,271,658 
 
 1913 2,013,322 
 
 1914 i>826,7S4 
 
 COAL BURNED 
 
 Saving of Coal 1912 201,168 tons 
 
 1913 183,686 
 
 1914 179,736 " 
 
202 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 NEW PIPE LAID 
 
 Increase of Service 1912 15 miles 
 
 1913 19 " 
 
 1914 2S 
 
 PER CAPITA DAILY CONSUMPTION 
 
 Cutting Down Waste 191 2 198 gallons 
 
 1913 178 " 
 
 1914 173 " 
 
 The whole object of a municipal advertising campaign must 
 be to inform the public and to inform it just as broadly and 
 intimately as it is at all possible to do. The arrangement of 
 cover and title pages, of our reports so that they would tell the 
 story in the best possible way thus became an important 
 matter. 
 
 Following, in the order in which they were developed, are the 
 proofs of the three cover pages which were worked out for our 
 1914 report. The printer became very much interested as the 
 various styles were suggested and tried out. He volim- 
 teered the comment that No. 3 (the one finally adopted) was 
 undesirable because of the fact that it looked so much like 
 an advertisement! It was the realization of these facts, the 
 conviction that public docxmients must be readable, that 
 caused me to attempt to disarm the skepticism of the pubJic 
 by adopting ih my 1914 report the title page shown on page 
 205. 
 
 In writing our annual reports the heads of the several 
 bureaus were encouraged to express quite freely their own 
 views on work already done as well as on plans for the future 
 in the hope that it would stimulate public interest and dis- 
 cussion, and lead to a more intelligent public opinion about 
 matters in which the people were interested and for which 
 public funds were expended. Too frequently public ofl&cials 
 fail to assume this leadership in the work entrusted to them. 
 
,lh 
 
 CO 
 
 ^ 
 
 III 
 
 
 
 ml 
 
 ■ilalJa-S I 
 
 ldU£OinUUUS 
 
 
 csi ^ 
 
 [^ 
 
 fi. 
 
 ^ 4i £ « I 
 
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 a cJi O < 
 
 li £ o 
 
 
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 •■ = # «> 
 
 203 
 
204 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 We can always be more than glad to accommodate ourselves 
 to a pubUc opinion contrary to our own after it has expressed 
 itself, without in any way yielding our obligation to press our 
 own views until the public has so spoken. 
 
 An admirable example of an instructive and readable docu- 
 • ment is the Municipal Year Book of New York City for 1915. 
 It is a neat volume printed in good type filled with many easily 
 grasped facts and altogether enjoyable reading. It is in 
 reality a citizen's handbook. The Year Book explains the 
 various bureaus and departments, their duties and powers. 
 It takes up in interesting detail the whole city government- 
 It was apparently written with the purpose of enticing the 
 citizen already surfeited with much reading. Mayor Mitchel 
 gives the facts of this transformation in the opening paragraph 
 of his introduction : 
 
 I am especially pleased that during my administration there 
 should again be made available to the public, facts like those con- 
 tained in this Municipal Year Book. From 1841 to 1870 the city 
 clerk compiled annually a "Manual of the Corporation of the City 
 of New York," which is now a quaint but authoritative source of 
 information regarding the earlier days of New- York City's govern- 
 ment. • During the last year of my predecessor's administration 
 the publication of a manual or handbook was revived and a Munici- 
 pal Year Book was prepared by the Mayor's secretary. The 
 present Year Book is a further development of this idea. 
 
 PUBLIC OPINION AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION 
 
 Any municipal undertaking that is really justified is bound 
 to get adequate support and cooperation if you can stir up 
 enough public discussion of the subject. Public discussion 
 usually resolves itself into public opinion, and this public 
 opinion soon finds various and effective ways to express itself. 
 If there is any one thing to which a crooked politician gives 
 immediate attention it is an aroused public opinion. He 
 
lijojv or unT^ltcred river water 
 BEFORE 
 
 Contains 7ooo feactena per cubic centimeler 
 
 Rltered water supplied b/tkeCity 
 AFTER 
 
 Contains 8 bacteria per cubic centimeter 
 
 The Safest Drinking Water in the World 
 
 DRINKING WATER HAS BECOME A MANUFACTURED PRODUCT 
 
 CIVIC EXHIBIT AT CLE\'ELAND CITY CLUB 
 
CLEAN-UP WEEK CAR CARD 
 Made in bold design to be seen both from within and from without the car 
 
 CLEAN-UP WEEK COOPERATION 
 
 Many of the merchants displayed special signs on their delivery wagons 
 
DEAR READER 
 
 Please forget that this is a public 
 
 document. Read it rather as a study 
 
 in home-making — as the record of one 
 
 year of effort to make of Philadelphia 
 
 the best place in all the world in which 
 
 toliDe. This report of the Director of 
 
 Public Works to the Mayor of the 
 
 city is really a story' of the stewardship 
 
 of 4000 city employees working for th^ 
 
 i 
 other 1,600,000 citizens. 
 
 MORRIS LLIIWELLYN COOKE, 
 
 P. S.-r-At least look at the picturesi 
 
 M. L, a 
 
 An Unusuai. Title Page 
 
 20S 
 
ao6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 has his hands ever on the ropes ready to swing into the wind 
 when it threatens to overturn the treasure ship of state. 
 
 Mayor Blankenburg was always strongly impressed with 
 the value of public discussion The entire foreword to a 
 pamphlet on "Real Estate and Its Taxation in Philadelphia," 
 issued in May, 1913, was devoted to this thought. 
 
 ' The subject of this pamphlet is of vital importance to every man, 
 woman, and child in Philadelphia. It matters little whether the 
 particular suggestions set forth in the following pages are wise 
 or unwise. The urgent matter is that taxpayers, real estate men, 
 builders, members of building and loan associations, and, indeed, 
 all thoughtful citizens, should famiharize themselves with this 
 subject; look into it carefully, each from his own point of view and 
 discuss it in public and private. If this is done, a proper solution 
 of our present difficulties will soon be forthcoming. To aid in such 
 intelligent study and discussion, I gladly take the opportimity of 
 giving pubUcity to what I know to be a careful, conscientious, and 
 informing study of methods of assessing real estate for purposes of 
 taxation. 
 
 The pamphlet itself, after it has discussed, one by one, what 
 seemed to be the evils of Philadelphia's taxation system, and 
 suggested remedies therefor, asks the following question: 
 
 Supposing that all real estate is assessed at its fuU value; that 
 the assessment system embraces the principles of separate assess- 
 ment on land and improvements; that the members of the Board of 
 Revision, the assessors and the clerks, are men chosen for their 
 fitness and are under the control of the taxpayers; that the depart- 
 ment is equipped with the proper tools, such as block and lot maps, 
 land value maps, and factors of value of new buildings; what still 
 remains necessary to make the system efficient? 
 
 The answer given was: "Systematic publicity." It was 
 very properly contended that, even should a perfect system 
 be developed, it would still be necessary to instruct the tax- 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 207 
 
 payer, not only as to the amount at which his property is as- 
 sessed, but as to how that assessment is figured. 
 
 EDUCATING THE PUBLIC 
 
 From a dollar-and-cents standpoint, by far the most im- 
 portant work of the Bureau of Water of Philadelphia during 
 the course of the year 191 2 was a widely conducted campaign 
 looking toward the education of the public to a more reasonable 
 and economical use of water. That this campaign was success- 
 ful was indicated in many different ways. From the start 
 every effort was made to impress upon the public that it 
 was not desired that any one should limit the legitimate 
 use of water. In a large part of our city it is imfortunately 
 true that the per-capita consumption of water for legitimate 
 purposes should be increased, and it will be increased with the 
 betterment of our living standards. It is equally true, how- 
 ever, that, both for manufacturing and residential uses, 
 Philadelphia at the time we began this crusade — ^barring only 
 two or three smaller cities — ^was the most wasteful city in the 
 world in its use of water. Philadelphia is undoubtedly fortu- 
 nate in lying at the junction of two such magnificent waterways 
 as the Delaware and Schuylkill. Under proper management 
 this means that our necessary expense for water will be 
 always less than that of other cities not so favoured. But it 
 is not wise to allow this good fortune to be given as an excuse 
 for a profligate waste of water — a waste certainly amounting 
 to one half of all we use, or perhaps 100 gallons per capita 
 per day. Considering the fact that it has to be pumped, and 
 sometimes pumped twice, and always allowed to settle and 
 that it is then filtered twice, water should be recognized as a 
 manufactured product and therefore ought not to be regarded 
 "as free as air." 
 
 The first step in the water-waste campaign was the securing 
 
2o8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of an ordinance allowing the installation of water meters, 
 heretofore prohibited for residences and prohibited for manu- 
 facturing establishments except where excessive waste was 
 shown. Between the years 1913 and 1916 the number of meters 
 in Philadelphia increased from 2,000 to nearly 50,000. 
 
 THE WATER CONSERVATION EXHIBIT 
 
 This was followed by the Water Conservation Show, so 
 successfully held in the City Hall Courtyard, which was visited 
 by nearly 400,000 people and indirectly resulted in a large 
 number of meetings being held both in the City Hall and in the 
 several sections of the city. This exhibit was entirely made 
 up of meters and other water-saving appliances. No rent was 
 charged for the space, the only restriction being that nothing 
 was to be shown that did not have a direct bearing on the 
 conservation of the City's water supply. It was the first 
 time, to our knowledge, that such an exhibit had been held, 
 and, as a result of it, similar exhibits have followed and are 
 being planned, not only in other cities in this country, but 
 abroad. In connection with the Water Conservation Exhibit 
 several thousand buttons of unique design were circulated 
 among school children and prizes were offered to children of 
 the Seventh and Eighth Grades for the best essay on the 
 saving of water in domestic uses. Two pamphlets were dis- 
 tributed in large nimibers, giving publicity to the progress 
 of the work and its results. 
 
 A large crew of water inspectors was put on for house-to- 
 house inspection. This scheme had formerly been tried and 
 abandoned as too expensive. Under better supervision, and 
 we believe a higher type of men, the cost was gradually reduced 
 to about four cents per house visited — obviously a figure at 
 which work of this kind can be carried On profitably. During 
 the first year practically the entire city was covered twice by 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 209 
 
 this inspection force, and through the canvass hundreds of 
 thousands of leaky fixtures were located and repaired. It is a 
 curious commentary on htunan nature that of all leaks de- 
 tected not more than one in five thousand was that of a 
 hot-water fixture. As the householder has an interest in the 
 expense of heating the water, he also apparently is interested 
 in seeing that it is not wasted. 
 
 During the three years from 1912 to 1914, inclusive, our 
 inspectors visited 1,887,531 buUdings with the following results, 
 which were given great publicity: 
 
 Broken Pipes 24,836 
 
 Leaking Hydrants 62,879 
 
 " Flush Tanks. . . . 117,961 
 
 " Spigots 136,841 
 
 " Troughs 350 
 
 Total 342,867 
 
 METERING CITY HALL SUPPLY 
 
 In order to set an example in mimicipal saving, a 12-inch 
 meter was installed in the City Hall. It resulted in inunedi- 
 ately cutting the water consumption in that building by half. 
 An arrangement with the Board of Education was made 
 through which the metering of aU the school houses within 
 the next four years will result. It is unfortunate that 
 in these institutions, which should teach our young people 
 good habits, we have found the most flagrant waste of water. 
 From an advertising point of view all the water appliances 
 in our public schools should be of the very best. 
 
 Elimination of the waste of water has the added good effect 
 of giving us greater pressure both for fire and home purposes. 
 Very marked betterment in this respect has been noticeable 
 in several different sections of the City. When we began there 
 
2IO OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 were large areas of the City where water never reached the 
 third floor, and not even the second floor at certain hours of 
 the day. The added pressure is obviously a big gain in the 
 matter of fire fighting. Philadelphia's present water supply 
 will be adequate for the next five or ten years if we can put 
 its use on something near a proper basis. It is obvious that 
 if we make any addition to our water facilities it wiU mean 
 an expenditure of $15,000,000 or $20,000,000 and every year 
 that this can be postponed will mean a saving of $1,000,000 
 in interest and sinking fund charges. 
 
 That this campaign for the conservation of our water was 
 in some measure successful is evidenced by the fact that 
 
 In 191 1 Philadelphia consumed 202 gal. per capita per day 
 " 1912 " " 195 '< " " " " 
 
 " igi^ " " 171; " " " " " 
 
 " 1914 " " 160 " " " " " 
 
 The public could understand the effect of the efforts the 
 Water Bureau was making from the following statistics as to 
 the bureau's coal consumption: v 
 
 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 
 
 Cost $618,381 $570,480 $616,601 $527,802 $509,145 
 Tons 210,263 201,452 201,168 183,686 179)736 
 
 It must be remembered that this saving was effected notwith- 
 standing a rapidly growing population. In suggesting means 
 for conserving the water supply, in its pamphlet "A Great 
 Industrial Plant and Its Owners," the Philadelphia bureau 
 suggests: 
 
 There are just two methods in which successful attacks on water 
 waste can be made. One method may be explained by grouping 
 all known mechanical means such as metering, house-to-house 
 inspection with the imposition of penalties when necessary, and 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 211 
 
 the investigation and stoppage of leaks in the street mains and 
 services. The other method can be summed up in the single 
 expression Civic Education — meaning, of course, pubhc sentiment, 
 clean politics, wise government. 
 
 It is doubtful whether the first method alone, andtinaided by the 
 latter, would be successful. 
 
 The latter method alone might be successful but a combination 
 of both will not only bring about the desired result immediately, 
 but so educate the coming generation as to make it permanent. 
 
 When Commissioner Thompson of the Department of 
 Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, of New York City, went 
 into office, the per-capita water consumption of that city was 
 127 gallons. Investigations were made by experts on the 
 subject, special inspectors were employed to stop the leaks, 
 and a Waste- Water-Prevention Crusade was carried on to 
 educate the public. Mr. E. L. Harvey, Secretary of this De- 
 partment, is the authority for the statement that in three 
 years leaks were stopped which, had they been allowed 
 to continue, would have wasted over $3,000,000 worth 
 of water. The cost to the taxpayers for this saving was a little 
 more than $75,000. 
 
 A publicity campaign put the people in the proper frame 
 of mind to cooperate with this unusual inspection. The 
 stoppage of these leaks and the water-saving crusade reduced 
 the per-capita consimiption to 95 gallons and it is hardly 
 possible that the City suffered through any lowering in its 
 standards of cleanliness. 
 
 Before Philadelphia installed its present adequate system 
 for filtering its water supply, the death rate due to typhoid was 
 abnormally high and the water, especially after a heavy rain, 
 carried enough extraneous matter to give it a dark brown 
 colour. At that time, of course, it was considered suicidal 
 to drink the water as it came from the faucet. Most 
 householders boiled it while those who could afford to do so 
 
212 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 bought spring water. The Philadelphia supply, however, is 
 no longer subject to criticism and our typhoid rate is as low 
 as almost any city in the world. The boiling of the water, 
 however, continues in tens of thousands of homes and an 
 economic loss results. A larger percentage of those who can 
 afford it still purchase spring water, and as it is not, on the 
 average, nearly so pure as the city supply, the health of the 
 community is lowered. It will take years to educate the public 
 away from its dread of the city supply inherited from a time 
 when conditions were very different. But it was necessary to 
 make a beginning in the campaign. 
 
 In one of our annual reports for the benefit of those who 
 are in a hurry as well as those who lean on graphic stories, we 
 put all this information, in several different forms. For in- 
 stance, in the cut shown on the opposite page is told through 
 photographs the story of the comparative values of the prod- 
 ucts of the average spring and of the City's water works. 
 
 Thorough publicity, besides being a valuable asset for arous- 
 ing public interest, has at times yielded immediate results in 
 other directions — even to the saving of Uves. The incident of 
 a break in a 48-inch main in one of the residential districts of 
 Philadelphia in 191 2, and the consequent turning of raw water 
 into the mains, was of such a nature as to put the management 
 of the Water Bureau on its mettle. There have been very few 
 incidents in the history of that Bureau which have reflected 
 greater credit on its ofl&cials. An almost identical break* 
 occurred on November 28th of the previous year resulting in 
 367 cases of tj^ihoid and 25 deaths. Dr. Neff has declared 
 that owing to the method of handling the second break, ab- 
 solutely no cases of typhoid resulted. 
 
 'Fully described by Joseph S. Ne£E, M.D., LL.D., Ph. D., Director of Public 
 Health and Charities, in a paper read in the section on "Preventive Medicine 
 and Public Health" of the American Medical Association, at the Sixty-third 
 annual Session held in Atlantic City, June, 1912. 
 
nripyi^''-!^ Everybody Hi 
 
 yfy^ M.\KE OUR CIT^ BRIGHTER 
 
 APRIL20thT0 25th CLEANING UP DAYS 
 
 Vv'AGONS WILL CARRY AWAY ALL RUBBISH 
 ON REGULAR ASH COLLECTION DAVS - 
 
 A Genera I Clean-up 5 DAfS Every bedy Help 
 
 THE "MOVIES" USED FOR PUBLICITY 
 
 A typical slide used in nearly two hundred moving picture houses to 
 advertise "Clean-Up Week" 
 
 HOUSE CLEANING WITH A VENGEANCE 
 Tj'pical assortment of rubbish collected during "Clean-Up Week" 
 

 PARADE OF THE WHITE Vv'INGS 
 Moving pictures of this great demonstration were shown in all theatres 
 
 Description of great parlcway 
 project erectecl outside Sun- 
 day Tabernacle 
 
 A JIOVING BIT OF PUBLICITY 
 Little? Yes, but it got the road repaired 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 213 
 
 The following schedule indicates the completeness of the 
 preparations made and carried through by the Chief of the 
 Bureau, Carleton E. Davis, and his associates: 
 ' First. Upon the first indication of trouble the main at this 
 point was patrolled and men were stationed at the valves to 
 turn off the water should a break occur, and before any great 
 amoimt of damage had been done. 
 
 Second. The water was finally turned off on a Friday night 
 at an hour when it was still possible to reach the Saturday 
 morning's papers with the news. 
 
 Third. The treatment of the raw water with hypochloride 
 of lime was begun at once. 
 
 Fourth. Arrangements had been made with the night tele- 
 phone operator to communicate with every man whose services 
 vrete required in case of a break and most of these men were 
 
 BUREAU OF WAITER 
 
 Notice to Householders 
 
 BOIL YOUR 
 
 Boil all water use(J for drinking purposes at 
 least five minutes, until further notice. An 
 accident compels the Bureau to supply this 
 neighborhood with R aw unfiltered water. 
 
 water os«d fop driDklsff and oooking purpoaea In your hoowVild until hrther notice. 
 
 Hcflect of this notice may reault In serious illneu and eren death ItaeH may follow. ..., j . .* . j , > .t 
 
 T^lSld fcTir la^rtlmffirly fatal In the age period IB year, to 80 ycart, and about one-tUrd of Ike UMl death. 
 fmsi this disease wUl occur in persons between those ages. ,,.,_. vi- ^^.i. «>..•. .i»«« sim 
 
 There Is no nncertalnlT to the mean, by which wo catch typhoid ferer. uid It I. reasonably eePtato ttal abmt iOO 
 ««!.»»»• S erelT J00.00o'people exposed to iuttOSm will esteh this dil»».e and «.«t about »»<i »"••»» "™^ ' 
 
 Us n» Into iar chances on being om of the WO or yon may help to make np Uie SO. mtf ttUr-ml™. .. 
 
 Ah Idea from Pasis 
 These cards weie always on band in eveiy police station ready for emergendes 
 
214 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 at work within aa-hour of the time that filtered water was 
 turned off. 
 
 Fifth. Beginning at seven o'clock in the morning, the police 
 in the districts affected began the distribution of upward of 
 20,000 "Boil Your Water" cards to each individual home in 
 the district affected. These had been prepared nearly a year 
 before they were put in use for just such an emergency. 
 
 Sixth. By noon the two telephone companies had tele- 
 phoned to nearly 13,000 subscribers cautioning them to boil 
 the water. 
 
 Seventh. During the day, twenty-three inspectors were 
 sent through the districts placing printed placards on telegraph 
 poles, in shop windows, etc. 
 
 Eighth. One hundred special delivery letters were sent 
 to ministers in the district asking for their cooperation in 
 calling attention to the danger at each of the church and 
 Sunday-school services on the following day,. 
 
 Ninth. Through the Superintendent of Schools, it was 
 arranged that on the following Monday morning, the same 
 announcement should be made to all the school children. 
 
 Tenth. The work' of repair was so planned as to make rela- 
 tively sure that the same accident will not occur again, and 
 so energetically executed as to have filtered water again 
 passing through the main in less than twenty-four hours. 
 
 THE CITY employee's PART 
 
 Every point at which public funds are being expended be- 
 comes an important centre of educational influence, and every 
 employee of the city has his or her part to play in the general 
 enlightenment of the public. 
 
 To develop this individual responsibility of our men and wo- 
 men employees, a competition as to improvements brought about 
 in our work was held late in the year 1914. The following 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 215 
 
 letter was sent to each member of the department explaining 
 the object of the contest: 
 
 This department of ours has made a good record — I almost 
 said a great record — during the last three years in serving the 
 people of Philadelphia. In this work you individually, and the 
 bureau with which you are connected, have had your share, I 
 know that you have done good work. You know it. Now we 
 want aU the citizens of Philadelphia to know it. 
 
 As one means of getting pubUcity on what has been accompUshed 
 a prize competition in which every employee of the department 
 can take a hand, has been arranged. The prizes go to the employee 
 who suggests the best thing done in the department and by the 
 department during these three years when we have all been working 
 together for Philadelphia. Don't watch only the big things! To 
 caulk a joint in a water main both quickly and so that it wiU hold, 
 might save the City a whole lot of money. Don't study the other 
 fellow's work for ideas. What have you done on your job that was 
 never done before, or what are you doing better than it was ever 
 done before? Get your thinking cap on, and help us show the City 
 that the Department of Public Works is on the map. 
 
 Most of the illustrations used in our 1914 report resulted 
 from this competition. Wherever possible, credit was given 
 in this report to the employee making the suggestion. 
 
 A handsome silver cup was awarded to the Bureau of Sur- 
 veys for presenting the largest number of practical suggestions 
 of things accomplished. Suggestions and ideas entered were 
 divided into two classes : Class " A " — photographs, drawings, 
 blue prints, and diagrams with the privilege of adding an ex- 
 planatory statement of not more than 150 words: Class "B " — 
 suggestions and ideas which could be shown only by a descrip- 
 tive article, with the privilege of submitting a sketch. The 
 judges were Charles F. Jenkins, publisher of the Farm Journal, 
 Richard R. H. Durbin, President of the Poor Richard Club, and 
 E. R. Cox, a member of the State Legislature. Three prizes 
 
ai6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 were awarded in each class and the awards decided on the 
 following basis: 
 
 20 points for neatness and comprehensiveness of presentation. 
 20 points for showing greatest progress. 
 20 points for appeal to the public. 
 20 points for originality of suggestion. 
 
 20 points for importance of suggestion in illustrating progress of 
 department. 
 
 100 
 
 There were over two hundred separate entries made in 
 the two classes. Pictures of aU those to whom prizes were 
 awarded were included in the 19 14 report of the department. 
 The second prize of class "A"— $i5.oo^-was awarded to 
 Joseph Herrman, a labourer in the Bureau of City Property, 
 who submitted two photographs, the first showing a boy in a 
 public square obtaining a drink from a running hydrant and 
 the second showing a workingman refreshing himself at one 
 of the new bubbler fountains. 
 
 The winner of the first prize in Class "B" was Cleveland 
 Dean of the Bureau of Highways, who submitted a comparison 
 of the old and new methods of testing asphalt, shown elsewhere. 
 
 The range of the suggestions received in this competition 
 is shown by the following poem received from Miss Eleanor 
 Clifton to whom an Honourable Mention was given: 
 
 I fear I shall not stir the town nor yet arouse the nation 
 By booming the accomplishments of this administration; 
 While others strive for higher things to me it seems a pity 
 To overlook the advent of the Water Bureau kitty. 
 
 It brought its Mamma boundless joy, it gives the bureau pleasure. 
 And being black it means "good luck" in overflowing measure. 
 So as you reap the cash returns and I receive the mitten, 
 Remember that I sacrificed my art to praise the kitten. 
 
Outside the Buildin" 
 
 Models and Pictures of Future Plans 
 KNOW YOUR CITY BETTER EXHIBIT 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 217 
 
 This particular kitten is the one photographed in the Direc- 
 tor's Cup — the annual baseball trophy — shown in a previous 
 chapter. 
 
 EXPERT SERVICE 
 
 Just as I have emphasized the necessity of expert service 
 in municipal operations, so I insist that public ofiSdals should 
 explain the necessity of that expert service in terms that the 
 layman can understand. Dean H. S. Person, of Tuck School 
 of Business Administration of Dartmouth College, agrees that 
 "persistent word-of-one-syllable explanation of how and why 
 expert assistance is to the public advantage is the essence of 
 the method of educating the public."^ 
 
 Our public of to-day wants "results," and it will stand for 
 anything or anybody demonstrating the ability to get 
 them. It has little patience with experimental work except as 
 a preliminary to something else. There was introduced in our 
 Philadelphia City Coundls, an appropriation of $50,000 for an 
 experimental test roadway, and the bill was defeated on the 
 ground that I had stated that the man who was to spend the 
 money was one of the best experts on bituminous road-work in 
 the country. It was held that this statement and the appro- 
 priation were inconsistent — that either the engineer was less 
 expert than I had claimed, or that we did not need an experi- 
 mental test roadway. The title of the road in the appropri- 
 ation bill was changed to read "service test roadway," and 
 the biU was passed by a good majority. 
 
 The unwillingness of the public to stand for experimentation 
 was brought vividly to our attention at the time of the Dayton 
 disaster in 1913. Less than three months after a number of 
 Dayton's citizens had contributed about $2,000,000 to insure 
 the city against a repetition of that terrible calamity, signs of 
 discontent arose because of the fact that there was no evidence 
 
 '1914 Report American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Page 622. 
 
2i8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of any work being done. It became necessary to get a publicity 
 man on the job while the engineers were making the prelimi- 
 nary investigations. Publicity restored harmony at this point 
 as well as at several later stages of the same work. The moral 
 is that the public must be kept informed. When the city is 
 doing work which is preliminary in its nature, that fact, and 
 the conditions that make the fact necessary, must be explained 
 to those who are footing the bills. 
 
 CLEAN-UP WEEK 
 
 Clean-up Week has now come to be the one big announce- 
 ment of spring in many cities of the country. The success 
 of this work, whose value as a prevention of disease and pro- 
 moter of civic consciousness cannot be over-estimated, depends 
 entirely upon the publicity methods employed. Our first 
 attempt met with so much success that "Clean-Up Week" 
 became a regular institution with us. The Mayor appointed 
 his Clean-Up Week Committee in January. It consisted of 
 one representative from each of the Bureaus of Highway and 
 Street-cleaning, Health, and Fire. All the work of collection 
 was done under the supervision of the Bureau of Highways 
 and Street-cleaning. Committees from the Chamber of Com- 
 merce, the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association, and 
 others offered to cooperate after the city committee got to 
 work. In 1914, we organized this outside help into a Citizens' 
 Committee, numbering seventy-five men and including in its 
 personnel leaders in the financial, educational, business, and 
 religious life of the city. These men, .with some sacrifice of 
 their own affairs, gave enough of their personal attention to 
 the campaign to assure its success. 
 
 The Citizens' Committee was divided into twelve sub-com- 
 mittees: finance, press, post and printed matter, trade associa- 
 tions, commimity associations, charitable and benevolent 
 
An Appeal for "A CLEAN CITY" 
 
 "All Philadelphia Ciean Up Week" 
 
 APRIL 28TH TO MAY 3RD, 1913 
 
 Will You Help Clean Up Your Citv? 
 
 APRIL 28TH TO MAY 3ia>. 1913 HAS 
 BEEN NAMED AS "ALL PHILADELPHIA 
 CLEAN UrWEEK^ 
 
 HANG OUT THE STARS AND STRIPES 
 AND CITY COLORS AND PROCLAIM 
 YOUR SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION AND 
 aviC PRIDE. 
 
 Cover por Clean-up Week Announcement 
 2ig 
 
220 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 associations, schools and school children, churches, retail stores, 
 street cars, vacant lots, and fire preventioh. With the com- 
 bination of an active city committee and an interested Citi- 
 zens' Committee, organized for team work, success was assured. 
 The campaign slogan: "CLEAN UP FOR A SPICK AND 
 SPAN PHILADELPHIA," was seen everywhere. Trolley- 
 car windows, billboards, newspapers, pamphlets, placards, 
 and store windows. The citizen could not escape it. Even 
 the manufacturers and retail merchants helped out with all 
 forms of cooperative advertising. Automobiles and deliv- 
 ery wagons were equipped with muslin displays advertising 
 the campaign. 
 
 The city's official message to the householder was a four- 
 page bulletin containing a caricature, a little verse, and a word 
 from the Mayor. It told the story briefly — ^what to do and 
 how to do it. These pamphlets were distributed by the police 
 to 260,000 householders. Twenty thousand window display 
 cards, 14 by 15 inches, featuring William Penn on a background 
 of the city colours, with the four words "SOAP— WATER— ' 
 PAINT— POLISH," were prepared for the retail stores. 
 
 To convince the public that we were able to handle all their 
 old rubbish as well as to promote the efficiency of the force, 
 we preceded Clean-up Week with a big street-cleaning parade. 
 It took two hours to pass and thrilled the town. We ar- 
 ranged to have moving pictures of the parade taken, and they 
 were shown in many of the "movies" during the following 
 week. The public was educated as to the size of its street- 
 cleaning force. Even the men of the bureau had not realized 
 that they were a part of such a large organization. The parade 
 gave them a new sense of the importance of their work. 
 
 The hauling away of the rubbish which was offered the 
 first few days gave sufficient publicity where other methods 
 had failed. Small crowds watched wagon after wagon of 
 undesirable junk leave for parts unknown. Those of little 
 
CLEVELAND'S MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC PLANT , ,, 
 Sells current from one cent to three cents maximum pe/ K; W. 
 
 MUNICIPAL WATER CONSERVATION EXHIBIT 
 
 TO BE HELD IN CITY HALL COVRTYARB 
 
 OPENS OCTOBER. 7. I9IZ PHILADELPHIA 
 
 'aJMMmM 
 
 AMERICANS ARE GREAT WATER WASTERS 
 
 This exhibit was held to educate Mr. Average Citizen as to various 
 
 ways of saving water 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 221 
 
 faith were encouraged to look over their own garrets and cel- 
 lars. 
 
 MOSOtriTO CAMPAIGN 
 
 Another campaign into which we injected considerable 
 publicity was that against the mosquitoes. Four-page pam- 
 phlets, largely given over to terse headlines and illustrations, 
 were distributed in a systematic way. 
 
 Mosquito Bulletin No. i contained a map showing in red 
 those sections of the city which had already been treated by 
 the mosquito squad. Householders were urged to assist the 
 department man when he came around to help find the breed- 
 ing places. Community work was urjged. One family is not 
 so likely to suffer from the breeding place in their neighbour's 
 back yard if aU the houses in the neighbourhood are working 
 under some form of local organization. At the end of the 
 bulletins the citizen was asked to: — 
 
 REMEMBER THREE THINGS 
 
 IHE MOSQUITO DEPRECIATES PROPERTY VALUES, CAUSES PHYSICAL 
 SUFFERING TO HUMANITY, CARRIES DISEASE GERMS BROADCAST 
 
 Mosquito Bulletin No. 2 was "An Appeal to the Young 
 People of Philadelphia." The value of the cooperation of 
 the children of the city has long since become fully under- 
 stood, although I still feel that the potential strength of this 
 portion of our population is under-estimated. The young 
 people^s bulletin consisted of three pages besides the cover. 
 There were eight illustrations, not counting the large mosquito 
 on the front cover and the pool showing all stages of the mos- 
 qyito development, on the back cover. The Kfe and habits 
 of the pests were CKplained in the simplest possible language 
 and in large type. Each step was illustrated, from the "eggs 
 
222 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 floating in water " to " the mosquito at work." The last page 
 announced in large type that: — 
 
 Boy Scouts or other organizations of young people who will 
 cooperate with the] City in this campaign will be given every assis- 
 tance by the Department officials. 
 
 SIGNS 
 
 Some people do not believe in signs, others are com- 
 pelled to do so. To protect our city administration from 
 the adverse comments of the road-using public, especially 
 the automobilist, we had the sign shown on page 213 erected, 
 at the beginning of a bad piece of road on Stenton Avenue, 
 adjoining our territory. We found that at least one of 
 our neighbouring townships had a conscience. About a half- 
 mile of the road referred to on the signboard was immediately 
 relaid. Our sign told the public that we were trying to do 
 the right thing; told our neighbours to get busy; and brought 
 forth a section of new road. 
 
 The signs in the large parks showed by illustrations, dia- 
 grams, and explanatory notes, the improvements that were 
 being carried on. The Parkway sign, photograph of which 
 is given herewith, was put up outside of Billy Sunday's 
 tabernacle, where we were able to reach tens of thousands 
 with time to read on their hands. 
 
 The usefulness of signs and signboards has only begun to 
 be appreciated in the municipal service. I look forward to 
 the time when an adequate sign, fully descriptive of the work, 
 will be a part of every public contract. The various sections 
 of the subway now in course of construction in Philadelphia 
 are marked with signs telUng the contract munber and the 
 concern doing the work. This helps, but it is a very feeble 
 step. Every public building or structure of any kind should 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 223 
 
 be adequately marked to show what it is and what function 
 it is supposed to fill in the whole scheme of the city. The 
 wording of such signs must be not only suggestive but invit- 
 ing. 
 
 Prohibitions of any kind on signs are worse than useless. 
 As long as the sign: "Do not spit" hung in the corridors 
 of the City Hall, we required cuspidors at every turn. Since 
 it was altered to "Please help us to keep this corridor clean. 
 Thank you," the cuspidors have disappeared. Grad- 
 ually such signs as "Keep off" and "No crossing" are giving 
 way to the single word "Please" with good effect. 
 
 The great success of our "Water-saving Show" led to many 
 similar exhibitions which followed each other almost contin- 
 uously throughout our administration. The first of these 
 was a "Baby-Saving Show" held in a more or less permanent 
 building erected by the Child Federation. The same build- 
 ing housed the exhibitions which followed. One of the most 
 successful was the "Know Your City Better Exhibit" at 
 which we had an average daily attendance of over five thou- 
 sand. The "Weights and Measures Exhibit" was also a 
 popular one. This building is now used each year as the 
 headquarters of Clean-up Week. It is very advantageously 
 located on account of the large number of people who pass 
 through the City Hall Courtyard every day. 
 
 In a niunber of instances we used moving picture shows. 
 In our mosquito extermination campaign we showed, night 
 after night, slides giving the life history of the mosquito, and 
 others illustrating the method of oiling ponds, draining low- 
 lands, cleaning sewer inlets, etc. If we had important public 
 meetings, or for any reason wanted to call public attention 
 to any municipal undertaking, we had coloured shdes pre- 
 pared for the "movies" to use between reels. 
 
 We offered to send speakers to aU kinds of civic organiza- 
 tions to talk on any subject of municipal interest. A city 
 
224 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of the size of Philadelphia should have a thoroughly organized 
 lecture bureau with ample slide and reel equipment. 
 
 CONTRACTS 
 
 The fact that a city has valuable contracts to let is one of 
 the greatest causes for political intrigue. The stuffing of the 
 ballot box usually requires some elaborate planning. The stuff- 
 ing of the contract box is a very simple matter when those 
 who have charge of the box are in the game. The surest 
 way to guard against crookedness in the awarding of con- 
 tracts is fuU publicity at every step. When publicity elimi- 
 nates crookedness it encourages honest bidders — ^men not on 
 the inside — to compete for city work. As competition in- 
 creases the city benefits in price and quality. 
 
 To encourage bidding we issued an eight-page pamphlet 
 entitled "Information for Bidders." It was noted on the 
 cover that the pamphlet was "intended to assist bidders, and 
 the Department earnestly invites criticism on it or any sub- 
 ject bearing on departmental or bureau business." Infor- 
 mation about contracts was given under the following heads: 
 
 General information 
 
 Advertising in Papers, etc. 
 
 Plans and Specifications 
 
 Proposal Bond 
 
 Guaranty, etc. 
 
 Scheduling of Bids 
 
 Awards 
 
 Execution 
 
 Charges by Department of Law 
 
 Acts and Ordinances 
 
 The technique of advertising need not stop here. The ad- 
 vertisement itself, announcing the desire for proposals, as it 
 appears in the daily papers and elsewhere, is still in a very 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 
 
 225 
 
 VBS STATB HIGEtWiY DBPARTMBN*. 
 Harrlsburs, Pa., lovltes sealed proiiosals for 
 Qie purdiQse nud delivei'y of material, machlD* 
 ecy, implements and tools tor maintenance and 
 (tepair of State lilgUways, in such quantitiea -as 
 may be ordered from time to - time. Sucb,> pro- 
 ■nosals will be received at the office of the 
 State Highway Department, Capitol Building, 
 Barrisburg, Pa., until 10 o'clocli A. M., April 
 ■20, 1916. when they will be opened and sched- 
 uled. It'shaU he an eeaentlal .term ot aald 
 nroposala that the prices submitted therein shall 
 •eemaln in force from the date of such pro- 
 
 Sosal to the close of the fiscal year ending 
 [ay 31, 1916, Upon application -being made to 
 «he State Highway .Department at Harrlsburg, 
 Pa., bidding blanlES will be fumlafaed to prospect- 
 Ive bidders, which must be returned by the bidder 
 In a sealed Envelope, marked, "Proposals for 
 Furnishing Material, Machlfieiy, Implementa 
 and Tools to the Sttfle BJgbway Department." 
 JOSEPH W; HDNTEH, First Deputy State 
 nighway Comialsslopar. 
 
 Department of Public Works 
 
 Sealed proposalH will be received luitil 12 
 o'docis noon, on Tuesday. April 27, 1015, and 
 opened at that time hi Boom 225, City Hall: 
 
 Grading Streets. 
 
 Paving Streets with Asphalt 
 (assessment work). 
 Paving Streets with Vitrified Block 
 (assessment work). 
 Paving Streets with Granite 
 Blocks (assessment work). 
 Repaving Streets with Wood 
 Blocks. 
 
 Repaving Streets with Granite 
 Blocks. — 
 
 Resurfacing Streets with Vitrified 
 Blocks. 
 
 Furnishing and Delivering Crushed 
 Trap Rock. 
 ' Painting Bridges. 
 
 Inquire at Room 232. City' Hall. 
 
 M. ii. COOKE!, Director. 
 
 Two Styles op Contract Adteetisements 
 
 crade state of development. Its chief aim seems to be to 
 conceal its purpose and still comply with the law. We made 
 an effort to take one step forward. The difference can be 
 shown best by comparing the two advertisements shown 
 herewith, that of the State Highway Department appeared 
 in the Philadelphia Record within a few days of the appear- 
 ance of our own advertisement and in the same paper. 
 
 The advertising columns of any American newspaper 
 from Colonial times on contain Government advertisements 
 very much on the order of the specimen shown on the left 
 of the cut. No material change has been made m nearly 
 two hundred years. 
 
 THE SMOKE NXHSANCE 
 
 In his report to the Department of Public Safety for 1913, 
 
226 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 John M. Lukens, Chief of the Bureau of Boiler' Inspection 
 said: 
 
 During the past the biureau has been able, through publicity, 
 to awaken interest in the advantage to be gained by the abatement 
 of the Smoke Nuisance, and to a realization of the teconomic value 
 of such result to the community in general. Once having gained 
 the support of the public, the campaign agaiast the smoke evil 
 was an assured success, as is evidenced by the fact the definite 
 steps were taken in 207 plants to abate the nuisance. 
 
 It was pointed out in the publicity work on this subject 
 that the Midvale Steel Company had tested a number of 
 smoke-preventing devices and had settled upon a process which 
 in place of simply diunping coal upon a fire, required that 
 the coal be pulverized into a fine dust and then blown into 
 the fire. "Each particle of this coal-dust is at once ignited, 
 all the coal burns, and there is none left to escape into the air 
 in the form of smoke and soot. The whole plant will soon be 
 equipped with the device for using pulverized coal, which the 
 company reports as effective and economical." 
 
 The public can understand when the explanation is made 
 in the proper language. It has become too customary for 
 groups of men in various professions and trades so to lumber 
 their professional vocabulary with technical terms that their 
 conversation sounds, to the man not on the inside, like a foreign 
 language. For exactness of expression and understanding 
 within the group, those terms may have some value. For 
 public illumination they are useless. 
 
 ABOLITION OF GRADE CROSSINGS 
 
 When we wanted to put impetus into the elimination of 
 grade crossings in Philadelphia, we got out a booklet on the 
 subject. We described in some detail the dealings with the 
 companies and the meaning to the pubUc of the improve- 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 227 
 
 ments desired. There were also included numerous press 
 comments, diagrams and ordinances. The booklet was 
 thought necessary in spite of the fact that the railroad com- 
 panies were, apparently, willing to take up the problem in a 
 spirit of cooperation. In connection even with plans that 
 seem sure to be accomplished mishaps frequently occur. The 
 public is usually the steadjdng force and therefore it always 
 pays to keep the public acquainted with the facts. The prog- 
 ress made in the elimination of grade crossing subsequent to 
 the issuance of that booklet justified its expense many times 
 over. 
 
 PAMPHLET INPORMATION 
 
 Especially during the last year a number of pamphlets out 
 of the ordinary run were issued for the benefit of the public. 
 The following is a list of some of our publications: 
 
 "Business Methods in Mu- An informal record of the opera- 
 nicipal Works. " tions of the Department of 
 
 Public Works of the City of 
 Philadelphia, under the Admin- 
 istration of Mayor Blankenburg. 
 
 "The PoUtical Assessment of A report on the system as practiced 
 OflSce Holders." by the Republican Organization 
 
 in the City of Philadelphia. 
 1883-1913. 
 
 "A Study of Trolley Light By Clyde L. King, Ph.D., Wharton 
 PreightfService and Phila- School, University of Pennsyl- 
 
 delphia Markets in their vania 
 
 Bearing on the Cost of 
 Farm Produce." 
 
228 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 'South Philadelphia." 
 
 "Report on Service Test 
 Road — the Byberry and 
 Bensalem Turnpike," and 
 "Bulletin No. i on Service 
 Test Road." 
 
 " Information — Complaints " 
 andii" Municipal Complaiat 
 Post Card Book." 
 
 "A Great Industrial Plant 
 and Its Owners." 
 
 "A Study in Industrial Water 
 Charges." 
 
 "Mosquito Campaign" Bul- 
 letins No. I and No. 2. 
 
 "Information for Bidders." 
 
 Booklet above referred to de- 
 scribing the plan for the abolish- 
 ment of grade crossings, the 
 building of a belt line railway 
 and the creation of opportunities 
 for commercial and industrial 
 developments in the section of 
 the city south of Oregon Avenue. 
 
 By William H. Connell, Chief of 
 the Bureau of Highways. 
 
 A Small folder giving a list of all 
 mimicipal employees to whom 
 complaints should be addressed, 
 together with a set of mailing 
 cards on which to write such 
 complaints. 
 
 An illustrated pamphlet describing 
 in detail the operations of the 
 Philadelphia water works. 
 
 A pamphlet giving a compilation 
 of aU industrial plants in the 
 city paying water rents in excess 
 of $100, grouped both by classes 
 of business and amounts paid. 
 
 Two descriptive folders giving di- 
 rections for exterminating mos- 
 quitoes, written for those of 
 different ages. 
 
 A statement for contractors and 
 others showing the procedure 
 foIIow;ed in securing bids; award- 
 ing, executing, and carrying out 
 contracts. 
 
Copyrighted by the International Film Service, Inc. 
 
 LOS ANGELES (CAL.) PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 
 
 Copyrighted by the International Fihn Service, Inc. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 
 
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THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 
 
 229 
 
 'Philaddphia Expenditures 
 Pictorially Shown." 
 
 "Report of the Investigation 
 into the League Island 
 Park Contracts." 
 
 'Standard Specifications for 
 Printing Public Docu- 
 ments. " 
 
 "The Relation of the Munici- 
 pality to the Problem of 
 Unemployment." 
 
 An effort to show graphically the 
 division of expenditures as be- 
 tween different municipal objects. 
 
 A report made by a board of three 
 engineers — ^Messrs. Hazen, Hum- 
 plieys, and Taylor — on the work 
 of Edwin H. Vare on League 
 Island Park. 
 
 A report made by Joseph B. 
 Smarr, formerly of the Director's 
 Office, covering the methods 
 used in contracting for the 
 printing of the annual reports. 
 
 A study by Jos. H. Willitts, In- 
 structor in Industry, Wharton 
 School, University of Pennsyl- 
 vania, into the causes of un- 
 employment and the lines along 
 which the city government may 
 cooperate in minim izing it. 
 
 DESTRUCTIVE PUBLICITY 
 
 Reviewing Plain Talk, my 1914 annual report, the Sunday 
 Transcript, a Philadelphia weekly newspaper, made the follow- 
 ing suggestions in its issue of September 26, 1915: 
 
 The report does not dwell at any length upon the "Ha Haing" 
 of "CooHe" in November last, when 85,000 men were walking tite 
 streets pra3ang God and man for work. He does not laugh at them 
 in the book as he did in the corridors of City Hall. He does 
 not mention in his advertising booklet the fact that he declared 
 that there was no money for public work at that time, nor does 
 he deny that the Administration had to return, say, $20,000,000 
 to the City Treasury six or seven weeks after he hooted at the 
 85,000 unemployed men, 5,000 of whom might have been put to 
 
230 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 work upon City improvements and who would have been put to 
 work by any man with a semblance of humanitv or "heart" in his 
 makeup. "Cookie" laughed. 
 
 He "Hal Ha'd" at the miserables in the depths of starvation, 
 and these sufferers are now awaiting the day when they can line 
 up at the ballot box to show "Cookie" and his kind just what 
 men think of them. 
 
 There happens to be not one scintilla of fact back of this par- 
 ticular quotation. The author of this book gave up a consider- 
 able part of his time and in many ways sacrificed his personal 
 •convenience — as did thousands of other people in the city of 
 Philadelphia — ^in order to assist in mitigating the rigors of the 
 widespread unemployment of the winter of 1914-15. As a 
 matter of fact, we put on over 1,000 extra men in the Highway 
 Bureau and kept the whole force at work during the entire 
 winter, something that had nevdr been done before. In addi- 
 tion to this, we provided work for hundreds of men sent to us 
 by the Emergency Aid Employment Committee. As to the 
 $20,000,000 — there was not only no such sum returned to the 
 City Treasury but there was not one single penny so returned 
 to the City Treasury. 
 
 The quotation is inserted here of course not because of any 
 news value but as an illustration of the kind of publicity that is 
 used constantly by the enemies of good government. The Sun- 
 day Transcript might properly be described as a political dope 
 sheet. It is one of a number of similar publications which 
 we have in Philadelphia and which are directly and indirectly 
 financed by political leaders. They are mailed out weekly 
 and monthly to political workers in the 1,200 odd divisions 
 of the City, and afford an easy means of distributing fact, gos- 
 sip, and actual untruths which the political leaders want the 
 division workers to have as a part of their canvassing equip- 
 ment. This particular sheet is no better and no worse than 
 a number of others published in Philadelphia and in other cities. 
 
THE ARM OF PUBLICITY 231 
 
 This kind of publicity is carried on day in and day out by 
 the enemies of good government. Unfortunately, it is not 
 all printed. Most of such material, which has an insidious 
 and very serious and very definite influence on the electorate, is 
 passed onby word of mouth. Does this not afford the strongest 
 possible argument for widespread and intelligently conducted 
 publicity on the part of the friends of good government? We 
 can reprobate publications of this kind until the crack of doom, 
 but they will go on. We can deprecate irresponsible and 
 anfair criticism of public officials in the strongest terms, and 
 yet the practice will be continued. The only way to neutralize 
 them and finally to overcome such influence is by a cam- 
 paign in which facts are given out with equal persistency. 
 The electorate will thus gradually be educated to discriminate 
 between fact and fiction. 
 
 So we must realize that publicity may be used for bad as 
 weU as for good purposes. But the publicity that will ulti- 
 mately win is that based on facts. Truth is the first essential 
 of the successful "ad" writer. The individual or clique who 
 puts personal ambition and personal aggrandizement ahead 
 of the public welfare may dupe the crowd for a time, but 
 we still believe that you can't "fool all the people all the 
 time." Honest and effective publicity is one of the best 
 friends of good government. 
 
 "The first and most practical step in getting what one wants in 
 the world is wanting it."— Gerald Stanley Lee in "Crowds." 
 
CHAPTER Vin 
 OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 
 
 THROUGHOUT this book we have emphasized the state- 
 ment that two great streams of influence are incessantly 
 operating on each of our cities individually as well as on 
 the broad problem of municipal development. Of course by far 
 the more important is the constructive one which includes 
 such forces as education, science, and the civic spirit. Toward 
 the upbuilding of all such agencies our best thought and energy 
 must be given. For it is the greatest possible mistake in man- 
 agement to allow our forward-looking and forward-leading to be 
 upset, or even to be unduly disturbed, by that great counter 
 current that is satin motion and constantly accelerated by those 
 who, through ignorance, do not know what makes for municipal 
 well-being or by those who, knowing it, intentionally attempt 
 to override it for the accomplishment of personal ends. At the 
 same time no student of our subject can afford to ignore any 
 force which is operating in this field counter to the public good. 
 I have already mentioned politics, the juggling of, contracts, 
 the absence of expert service, and the lack of understanding 
 of the problems of government on the part of the people, as 
 among the causes which retard our progress. But more im- 
 portant than any of these in my opinion is the baneful influence 
 constantly wielded, directly and indirectly, in almost every 
 city in the land by the private utility interests through their 
 support of the lowest type of political machinery and intrigue. 
 The city dweller is more directly dependent for his health, 
 comfort, and prosperity upon the gas, telephone, water, street 
 
 2S2 
 
Mechanical Tabulating 
 
 The Cost Department 
 COST KEEPING UP TO TPIE MINUTE 
 
A TELEFHONE EXCHANGE 
 
 1 
 
 
 t , 1 
 
 
 MTf 
 
 
 TESTING GAS LiUIPS IN PLACE 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 233 
 
 railway, and other pubKc-service corporations than he is upon 
 the city proper. It is therefore of vital importance to every 
 city dweUer to inform himself on this utility situation. 
 
 Generally speaking, only those municipal tmdertakings 
 which can be operated at a profit are put under the head' of 
 public services or are known as utilities. There is a grim sort of 
 humour in the fact that they are only activities of a dty con- 
 cerning the ownership and operation of which there is any 
 discussion. 
 
 The value of these so-called municipal utilities in the United 
 States is about as follows: 
 
 Privately Owned 
 
 Electric Light & Power Companies . . . $2,000,000,000.00 
 
 Artificial Gas Companies 1,350,000,000.00 
 
 Street and Interurban Railway Companies . 5,000,000,000.00 
 
 Tdephone Companies 1,330,000,000.00 
 
 Total $ 9,680,000,000.00 
 
 Municipally Owned 
 
 Cities over 30,000 population $1,250,000,000.00 
 
 Cities under 30,000 population .... 150,000,000.00 
 
 Total $ 1,400,000,000.00 
 
 Grand Total' $11,080,000,000.00 
 
 While this total is somewhat less than that assigned to the 
 steam railroads of the country it is stiU. a simi which represents 
 upward of one tenth of the total of our national wealth. It is 
 thus seen to be an influence which has tremendous power for 
 good or for evil. 
 
 The basic fact underl}dng any discussion of municipal util- 
 ities is the essential solidarity of the private interests which 
 
 'Chaos exists as to the methods to be used in appraising these properties. 
 These figures must therefore be looked upon as the barest approximations. 
 That they have some relative value is about all that can be claimed. 
 
234 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 control them. Of this unifonnity of method and mutuality 
 of purpose a part may be legitimate and may lead to effici- 
 ency. Much of it, however, is short-sighted, non-dividend-pro- 
 ducing, and anti-social. Not a little of it is clearly against 
 existing statutes. In all this planning the security floater is in 
 supreme authority. The engineer, the scientist, and the ad- 
 ministrator all take their orders from the investment bankers. 
 
 CONTROL THROUGH "cOTJRTESY" 
 
 This alliance of those who control — even if they do not own — 
 these properties is brought about through a widespread, un- 
 written, and sometimes unrecognized system of exchange of 
 "courtesies" rather than through definite business associations 
 of types either warranted or prohibited by law. Many of the 
 agencies through which this control is made effective do not 
 recognize themselves as cogs in a well-nigh invincible system. 
 What we shall call " courtesy " for the lack of a better name has 
 become such a preponderant factor in the utility situation that 
 if it could be brought about that all the laws were scrupulously 
 obeyed the present status would remain practically unaltered. 
 
 The utility problem, through its bearing on crooked politics 
 and bad government, has become almost the crux of the mu- 
 nicipal situation and, as such, its solution is, in one sense, the 
 key to national prosperity. This chapter is intended as a 
 statement of conditions as we who have represented the cities 
 see them, together with certain suggestions as to the lines along 
 which I believe progress can and win be made. Undoubtedly 
 the foundations on which this great utility structure rests are 
 slipping and the cords which have bound us as a people to 
 inefficiency and venality are snapping. 
 
 During the years, while I was Director of Public Works, and 
 since then in my capacity as Acting Director of the national 
 Utilities Bureau, it has been my duty to study the ramifications 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 235 
 
 of these interests and the destinations toward which they are 
 steering. While I was in the Philadelphia City Hall my posi- 
 tion brought me into definite business relations with over a 
 score of public-service companies. With each of at least a half 
 dozen of these companies the Administration of which I was 
 a part negotiated contracts running into the millions. In two 
 of these contracts the expenditure of a great many million 
 dollars was involved. 
 
 Every manager of a utiUt'y in this country to-day recognizes 
 that he is engaged in a titanic struggle. I sometimes think 
 that the utilities reaUy overestimate the fighting quaUties of 
 the opposition and underestimate their own. In the dis- 
 cussions of these matters carried on by those representing the 
 cities terms such as "fight, " "battle, " "warfare," are on every 
 page. For my own part I Uke to feel that we are entered upon a 
 vitally important educational campaign, as the issues are for 
 the most part far too inaccessible and involved to yield to 
 brute force. Here and there we find marauding companies and 
 individuals who must be beaten into line or crushed. But gen- 
 erally we find utiHty companies marching shoulder to shoulder 
 in one army and under one banner — ^guided and actuated by 
 the same set of principles. This is too big an army to crush. 
 
 If we have good reason for speaking without venom and by 
 the facts, we have equally strong incentive for speaking fear- 
 lessly. If, as I believe, we are confronted with the gravest 
 dangers in this utility field, the more we know of utility cor- 
 porations the less likely are they to become maUgnant. Any- 
 thing like a complete victory for either side in this matter 
 means to the one side wholesale destruction through public 
 ownership, of certain kinds of paper values and to the other 
 new and heavy public duties. The present-day managers 
 and owners of a property actually worth hardly $25,000,000 
 but with outstanding securities of over $50,000,000 are in an 
 exceedingly embarrassing position. They want more than 
 
236 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 sympathy; they want help. Again a group of men, who in 
 the late nineties boastfully referred to themselves as "robber 
 barons" and acted the part, are only to be pitied as they are 
 forced to submit their every act to the decrees of public-service 
 commissions. It does those of us who are looking at it from 
 the cities' side no harm to see the problem through the utility 
 man's difficulties. And let us freely admit that he has them. 
 
 METHOD OF FINANCING 
 
 We should understand the way in which the so-called 
 "water" has been introduced into the securities of these com- 
 panies. At the beginning of the process stands a banker who, 
 having purchased all or practically all of the stock of a locally 
 owned property, proceeds to introduce better methods of 
 management and to improve and extend the equipment, ac- 
 cepting for the money advanced for such purposes whatever 
 security the company is able to issue.'^ 
 
 As soon as the earnings of the company reflect these im- 
 proved conditions, or results are sufficiently assured to warrant 
 an adequate engineering report, a plan of reorganization is 
 devised. A company is formed to take over one or more 
 smaller companies. This company usually authorizes enough 
 bonds to provide for the refunding of all the mortgage indebt- 
 edness o f the companies consolidated and to pay back to the 
 
 'A case which comes to my mind is that of a large eastern gas company. 
 Some local parties got a large majority of this stock together in a pot. A firm 
 of lawyers undertook to dispose of this stock at an advance in price because of 
 its representing so nearly the, full ownership of the company as to make it sus- 
 ceptible of manipulation. The sale was negotiated to a firm of investment 
 bankers in New York at a price considerably over what it had been bought at in 
 small lots on the open market. The lawyers received $25,000 for their services. 
 The new owners then sold it "bag and baggage" just as they got it to a prominent 
 Wall Street banking house for $500,000 more than the purchase price. The 
 new owners gave the company a pat and a smack, reorganized it and sold enough 
 bonds to pay them back all they had put into it and something besides. How 
 many more stories have been added to the house since then I do not happen to 
 know. 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 237 
 
 banker the money expended by him, in the purchase of the 
 stock of these companies and also in the improvements made 
 and sometimes a cash profit besides. But this is not usual. 
 Very often they do not get back all of the money put out. 
 
 Preferred and common stocks are issued in amounts accord- 
 ing to the particular plan. The preferred stock is generally 
 sold, as soon as the earnings make this possible, for cash, which 
 is either profit or to a considerable extent profit, and the com- 
 mon stock — ^representing the control of the company and its 
 prospects — ^has an immediate material value on accoimt of 
 this. Very often, a considerable part of the preferred has to be 
 used for "greasing the wheels." Up to this point, with slight 
 variations, the process is as old as the modem corporation. 
 
 It is by the next step — the formation of the holding com- 
 pany — that the princes of modern finance extend their king- 
 doms. As a device for the injection of water the efiidency 
 of the holding company compares with the high finance which 
 preceded it as a high pressure fire main does to a garden hose. 
 Thus a banker having the stock of several companies, the ag- 
 gregate of which produces a considerable sma in dividends, 
 forms what is known as a holding company and he turns the 
 stock which he holds into his company for what is known as 
 collateral trust bonds, and preferred and common stock. He 
 sells the bonds, thereby getting cash for the stock which he 
 turned into the company, without losing control of the in- 
 dividual company. There are a niunber of instances where 
 several small holding companies have been turned into one 
 large holding company. The end is not yet. 
 
 The only serious defence I have ever heard made of this 
 method of financing is based upon a belief in the absolutism 
 of private property, for certain it is that the capitalization 
 of a company under this method of financing has no relation 
 whatever to values. 
 
 Of the eight billion dollars or more of capital and "near" 
 
238 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 capital — employed in electric, gas, street, and interurban rail- 
 way companies, over five and a half billions are controlled 
 by holding companies and their subsidiary companies. Hold- 
 ing companies control 76 per cent, of the two billions of 
 capital invested in electric light and power companies; two 
 thirds of the one and one third bilHons in artificial gas 
 companies, and two thirds of the five billions of capital 
 in street and interurban railway companies.^ 
 
 The National Electric Light Association's Bulletin states 
 that "of the 6,129 towns and cities with a population of 
 46,000,000 receiving electric service, 2,691 with a population of 
 36,400,000 are served by 140 holding companies." 
 
 A serious obstacle in the way of a settlement fair to both 
 sides is the deep conviction entertained by the most powerful 
 bankers that a widespread programme of municipal ownership 
 and municipal operation is more or less imminent in this 
 country. They spend much energy and revenue to prove 
 that such a policy would be ill-advised and that the drift is 
 in the opposite direction. But actually and secretly policies 
 are based upon an expectation that most of these properties 
 wiU be taken over by the people during the coming generation. 
 The present high rates for service without adequate funds 
 for depreciation or maintenance would not be "good business" 
 if these properties were to be continued in private ownership. 
 I have been told by those high in the banking world that the 
 intention is to make these plants yield every possible penny 
 in revenue against the day when the ownership will change. 
 
 VALUE OF UTILITIES 
 
 The value of the property engaged in the so-called "public 
 
 service" in any large city is usually in excess of that used for 
 
 'Brief submitted on behalf of Public Utility Holding Companies to the Inter- 
 state Commerce Committee of the United States Senate since when there has 
 been a rapid extension of holding companies. 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 239 
 
 all other public purposes. In other words, the utility end 
 is the big end. It is impossible to make any exact statement 
 in this matter on account of the desperately obscure and com- 
 I^icated financial organization aiid statements of the companies 
 controlling the various utilities. 
 
 Even so, the following table listing the value of (i) the sev- 
 eral utility properties and (2) all other pubhc property in Phila- 
 delphia gives some picture of tHeir relative financial importance 
 and a rough idea of the place occupied by the utilities in the 
 whole scheme of a city. No claims are made for the individ- 
 ual figures used and no reference is made to the steam 
 railroad factor. 
 
 
 PAPER VALUE 
 
 AN ESTIMATE 
 
 
 OR VALUE 
 
 OF ACTUAL 
 
 PHILADELPHIA UTILITIES 
 
 
 
 
 MEASURED BY 
 
 VALUE OE , 
 
 
 SECURITIES 
 
 PROPERTY 
 
 Street Railways .... 
 
 $2CX5,000,000 
 
 $100,000,000 
 
 Electric Company^. . . . 
 
 50,000,000 
 
 30,000,000 
 
 Bell Telephone'' .... 
 
 20,000,000 
 
 10,000,000 
 
 Keystone Telephone' . . . 
 
 9,000,000 
 
 6,000,000 
 
 City Water Works* . . . 
 
 65,000,000 
 
 65,000,000 
 
 Northern Liberties Gas Works 
 
 750,000 
 
 500,000 
 
 PhUadelphia Gas Works (U.G.I 
 
 
 
 lessee)^ 
 
 45,000,000 
 
 35,000,000 
 
 Gasoline Street Lighting . . 
 
 250,000 
 
 200,000 
 
 Miscellaneous: Burglar Alarm 
 
 
 
 Message, Telegraph, etc., Gar 
 
 
 
 bage 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 500,000 
 
 
 $391,000,000 
 
 $247,200,000 
 
 .^Testimony before Perm. Public Service Commission in Cooke et al against 
 Phila. Electric Co. 
 
 Testimony before P.S.C. of Pa. and exhibits incident thereto as interpreted 
 by counsel representing the public interest. 
 
 'Statement furnished by Company. 
 
 ^Estimate made by officials Bureau of Water. 
 
 'Annual Report Chief Bureau of Gas, 1914. 
 
240 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 ALL OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTY IN PHILADELPHIA A8 OF 
 DECEMBER 3I, I913.' 
 
 Land $ 32,771,878.62 
 
 Buildings 57,444,526.95 
 
 Piers, Wharves, etc 2,330,742.70 
 
 School Property 25,600,000.00 
 
 Miscellaneous Structures, Grade Crossing Re- 
 
 movak, etc 12,395,775.54 
 
 Streets, Boulevards, etc 56,500,000.00 
 
 Bridges 17,200,000.00 
 
 Sewers 35,401,247.06 
 
 Equipment 7,224,837.57 
 
 $246,869,008.44 
 
 ' A somewhat similar table prepared by Ray Palmer, while 
 Commissioner of Gas and Electricity, Chicago, gives the se- 
 curity value of Chicago's utilities as $589,000,000 and their 
 property value as $264,000,000. 
 
 Considering that there is over eleven billions of dollars in- 
 vested in utilities, it is plain that the game is one for giants. 
 The reins, for the most part, however, are in the hands of those 
 who do not understand the times. It requires some broad 
 comprehension of hiunan currents to make effective such con- 
 cepts as the holding company and nation-wide control. When 
 the world is talking publicity and efficiency, to continue to 
 lean on bribery, undue influence, intimidation, fallacious prop- 
 aganda and the secret agreement, is suicidal. 
 
 An illustration of how careless public-utility officials become 
 when they are left to themselves is afforded by the Northern 
 Liberties Gas Company of Philadelphia, now owned and con- 
 trolled by the United Gas Improvement Company. The 
 charter of this Company provides that the City should always 
 have one half of the board of directors. These "represent- 
 atives of the City" have been regularly appointed, and just 
 
 'Annual Report Controller of City of PhiladelpMa, 1913 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 241 
 
 as regularly their reports have been published in the Journals 
 of Council. A typical "Annual report" follows: 
 
 APPENDIX NO. 18 OF THE SELECT COUNCIL 
 OFFICE OF NORIHEEN LIBERTIES GAS COMPANY 
 
 Philadelphia, January 25, 1915. 
 Chief Clerk of Select Coitncil, 
 
 City of Philadelphia. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 Enclosed find annual report of the Northern Liberties Gas Com- 
 pany. Kindly acknowledge receipt of same. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 George E. Schaut, 
 Treasurer. 
 
 office of northern liberties gas company 
 
 Philadelphia, January 25, 1915. 
 To the Select and Common Coltncils of the City of Philadel- 
 phia: 
 The Trustees of the Northern Liberties Gas Company herewith 
 present a statement of the receipts and expenditures during the 
 year 1914, together with the previous outlay of capital: 
 
 receipts 
 From sales of gas. (At $1.00 M.) $176,589. 53 
 
 From sundry sales and miscellaneous 
 items 63,806.53 $246,396.06 
 
 expenditures 
 
 For works $390,813 . 95 
 
 For services 92,181.13 
 
 For meters 121,404.48 
 
 For mains 119,319.34 
 
 For real estate 3°,447 ■ 99 
 
 For wages, taxes, repairs, etc. . . 97)569.39 
 For coal on hand at conunencement 
 
 and received during the year . . 46,852.34 $898,584.62 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 George E. Schaut, 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
242 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Think of it! Is there any wonder that our people seek 
 relief through public ownership? 
 
 . Let us see how this " courtesy, " about which I spoke, works 
 in actual practice. Some years ago the Keystone Telephone 
 Company — a. competitor of the Bell — secured a franchise to 
 lay conduits under the streets of Philadelphia. While laying 
 the conduits needed to accommodate its telephone wires, the 
 management laid hundreds of miles of extra ducts for the 
 purpose of selling or renting them at some future time either 
 to the Philadelphia Electric Company or to some competing 
 electric company. The value of these conduits, which had 
 now lain idle for over eight years, was estimated at from four 
 to six million dollars. 
 
 Philadelphia and the utility world generally has known 
 about the availability of these ducts. It has been understood 
 by utility men that a company acquiring their use and get- 
 ting current either by purchase or by building a plant of its own 
 could sell electric current in Philadelphia both for public and 
 private use at rates not only below — ^but far below — those 
 charged by the Philadelphia Electric Company. Notwith- 
 standing the assured and generally admitted success of any 
 scheme to utilize these ducts, and simply out of "courtesy" 
 to the Philadelphia Electric Company, no one in responsible 
 position has made a move during the eight years since they 
 were built to bring them into use.^ The potent leaders in 
 the utility camp have declared in favour of one electric 
 company, or one gas company, or one telephone company 
 to a city, and woe betide the individual or concern who 
 moves for a competing plant or for the invasion of terri- 
 tory. 
 
 ^These conduits have since been leased to the Philadelphia Electric Compapy 
 for 3S years at a minimum annual rental of $100,000 with option to purchase. 
 There were special reasons operating to make it advisable for the P. E. Co. 
 to take them over. The lease, however, while at first disapproved by the 
 Public Service Commission was, after a second hearing, approved. 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 243 
 
 NATIONAL UTILITY ORGANIZATIONS 
 
 Such dicta as that forbidding competition, for instance, 
 are made effective by various national organizations which 
 force compliance with standards and business practices 
 imposed from the top. A typical organization of this 
 kind is the National Electric Light Association which 
 has headquarters in the Engineering Societies Bmlding 
 in New York. To the uninformed it undoubtedly has the 
 standing of a scientific and technical society. In order to 
 build up a position as a technical society this association 
 f oniierly gave out technical information as do other national 
 engineering and scientific societies. This has been prohib- 
 ited because the members do not want this information to 
 fall into the hands of possible business rivals, and more espe- 
 cially into the hands of pubUc-service commissions and others 
 investigating their methods. 
 
 Notwithstanding that it has a membership of over twelve 
 thousand, no one can join the National Electric Light Asso- 
 ciation who does not work for a company already belong- 
 ing to it. Since they do not usually allow competing 
 companies to join, no individual employee of a competing 
 electric company can be a member. Hence, for instance, 
 employees of the Commonwealth Power Company of Mil- 
 waukee — a, company doing a business of $400,000 annually 
 until it changed hands recently — ^were barred from mem- 
 bership in what is supposed to be the representative organi- 
 zation of the industry, because this company competed 
 with the Milwaukee Elertric Railway and Light Company. 
 The significance of such social and professional pressure 
 can hardly be overestimated. 
 
 The Tax Commissioner of New York City has recently 
 established the commercial and non-professional character 
 
244 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of thi3 organization by levying a tax against that part of 
 the Engineering Societies Building which it occupies. 
 
 In 1913 the Rate Research Committee of the National 
 Electric Light Association announced its theory of rates based 
 on the "value of the service" which of course is nothing more 
 than a new rendition of "all the traffic will bear." Notwith- 
 standing a vociferous beating of the tom-toms, there were no 
 large number of converts to the doctrine, outside of the inter- 
 ested members. Cost plus a fair profit is as good a rule in 
 this field as in any other. Again, a year or two ago the 
 American Electric Railway Association gave forth a "Code 
 of Principles" which advocated, among other things, fair 
 returns on capitalization no matter how extravagantly 
 watered, exclusive state control of the local utilities and 
 the holding company. The same report advocated the 
 creation of a financed bureau of public relations which is to 
 have among its various functions that of 
 
 Influencing the sources of public education particularly by (a) 
 lectures on the Chautauqua circuit and (b) formation of a committee 
 of prominent technical educators to promote the formulation and 
 teaching of correct principles on public-service questions in technical 
 and economic departments at American colleges, through courses 
 of lectures and otherwise. 
 
 The trend of reaction must have seemed very strong to 
 have warranted such a pronunciamento. 
 
 That efforts have already been made "to influence the 
 sources of public education" is shown by such a course of 
 lectures as those given a few years ago under the auspices 
 of the so-called Finance Forum of the West Side Young 
 Men's Christian Association in New York City where every 
 speaker was the employee of a privately owned and privately 
 operated utility, or allied activity, as shown by this schedule: 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 245 
 
 Magnikide of the Electric Light, Power, and Transportation Business. 
 
 Address by T. Commerford Martin, of the New York Edison 
 
 Company and Secretary National Electric Light Association. 
 
 The Public, The Investor, and The Holding Company. 
 
 Address by Francis T. Homer, Counsel, Bertron, Griscom & 
 Co., investment bankers, New York City. 
 
 Municipal Ownership of Public Utilities. 
 
 Address by Arthur Williams of the New York Edison Com- 
 pany and Past President National Electric Light Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Progress of the Science of Lighting. 
 
 Address by Dr. Edward P. Hyde, Director of the National 
 Electric Light Association (Nela), Research Laboratory 
 of the National Lamp Works of the General Electric Com- 
 pany. 
 
 Telephones at Home and Abroad. 
 
 Address by T. P. Sylvan, of the New York Telephone Com- 
 pany. 
 
 Future of Public VtiliUes. 
 
 Address by Thomas N. McCarter, President Public Service 
 Company of New Jersey. 
 
 Centralization of Power Supply. 
 
 Address by Samuel Insull, President of the Chicago Edison 
 Company. 
 
 Fnvestments in Public Utilities and How Held. 
 
 Address by W. H. Gardiner, of Henry L. Doherty and Com- 
 pany, investment bankers, of New York City. 
 
 Future Regulation of Public Utilities. 
 
 Address by William D. Kerr, of the Bureau of Public Service 
 Economics. 
 
 Some Legal Aspects of Regulations of Public Service Corporations. 
 Address by Charles F. Mathewson, associate of Elihu Root, 
 of counsel, Consolidated Gas Company, New York City. 
 
346 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 From the way in which this list of speakers was made up 
 one would never imagine that the subjects covered are 
 fiercely controversial. 
 
 That these lectures as given were considered wholly "safe" 
 is shown by the fact that they were all pubUshed in pamph- 
 let form and distributed free of charge by a Wall Street in- 
 vestment banking house of wide reputation. 
 
 This attempt to influence education at its source is going 
 steadily forward. The "planting" of professors— especially 
 of electrical engineering; the arrangement of courses of lec- 
 tures on securities, the disciplining of economists and others 
 who protest the views held by this variety of big business 
 are only some of the methods which have been adopted. 
 
 Any citizen can test this out in the educational institution 
 best known to him by simply ascertaining: (i) the "privileges" 
 extended by the university authorities to those technical 
 engineers who have"outside" employment with utility interest 
 and the discriminatory policies adopted by the same institution 
 toward any member of its teaching staff who assumes to aid 
 the public by advice or who has views known to be contrary 
 to the "accepted" principles of utihty investment bankers. 
 To name the economists who have been of assistance to the 
 public in rate controversies is to name men who are discrimi- 
 nated against by their own institutions. Any one desirous of 
 learning the truth can check up the interlocking directorates of 
 such universities as Harvard and the University of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and it is in such institutions that the "'privileges" to 
 the one group and discriminations as to the other are perhaps 
 most noticeable. But this work is for the most part so crude 
 and so generally recognized as such by the public that it is 
 likely in the long run to have just the opposite effect from 
 the one intended. 
 
 An up-to-date illustration of the unity of interest which 
 I have called "courtesy" is afforded by an editorial in the 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 247 
 
 February, 1915, issue of Aera, the official organ of the Amer- 
 ican Electric Railway Association: in commenting upon one 
 of the mid-year meetings of that Association. 
 
 Another phase of this meeting at Washington, which is highly 
 important as a prognostication of future strength and power in 
 the battle which the industry is to wage, was the evidence mani- 
 fested in many ways that the manufacturing interests connected 
 with the industry are prepared to cooperate with the railway men 
 in the work that Ues ahead. 
 
 When Mr. Pierce, speaking for the Manufacturers' Association, 
 pledged the support of its members, it was evident to those who had 
 felt the pulse of the delegates that he was giving utterance to no 
 idle and corriplimentary rhetorical figure, but was voicing a senti- 
 ment manifested in many ways. 
 
 The Washington meeting was an inspiration. It has sent 
 back to their work some hundreds of men imbued with the idea 
 that at last a concrete practical plan has been presented for im- 
 proving public relations and resolved to do their share in this 
 important task. Unity, soUdarity, enthusiasm, these three things 
 are the returns from this Mid-Year meeting and in addition the 
 American public, has been notified that this Association in the 
 words of President Allen has at last found a voice. 
 
 INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS 
 
 In considering the weight which attaches to this factor of 
 "courtesy," we should acquaint ourselves with its extent. 
 In New York you will find the Electric Bond and Share Com- 
 pany acting as the banking end of the General Electric 
 Company. Its capital is unusually small compared with the 
 magnitude of its operations. In Berlin we fiind a similar 
 $50,000,000 corporation for the construction and operation of 
 electric properties. This company controlled by the same inter- 
 ests that control the Deutsche Bank had before the war prop- 
 erties ahnost everywhere except in the United States. If 
 asked "Why?" the answer would probably be: "Too deep 
 in the business of owning and managing electrical properties 
 
248 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 for it to be wise for us to go into any undertaking involving 
 opposition to the established interests in the same field," and 
 "Do not wish to risk antagonizing similar interests to our own 
 in America." The civilized world had been parcelled out and 
 "courtesy" has become international. 
 
 The dominant interests in each nation in each special line 
 are of one mind and have great respect for each other. These 
 large international companies or syndicates are making im- 
 possible such competition in finance and manufacturing as 
 we find in other fields. It is generally recognized that it 
 is now absolutely impossible to secure capital for a municipal 
 or competitive utility proposition through regular channels. 
 No matter how good such a utility prospect may be, it cannot 
 be financed in this country to-day if it must be done through 
 bankers. 
 
 From a business standpoint, the situation with regard to 
 buying equipment for a competitive plant, especially in the 
 electrical field, while not so generally understood by the public, 
 is almost as tight. If either of the large electric supply com- 
 panies (Westinghouse and General Electric) can find an excuse 
 for not bidding they will use it. If there is no such excuse 
 they will bid for one of two reasons — either because they see 
 that the end has come and that somebody is going to get the 
 business, or because somebody might go to jail if they did not 
 bid. When Mayor of Cleveland, Secretary of War Baker, 
 before buying the equipment for the new Cleveland Mu- 
 nicipal Electric Plant, announced that if there were no bids, 
 from the responsible manufacturers he would at once take 
 up the matter with Congress by requesting that the tariff 
 duty be thrown off foreign machinery for municipal enter- 
 prises. He got his machinery. 
 
 But the private corporations have broiight about a com- 
 bination in this field which is too tight to be permanent. In 
 order to perpetuate such absolute control it has been necessary 
 
CHRISTJNIAS IN THE SHOPPING DISTRICT 
 Decorating the street lamps with pine boughs at Fresno, Cal. 
 
^iS^^t:- 
 
 EAST 23rd street 
 
 Allen Street 
 NEW YORK CTTY PUBLIC BATHS 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 249 
 
 to Introduce into these companies a German military system 
 of discipline which is more and more resented by the great 
 majority of the employees. In our Philadelphia companies 
 public discussion of utility, policies and methods is confined 
 usually to one executive head and information is practically 
 never given out except through this one source. As a rule, 
 the real authority and responsibility in these companies is 
 at the top, and the top is usually located in far-away New 
 York. Young men of ability and character are hesitating more 
 and more to ally themselves with interests which almost nec- 
 essarily place them in opposition to the trend of the times and 
 to the best interests of the State. 
 
 PUBLIC OWNERSHIP 
 
 The drift toward municipal ownership and operation in 
 all parts of the coimtry is unmistakable. From present in- 
 dications the change from private to pubHc ownership in 
 utilities wiU come more rapidly than either the public or the 
 companies themselves realize. Apparently the principle of 
 state regulation, as it is at present understood and practised, 
 is doomed. The louder the companies shout for it the less of 
 a panacea it seems. Through all the agitation for the three 
 methods of (i) state, (2) local regulation, and (3) municipal 
 operation there runs an insistent demand for efficiency and 
 the widest possible publicity both as to costs and principles 
 of management. 
 
 Before the Conference of American Mayors held in Phila- 
 delphia in 1915, Clarke M. Rosecrantz, general counsel of the 
 Milwaukee Electric Light and Railway Company, said:^ 
 
 If the members of this conference really desire to save the public 
 money, I think their attention should first be directed toward se- 
 
 '" Public Policies as to Municipal Utilities," The Annals of the American 
 Academy of Political and Social Science, January, 1915, p. 270- 
 
2SO OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 curing an efficient and economical management of the affairs 
 which properly belong to the municipality. There is plenty of 
 opportunity in that field and when it can be shown that those 
 affairs are efficiently and economically conducted it will be, time 
 enough to consider taking on the burden of operating public 
 utilities. 
 
 Mr. Rosecrantz has put his finger on the only real argument 
 that can be brought against municipal ownership. It is im- 
 desirable that our cities take on anything more, at this time, 
 simply because we have our tands full in learning the possibil- 
 ities of municipal govenmient. The demands for the expendi- 
 ture of money and talent in the otherpartsof themunicipalfield 
 are so insistent and widespread that it would probably be for 
 the best interest of our municipalities if municipal operation 
 could be postponed for a while. But unless the attitude of 
 the private companies changes materially within the course 
 of the next few years the people will probably decide that the 
 present and obvious disadvantages of public operation are 
 inconsiderable as compared with the burden which the S3^tem 
 of private ownership places upon us. If present tendencies 
 are continued private companies will be taken over in about 
 the following order: first water, then electric and gas plants, 
 and lastly street railways. 
 
 We should not be opposed to municipal ownership for 
 the foolish reason that it has been tried elsewhere and 
 found a failure. For such is not the fact; and most of 
 those who utter the statement know that it is not 
 true. Nor should we be opposed to it on the ground 
 that an American city is unable to operate a utility effi- 
 ciently and economically. We both own and operate 
 our water works in Philadelphia. We supply as good 
 water and distribute it as eflSciently as any water works 
 in the United States operating "under similar conditions. 
 
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 IKMtCr UM U« VftSn WATOl Foa TVOtl OOTS-IWO in MAKWlTOiM UNI BBON», riEW TOW OTt 
 
 •em »ini a. mtcei-vims irtPOUT 
 
 Use of Water in New York 
 Also the heavy use of water on Monday. 
 Note the needless waste of 165 gallons per capita. 
 
 Know Thy Spigot 
 
 The checking of water waste is largely a matter of stopping many little leaks, 
 
 Instructionshowtoreplacea worn-out washer: ist. Shut off water in cellar. 
 2d. Remove nut "A". 3d. Remove screw "B". 4th. Insert washer "C". 
 5th. Replace tightly screw "B". 6th. Replace nut "A" (not too tightly). 
 7th. Turn on water in cellar. 
 
 251 
 
252 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Our rates are far below those charged by any private water 
 company. Where private pompames furnish good service and 
 fair rates, give them protection, a free field, and a square deal. 
 If they fail in these essentials, however, any self-respectinjg 
 city will call the bluff by insisting on public ownership and 
 public operation. 
 
 STATE EEGXTLATION 
 
 State regulation certainly has much to recommend it, 
 especially as to accounting, issuance of securities, etc. But 
 it is weak in the matter of rate fixing because scientific rate 
 regulation is based on the assumption that the operation of mu- 
 nicipal utilities has reached a stage that permits of a scientific 
 and exact treatment; and such is not the case. There are 
 relatively few accepted standards in this field and almost 
 nothing of cost keeping or a real equivalent. Thimib rule 
 and personal opinion everywhere abound and, what is even 
 more regrettable, the several utility industries are to a very 
 large extent operated on false assumptions made necessary 
 for the protection of fictitious values. The public is asked 
 to look upon the deUberations of public-service commissions 
 as scientific and exact while "insiders" know that state regu- 
 lation, even under the most favourable circumstances, is still 
 very largely by a hit-or-miss method. 
 
 We have been rushed into this era of state regulation with 
 such rapidity that it is impossible for any commission to more 
 than scratch the surface of the field that has been assigned 
 to it. In the rate case of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Com- 
 merce against the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, 
 which was before the Pennsylvania State Service Commission,, 
 for over three years the company is said to have spent upward 
 of $250,000 in lajdng before the Commission a mass of undi- 
 gested material. In almost every rate case the effort seems to 
 
A RE.\L GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL 
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 RECEIVING THE KEYS OF FRESNO (CAL.) 
 Miss Anita King the Raisin Girl, also the Movie Actress, gets some recognition 
 
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 THE CORN BOYS 
 
 Some of them can beat their daddies in tlie 
 
 yield per acre 
 
 HIGH PRESSURE PUMPING STATION 
 Any closely built up manufacturing district should be equipped with high-pressure 
 
 fire protection 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 253 
 
 be to raise as many issues as possible without regard to whether 
 they are pertinent or not. 
 
 Another important reason why confidence in state regulation 
 seems to be on the wane is that many of the laws creating 
 public-service commissions have been drafted with a view 
 to giving an unfair advantage to the private companies. The 
 Pennsylvania law is an example. The original act was drawn 
 by a committee of citizens who had made a special study of 
 the principles of state regulation as practised in other parts 
 of the country. As finally passed the act was thoroughly 
 emasculated. An examination of the texture of the paper 
 upon which the several amendments were written and the 
 style of t5^ewriting used showed that everyone of the amend- 
 ments made in this bill was drawn up by two very influential 
 Pennsylvania public-service companies. 
 
 The agitation for the state-wide pubKc service company 
 laws was carried on in the various states by the companies 
 and conducted from New York City.^ An examination of 
 these state-wide laws will usually reveal four features showing 
 their common origin and accounting for their popularity with 
 utility companies. These four provisions are: (i) certificates 
 of convenience and necessity are required for one company to 
 extend its lines mto the territories of another; (2) the monop- 
 oly of each utility company to its geographical zone is legally 
 recognized; (3) there can be no competition by publicly owned 
 or publicly operated plants save by the outright purchase 
 of the utility to be replaced at a value fixed by the state public 
 service commission; (4) the power to enter upon and use the 
 streets and highways flows from the states and not from the 
 cities or other local governmental units. 
 
 The first result of these four provisions of the law is to give 
 to each company a zone monopoly of the territory it chanced 
 
 •The exceptions to this rule were the movements for the state-wide commis- 
 sions in Wisconsin and New York in 1907. 
 
254 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to occupy at the time the law was passed. Had these laws 
 been heralded as beuig what they were — zone monopoly laws — 
 the public interest in them might have been different. The 
 cities, by the fourth provision of the law above mentioned, can 
 at the most but enforce reasonable police regulations as to the 
 use of their streets. They cannot deny access to their streets 
 save on franchise terms acceptable to the city as had been 
 the rule previously. The zone monopoly is thus made 
 doubly sure as the right to it flows from the state and not from 
 the city. By prohibiting public ownership, save through 
 purchase of the private plant at a valuation fixed by a state 
 commission, the "value" of the utility plant with the* zone 
 monopoly is forever assured to its owner and this value is "con- 
 demnation" value which is higher than "rate-base" value. 
 And finally comes the capstone of this structure of privi- 
 lege. Since companies cannot enter into each other's terri- 
 tories save by the consent of the state commission, they 
 have but to divide up the states to suit the profits of 
 the centralized banking world that owns them through large 
 holding companies. Thus the United States is now as effec- 
 tively divided up into recognized "zones of influence" as ever 
 China was in the mind of the most grasping European diplo- 
 mat. Andnowars can threaten the inviolability of these "spheres 
 of influence." What on the surface seems to be a fair recog- 
 nition of the principle of non-duplication of service becomes — 
 when examined in the light of other features of the law — an 
 astute movement toward retaining all the advantages of the 
 status quo ante with such additional advantages of "consolida- 
 tion of territory" sudb as later manoeuvres may capture. In 
 its ruthlessness Pan-Germanism is mild in its ambitions 
 and methods when compared with the stealth and the legal 
 and political astuteness used by the centralized utility interests 
 in this country in their lust to hold fast their dominion over 
 American cities. 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 255 
 
 The provisions of the national constitution forbidding the 
 taking of property without "due process of law" give the com- 
 panies a great advantage over the cities in litigation before 
 commissions because they properly prevent confiscation. If 
 confiscation itseK, or litigation charging confiscation, is to 
 be avoided, the commissions must necessarily leave an ample 
 margin over and above cost plus a fair profit in the fixing of 
 rates. This is an inherent disadvantage on the cities' side 
 of any such discussion. While it has properly been easy for 
 the companies to invoke the basic law to prevent the imposi- 
 tion of rates unfair to the company, the cities have had very 
 httle success in the last generation in invoking the common 
 law in preventing the companies from charging rates unfair 
 to the cities and from otherwise imposing upon them. 
 
 CONTROL or ENGINEERING 
 
 The work that comes before public-service commissions is 
 very largely engineering and yet there are almost no engineers 
 on the commissions. Possibly this condition of affairs is due 
 to the too-close affiliations of the great majority of engineers 
 with the corporation side of the questions to be discussed. 
 Such a condition is to be regretted; but it cannot be remedied 
 by ignoring or denying it. If the organization representing 
 an entire profession has been so diverted that the search after 
 truth is no longer its guiding star, surely it is well to recognize 
 that fact and take the necessary steps for the correction of 
 this condition. There is a reason why the great majority 
 of the appointees to these commissions are lawyers. Surely 
 the public does not love a lawyer any better than an engineer — 
 perhaps not quite so much. There is a feeling, however, that 
 a lawyer can see two sides to a question, and may be successful 
 in maintaining either of them. 
 
 A large number of the appointments to these commissions 
 
2S6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 are made for political considerations and without regard to 
 technical fitness. Experience is proving that even where 
 good men are developed they do not remain permanently on 
 the commission.^ In this a public-service commissionship 
 seems to differ from a seat on the bench. A commissionship 
 in too many states has come to be looked upon as a stepping 
 stone to a higher political preferment. Again, it appears 
 that whenever a commissioner gets to the point where he knows 
 enough to deal really justly with the companies, the latter 
 make every effort to have him removed. Only on this ground 
 can be explained the persistent fight made against the reap- 
 pointment of Milo R. Maltbie of the First New York District, 
 who had done as much to make state regulation workable as 
 any man in, the country. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle tersely 
 reviews the result of this fight as follows: 
 
 The distinction between Maltbie arid Hayward, the turning 
 down of the one, the exalting of the other, cannot be misunderstood. 
 An expert in municipal government, in municipal betterment, goes. 
 An expert in practical politics comes. 
 
 It is a safe statement that the governors in many states 
 never appoint a public-service commissioner without at least 
 consulting the leading men in the corpbrations which that 
 same commissioner is to regulate. Corporations in approving 
 or disapproving candidates use a type of sardonic wisdom 
 which has grown out of their experience. Thus the repre- 
 sentative of one of the leading utiUty companies of one of 
 the largest states in the country said to the governor that 
 any "struggling" young attorney would be satisfactory. 
 Not that such a man could be bribed, but that his rising 
 standard of living would make him feel comfortable and 
 satisfied in a $10,000 job. 
 
 'See "The Crises in Public Service Regulation in New York," by Dr. Deloi 
 F. Wilcox. NaUonal Municipal Review, LV. No. 4, October, 1915. 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 257 
 
 Another cause seriously operating against the principle of 
 state regulation is the almost entire absence in practice of 
 accepted theories of valuation.* Owing to the nation-wide 
 control exerted by the private companies they can successfully 
 insist on unfair or false standards. Practically all the present 
 street lighting by gas and gasolene in the United States is in 
 the control of one company or of one interest. This makes it 
 easy for this combination to advertise the ordinary gasolene 
 street lamp as of 60 candle-power when it is usually not even 
 40 candle-power. This is one of the many tricks through 
 which these interests have eliminated every competitor. 
 
 COST KEEPING 
 
 Cost keeping in the utility industries should be a simple 
 matter as compared with cost keeping in almost any manu- 
 facturing enterprise. It is also an effort that would involve 
 a minimum of expense. In view of this fact the attitude of 
 the owners of public-service corporations toward cost keeping 
 is not only not easily understood but is almost unbelievable. 
 Before our public-service commission in Pennsylvania, the 
 Philadelphia & Reading Railway recently of&cially stated that 
 to ascertain the cost of carrying a ton of coal from their mines 
 to the City of Philadelphia was a problem practically incapable 
 of solution.'' In another rate case the legal representative 
 
 Tor the most complete available information on the subject of valuation of 
 public utilities, consult the January, 1916, issue of the Utilities Magazine. 
 
 *Docmt. 9SO Pa. P. S. C, page 427, H. E. Bellis, N. W. Busmess Men's 
 Ass'n et al. v. P. & R. R. R. Co. et al. 
 
 Theodore Voorhees, President Philadelphia & Reading Railroad: "You 
 cannot get at the cost of any item of railroad service. ... It never has 
 been done. I do not beUeve it ever will be done." 
 
 Robert H. Large, General Coal Freight Agent, P. R. R.: "You can't take 
 into consideration the cost of the service for two reasons. In the first place, 
 you Ican't ascertain the cost. That is practically impossible, in freight traffic 
 between commodities." 
 
2S8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of the Philadelphia Electric Company stated that it was 
 impossible to segregate for cost-keeping purposes the plant 
 used for the public lighting from that used for private light- 
 ing. 
 
 Another principle in which the companies profess to believe, 
 and which acts as a great deterrent to the intelligent presen- 
 tation of a rate case, is that costs secured in one city have 
 no appreciable relation to work of a similar character in an- 
 other city. The companies have been so successful in pushing 
 this theory that it is most imusual when cost factors secured 
 in one locality can be used in a case affecting rates in another. 
 But it is true, nevertheless, that most of the factors 
 that go to make up electric or gas costs, for instance, are essen- 
 tially imiform throughout the country. Where they are not 
 the same, they usually vary for weU-recognized reasons, for 
 most of which definite factors may be determined. In thfe 
 generation of electric current there are only two cost factors 
 of importance which vary materially — ^first, labour, and second, 
 coal. The variation in the price of coal can be definitely de- 
 termined; and the difference in the cost of labour as between 
 two places can be fixed within a narrow margin of error. A 
 third important point of variation, and one not so readily, 
 determined, affects only the cost of distribution, i. e., the 
 extent of territory served. The factors which must be included 
 in all localities make up by far the larger part of the whole 
 cost. 
 
 Perhaps if the gas industry had an adequate cost-keeping 
 system its leaders would better \mderstand why gas can be 
 sold in some English towns for i6 cents — for power purposes 
 — ^while the "classic" rate of one dollar still prevails so gener- 
 ally throughout the United States. 
 
 f Of the 10,000 or more utility companies operating in this 
 country to-day there is probably only one that has determined 
 its costs in such a way as to have them stand any fair test. At 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 259 
 
 meetings of the Society to Promote the Science of Management 
 at New Haven, Connecticut, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mr. 
 Charles Day of the firm of Day and Zimmerman, Consulting 
 Engineers, Philadelphia, described the wonderfully efficient 
 system used by the Penn Central Company, operatmg in 
 and to the east and west of Altoona, Pennsylvania. This 
 work suggests great possibihties for the future. 
 
 Any study of the principle of state regulation in practice 
 must include some comment on the character of the expert 
 testimony presented before the commissions. Here it is, per- 
 haps, that the cities are at the greatest disadvantage. Let 
 us consider an example. In railroading there is the theory 
 that a man cannot be an efficient railroad employee unless he 
 has served the railroad aU his hfe. Among those who hold 
 the higher positions in that line of work there are ahnost none 
 who have not been continuously in the employ of the railroads 
 all their lives. Men do not pass from another industry into 
 railroading. There is another rule which is almost universal — 
 a man who has once left the railroad service cannot get back 
 into it, or rarely does do so. A railroad expert, then, is nec- 
 essarily one who not only has aU the prejudices that come 
 with lifelong association with a single industry, but who, by 
 no possible chance, can have had intimate association with 
 the principles and practices of any other industry. Therefore, 
 in any railroad-rate case, or in any other matter involving 
 railroad operation, the cities must depend, if they are to get 
 real experts, on the services of men who have all the prejudices 
 that come from long and exclusive association with the rail- 
 road point of view. 
 
 In mimicipal utility rate cases the cities must depend for 
 their experts on the relatively few men of high standing and 
 broad experience who work for publicly owned and operated 
 companies, or those even rarer from within our Universities 
 whose desire to be of public service is sufficiently compelling 
 
26o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to make them willing to abide the discrimination described 
 above.* Private interests make every effort to retain efficient 
 men in their employ, especially those who make good wit- 
 nesses. On the other hand are many men who operate city 
 plants who do not make good witnesses. So that the avail- 
 able witnesses for the city's side in rate cases are not very 
 numerous. 
 
 It becomes increasingly dear to those interested in the 
 subject that one of the points where we are being led astray 
 is the present worship by court, commission, jury, and counsel 
 of the so-called expert. It used to be a rule of law, some time 
 back, that mere opinion did not constitute evidence. While 
 in the midst of an era which distinctly sanctions what the old 
 law prohibited, we must look carefully to the qualifications 
 of those who give their opinions. We must advance slowly 
 and cautiously in this new field, where the witness is no longer 
 limited to fact testimony, but is allowed to submit personal 
 opinion as evidence. 
 
 It was only natural that the rise of opinion testimony should 
 create a demand for high-priced opinions. And herein lies 
 the danger. No longer does one expert advise the court, but 
 an array of experts on either side consciously balance the cost 
 of their opinion testimony against the line-up whose services 
 the other side had funds enough to command. Professor 
 John H. Gray, of the Valuation Bureau of the Interstate 
 Commerce Commission, in discussing this new type of ex- 
 pert before the Valuation Conference of the Utililies Bureau, 
 on Novem ber 12, 1915, remarked: 
 
 'In the electric rate case against the Philadelphia Electric Company we were 
 fortunate in having as experts Ray Palmer, formerly Commissioner of Gas and 
 Electricity, City of Chicago; Frederick W. Ballard, Commissioner of Lighting, 
 City of Cleveland; Dr. E. M. Patterson, Asst. Professor in Economics, University 
 of Pennsylvania; Clayton W. Pike, Chief of the Electrical Bureau and Judson 
 C. Dickerman, Chief of the Gas Bureau, both of the City of Philadelphia; O. 
 M. Rau, General Manager of the Commonwealth Power Company, Milwaukee, 
 Wisconsin; George H. Morse, Detroit, Michigan; Edward W. Bemis of Chicago, 
 and Clyde L. King of the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
3a 
 
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 Captain of Preciiict attended by JunL^.r Inspectors 
 
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 Platoon of Junior Patrolmen Saluting the Colours 
 THE JUNIOR POLICE OF NEW YORK CITY ■ 
 
The Detroit Board of Commerce Building 
 
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 The Board of Directors of the Executives Club of the Detroit Board of Commerce. 
 
 A club within a club interested in raising the efliciency of 
 
 manufacturing in Detroit 
 
 ORGANIZATIONS 01' BUSINESS MEN AS CIVIC ASSETS 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 261 
 
 They have just about as much relation to the ejtpounding of th» 
 science of value as the hired mercenary troops of the Middle Ages 
 had in defending the righteousness of the cause for which they 
 fought. ' 
 
 During the same address Professor Gray ejqjosed the kernel 
 of the expert nut by concluding that unless these high-priced 
 gentlemen are to be entirely done away with, they must, in- 
 dividually, become "real experts for the particular question 
 in hand, and not merely self-proclaimed experts. They must 
 be less partisan than at present, and confined more to facts 
 produced by non-experts." That is, they must base their 
 opinions upon the facts of the case at hand, and not on the 
 general conclusions that are results of "experience." Pro- 
 fessor Gray also contends, and very justly, that they "must 
 be greatly limited in number, appointed by the court, and 
 paid by the public." . 
 
 To recount our experience in this matter at this point would 
 hardly convince any one not now so convinced. It can be 
 said without fear of contradiction, that cities desiring ser- 
 vice in the electrical field — service of any value — ^must build 
 up their own group of experts. This is essentially as true 
 as to the engineering connected with all kinds of utihties. 
 The broadening activities of public-service commissions, and 
 especially the larger appropriations being made for their 
 work, is one cause operating to give the cities experts free 
 from either corporate bias or entanglements. To further 
 development along these lines must we pin our hope for the 
 future. 
 
 The situation has certainly improved in some respects in 
 the last ten years. In 1905 we made an altogether futile 
 search for a gas engineer on whom we could lay a good-sized 
 retainer in return for advice in the matter of the 75-year lease 
 ol the Philadelphia Gas Works, which it was proposed should 
 be granted to the United Gas Improvement Company. At 
 
262 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the same time we found that the United Gas Improvement 
 Company had retained such a large proportion of the com- 
 petent lawyers in Philadelphia that the City had to go to New 
 York for legal advice. It is only fair to say that the reluctance 
 of competent engineers to advise the cities or to testify in their 
 behaK is in very large measure due to a feeling that it would 
 be indiscreet for a man to represent both the public and the 
 private interests, even in different cases. 
 
 We are told that as an expert is supposed to testify only 
 to the truth, it is all right— even easy^ — for him to take either 
 end of a given utility controversy. But until our experts are 
 witnesses for the court rather than for the litigants, and espe- 
 cially until the practices of some of our utility companies are 
 further clarified, truth is led in somewhat shackled and it is 
 just as well for all men — especially young men — to be on their 
 guard. 
 
 When a man becomes successful on the public side, the 
 utility corporations lose no time in attempting to ruin his 
 reputation. A good example of this kind of treatment is Prof. 
 Edward W. Bemis — ^whom Mayor Tom L. Johnson of Cleve- 
 land ^described as "an expert on the value of public-service 
 corporations and the only such expert on the people's side. " 
 Fortunately Mr. Bemis worked on the principle that he could 
 hot be an expert on both sides of the questions fundamental 
 to the utility problem. Men high in the utility field have a 
 cordial hatred of him because he is a resourceful and com- 
 petent witness in rate cases, and knows how to meet the ex- 
 perts put forward by the private companies as perhaps can 
 no other man. I was told by the president of a very large 
 gas company that Professor Bemis was corrupt, and that 
 Mayor Hanna of Des Moines would confirm the statement. 
 I wrote to Mayor Hanna and he replied that "our experience 
 with Mr. Bemis was most highly satisfactory; he is a man 
 of remarkable information in his special line and of remark- 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 263 
 
 able resourceful ability. As a witness in our gas contest 
 he was of inestimable value." This is doubtless one of the 
 reasons why Mr. Bemis is so cordially disliked by the gas group. 
 
 On the other hand, we find in almost every rate case an array 
 of so-called " talent " on the side of the private company which, 
 in the eyes of the public-service commission must be well-nigh 
 irresistible. It certainly sounds impressive to hear an ex- 
 pert qualifying in a rate case state that he is the head pro- 
 fessor of electrical engineering at a great imiversity or two, 
 or that he is Past President of the National Electric Light 
 Association, or that he is consulting engineer to a half dozen 
 of the largest electric light and power companies in the 
 country ,or that during his life he has been directly connected 
 with the operation of big companies. But when the only 
 qualification necessary for such honours and experience as 
 this is the say-so of somebody high in the councils of the 
 General Electric interests, it is diflScult for the ordinary tax- 
 payer to be duly impressed. 
 
 The effect on the public interest of the testimony given by 
 men of the type put forward as experts by the private com- 
 panies is perhaps fairly illustrated by the record of Dugald 
 C. Jackson who, in quaHf jdng recently as an expert in a rate 
 case before the Pennsylvania Public Service Commission, 
 introduced himself by the single statement that he was "pro- 
 fessor of electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute 
 of Technology and head of the Department of Electrical En- 
 gineering and professor of electrical engineering at Harvard 
 University." Professor Jackson has never really been so 
 much a University professor as a corporate employee giving 
 courses in universities.^ 
 
 If state regulation fails in this country no other cause; in 
 
 ^Professor Jackson is only an ex-ofiScio professor of Harvard University by 
 virtue of the proposed consolidation of the engineering faculties of Harvard and 
 5'The Tech.'^ 
 
a64 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 my opinion, will contribute more largely to 'such failure than 
 the ability of the national organization of each utility industry 
 to place men of Professor Jackson's type on the witness 
 stand, as experts, in any part of the Union. His introduction 
 is — as at Harrisburg — the prestige of two great institutions 
 of learning; his record is one long line of important technical 
 assignments given to him by the very interests which his testi- 
 mony tends to protect; and his theories of valuation and rates 
 are those the effect of which lend aid and comfort to watered 
 stock and exhorbitant charges. 
 
 Negotiation undoubtedly has its place in the control of the 
 utihty problem. One splendid instance of this kind of work 
 Is to be found in the record of Robert L. Burnet, who imder 
 the title of "Public Service Engineer," in Providence, 
 R. I., brought about remarkable improvements in the service 
 rendered by the utilities of that community. A competent 
 and aggressive official, especially if he is supported with lib- 
 eral appropriations, can imdoubtedly accompUsh a great deal. 
 Unfortunately it is almost the universal practice for cities 
 to pay entirely too low salaries in the higher positions and 
 even where the salaries are adequate, they give their employees 
 almost nothing in the way of funds for investigating the con- 
 duct of the private companies. 
 
 THE UTILITIES BTJKEAtJ 
 
 Out of inter-city cooperation will come perhaps the largest 
 measure of reUef from the unbearable conditions which exist 
 in the utility field to-day. Plans were perfected for the be^- 
 ning of this cooperation at the Conference of American 
 Mayors, held in Philadelphia, November 12-14, I9i4- One 
 of iJie chief results of this Conference was the establishment 
 of The Utilities Bureau, a medium through which the cities 
 of the country might cooperate in the solution of the utility 
 
Entrance to Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia 
 Flower Exhibition for prizes, East Mauch Chunk, Pa. 
 Tabby Cat Tea House, Hamilton- Wenham, Mass. 
 
MAIN CLUB HOUSE 
 Here are carried on a wide range of community activities sucli as men's clubs, de- 
 bating societies, a gymnasium, cooking scliools, and mothers' meetings 
 
 TEXXIS COURTS 
 
 In the "Corner Iiouse" shown in the rear are dental and eye and ear clinics, and 
 
 the headquarters for the district nurses 
 
 THE NORWOOD (MASS.) CIVIC ASSOCLATION 
 
OUR UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNERS 265 
 
 problems. The results of a Conference on Valuation — ^held 
 by the Bureau in November, 1915, one year after its estab- 
 Ushment— speaks well for its future in this field. The 
 proceedings of that Conference form probably the most com- 
 prehensive treatment of the subject of valuation that is 
 obtainable at the present time. 
 
 As long as the utilities are working on a national basis they 
 can, over a greater part of the country, successfully beat down 
 and altogether nullify the legitimate convictions of the cities. 
 But if, through cooperation between the cities, by means 
 of the Utilities Bureau and other similar agencies, the cities 
 can be organized on a national basis, the companies will ul- 
 timately see that the present game of bluff and force is not 
 good business. 
 
 We are in the stage of inquiry as regards utility matters. 
 It would no more pay, at the present time, to swing too far 
 one way than too far the other. As Mayor Stratton of Read- 
 ing, Pennsylvania, has remarked in the Utilities Magazine: 
 "Threat is invariably met with threat, and in the end leads 
 only to destruction and annihilation without the accom- 
 plishment of a particle of good to any one." It is just because 
 of these facts that every city should, at aU times, be in posses- 
 sion of all the facts about every utiUty which serves it. We 
 will look back, at some future day, upon this period of utiKty 
 hide-and-seek as one does on the Dark Ages. 
 
 After the water in these properties has been worked out 
 through the adoption in each locality of some reasonably 
 equitable sciheme, and after a reasonable rate of return for 
 utility investments has been determined for each part of the 
 country, and after the companies have adopted a genuine 
 programme of fact publicity, there would seem to be no in- 
 herent reason why a municipality afid its public-service com- 
 panies should not do business with each other to their mutual 
 advantage and satisfaction. As long as we are asked to look 
 
266 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 upon inflated securities as having real value, and as long as 
 we are asked to pay rates based on the value of the service 
 rather than on cost plus a fair profit, and as long as the pub- 
 licity basis is comparable only to pre-war European diplomacy 
 the feud will continue. 
 
 The greatest present-day problem in utility matters is not 
 who is to own and operate them but how shall they be oper- 
 ated? Tied up in the answer to this question are world-wide 
 forces that can only partially be reached by legislation. 
 A titanic battle is on between a democratic army and eleven 
 billions of capital. Both sides are wrong. Neither under- 
 stands the other, and almost any issue may result. But 
 whether this feud voices itself through state regulation, 
 municipal operation, or through negotiation, this struggle 
 as it has been carried on in the past can bring good only to 
 an almost insignificant number of capitalists, promoters, and 
 investment bankers. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 THE CITY AS AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 
 
 IN THE light of the history of the development of city 
 government in this country the functions of a properly 
 operated municipality cannot be considered in any way 
 static. Something happens, and every city in the land pro- 
 vides an agency to meet the new need or at least to cover a new 
 situation. The scientists tell us that typhoid is largely a water- 
 bom disease and we provide for the filtering of the water 
 supply, for its testing at significant times and places, for the 
 gradual purification of the streams from which it is drawn, 
 and for studying the more economical distribution and use 
 of water as the cost of producing it goes up. Perhaps we lay 
 some long-performed function down but while we are doing 
 so we take up many others. The whole organism which we 
 call the city government is not only actively alive but should 
 be growing by leaps and bounds. We must get this viewpoint 
 toward it and constantly ask ourselves how this agency of our 
 own creation is meeting not only its responsibilities but its 
 possibilities. Because our city has not performed a given fimc- 
 tion in the past does not of course constitute a valid reason why 
 it should not do so in the future. We have, for instance, in 
 the strictly engineering branches of the Philadelphia city 
 government, over 4,000 men and women regularly employed. 
 The progenitor of this great throng was a single person ap- 
 pointed, about 1690, by the then reigning English king, to 
 regulate the water courses of the district. From that simple 
 
 267 
 
268 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 beginning all our present multifarious engineering duties have 
 sprung. 
 
 ■ Looking into the future we can detect a great many new 
 duties which will either be taken over by the municipahty or 
 initiated by it. For instance, no city can prosper except 
 as its industries prosper. In this country they receive 
 ahnost a minimiun of guidance and assistance from the mu- 
 nicipahty. Within a generation, American cities will find 
 that there must be some definite continuous policy as to the 
 fostering of industries. In many respects our municipal 
 governments act as a handicap to their industries. Such re- 
 lations must be made broadly helpful. Ultimately a mutu- 
 , ally helpful tie-in between the cities of this country and their 
 federal and state governments will be brought about with 
 industry acting as the connecting link. 
 
 The old answer as to how a city could help industry, was 
 to grant special privileges — to become, that is, the tool of 
 business, not its ally. "Is our city a good place in which to 
 live?" is the early vital question to industry. In the long 
 run the handsome furnishings of the City's chamber of com- 
 merce will not be as active an inducement to business men 
 to locate their plants in that particular city as generally 
 satisfactory conditions for the workingman will be. Raw ma- 
 terials may be had for cash. But the upbuilding of a satis- 
 fied working population requires time, thought, and energy. 
 
 When the city's civic organizations and municipal authorities 
 improve the Hving conditions of the workingman's family — 
 by looking well to annual wages, by reducing the cost of living, 
 or by making the city in which they operate a more enjoyable 
 place in which to have a home and bring up a family — the 
 enhanced earning power of the population attracts new indus- 
 trial establishments. Community playgrounds, parks, clean 
 streets, low-priced public services, municipal piers, belt lines, 
 are therefore seen to be valuable allies to industrial progress. 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 269 
 
 MARKETS AND THE COST OF LIVING 
 
 Mr. Herbert Hoover tackled America's food problem pri- 
 marily as a distribution problem. "Our system of food 
 distribution," he said, "is the most costly in the world." 
 And why? Because our job has grown more rapidly than our 
 facilities. 
 
 Why, for instance, do strawberries go from Selbyville, 
 Delaware (the largest strawberry-shipping point in the 
 United States), to Philadelphia, 104 miles distant, to be resold 
 and go back again over the same route as far as Wilmington, 
 Delaware, 27 nailes away, to be hauled to the storage house 
 of the conmaission man, again sold, and hauled by huckster's 
 team fourteen miles to reach the consumer at Kennett Square, 
 Pennsylvania? The Pennsylvania Railroad touches each of 
 the points mentioned in this case. Any quality left in the 
 berries after the last leg of this roundabout journey is due 
 rather to the providence of God than to the wisdom of man. 
 William G. Williams of SelbyviUe, the largest berry buyer in 
 that town for the past twenty-five years, says that the present 
 route of strawberries from his town to Kennett Square, with 
 transfers incident to that trip, takes away from 25 per cent, to 
 35 per cent, from the value of the berries. Thus, at an ad- 
 vanced cost, Kennett Square obtains an inferior product. 
 
 This is a relatively simple and obvious example of the want 
 of organization in the marketing of our local products. 
 
 An interesting and detailed inquiry on the trolley light- 
 freight situation, as affecting the Philadelphia food supply, 
 was carried on in 1913 by the cooperation of Dr. Clyde L. 
 King of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania 
 and is considered one of the most important contributions 
 made to this general subject. Strange to say our transpor- 
 tation chiefs at that time ridiculed all proposals to effect 
 any advantageous changes in the cities' food supply through 
 
270 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the encouragement of local shipments and the local con- 
 sumption of locally grown foods. Because of the crush of 
 freight following our entry into the European war, however, 
 our railway friends heartily indorsed the Hdover policy of 
 local consumption of vicinity-grown produce. As Dr. King 
 said in his report to me, "to clear the way from the farm to 
 the city and from the city to the farm will decrease the 
 farmer's transportation costs and the amount of timp spent 
 in marketing his goods"; it "will enhance the facilities 
 through which the stores in the smaU towns can han- 
 dle more economically both their incoming and outgoing 
 freight," and will "extend the boimds of social life in each 
 agricultural district." Efficient trolley freight service to 
 outlying districts will "give to the retail stores a smaller trans- 
 portation charge; give to Philadelphia's manufacturing estab- 
 lishments and stores increased facilities for sales; and give to 
 Philadelphia's consiuners fresher produce at better prices." 
 
 Through studies made by our department it is quite apparent 
 that a modest programme of financial encouragement, not 
 necessarily involving any exclusive market buildings, would 
 yield big results in the way of reduction in the cost of living. 
 The several eastern Pennsylvania trolley lines centring in 
 Philadelphia tap primarily seven neighbouring coimties — 
 Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, Berks, Lancaster, Chester, and 
 Delaware. These counties contain the largest number of the 
 most productive farms in the state. Of the tremendous 
 amount of produce grown within this radius of a few miles 
 only an exceedingly small percentage is consumed within 
 the city of Philadelphia. The extended use by the pro- 
 ducer of the trolley freight and motor facilities would turn 
 large quantities of these foodstuffs to the Philadelphia markets 
 which now find their way to more distant points, or are not 
 marketed at aU. 
 
 The consumption of locally grown foods is having a new 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 271 
 
 meaning, as city dwellers drive into the country in their own au- 
 tomobiles to buy their produce. In the summer of 1917, this 
 custom grew rapidly. Mr. Howard Heinz, the Food Director 
 of Pennsylvania, suggested special sales of home-grown vege- 
 tables in the city's streets. The parcels post can be developed 
 by continuous attention to the upkeep of a reliable list of 
 farmers and consumers desiring such service. The hamper 
 plan is worthy of special consideration. Mr. A. B. Ross^ 
 has developed a "Point of Origin" shipment plan worthy of 
 careful consideration by city authorities. The local consump- 
 tion of home-grown foods relieves the railways and develops 
 the community. Cities, towns, and villages can afford to pay 
 heed to these possibilities not only under the stress of war 
 but as continuous peace-time measures. 
 
 However, the food for our city dwellers must now come 
 largely in carload lots. Philadelphia consimiers use from 
 twenty-five to fifty carloads of potatoes a day. The large 
 city's larger problem is therefore to provide adequate facilities 
 for handling its foodstuffs by the car lot. 
 
 The present food situation is but an impressive expression 
 of what has long been the two outstanding facts about food 
 costs in American cities : (i) those costs are the largest part of 
 the family expenditure and (2) they are larger than they ought 
 to be. Our civic vision has not been large enough to keep 
 the machinery for selling and buying foodstuffs sufficiently 
 up to date to keep food expenses at a minimum. 
 
 Other countries have secured lower food costs by defi- 
 nitely planning for them. If our manufacturers and other 
 employers of labour could really see what can be done for 
 real wages as distinct from money wages (and hence what 
 can be done toward an ever better labour situation in Phila- 
 
 'See "Point of Origin Plan for MaAeting,'' Annals of the American Academy 
 of Political and Social Science, Vol. XLXIV— Nov. 17, A. B. Ross. 
 
272 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 delphia and in every large city in the land) by adopt- 
 ing even fairly modern and only thoroughly tried methods 
 for reducing food costs, they, not the housewives, would be 
 planning demonstrations — poHte demonstrations, of course 
 — ^but effective nevertheless. 
 
 A study of what the money wage buys will convince any one 
 that actual wages are less to-day than they have been since 
 the early '90's, and this despite the phenomenal increase in 
 money wages in the last few months. The superficial thing 
 is to say that "labour ought to be satisfied" and never look 
 further into what wages are really buying and how money 
 wages can be made to go further. Practically half the income 
 of those whose family incomes are less than $1,000 per year 
 goes for food — and much more than that at the present 
 prices. Certainly 35 per cent, of the income of those whose 
 family incomes are around $1,000 per year, or just above, 
 goes for food at normal prices — far more is required at the 
 present time. Why not have the machinery by which these 
 costs can be permanently reduced? A stable industrial 
 centre cannot be built up on temporary expedients such 
 as sales of food at cost, however valuable these expedients 
 may be as charity measures in times of emergency. For 
 these temporary expedients only undermine permanent 
 agencies. 
 
 Our food machinery must be big enough and planned on a 
 large enough scale to influence prices not only for the hundreds 
 of thousands within the cities but also for the millions in 
 metropolitan areas. Moreover, this machinery must be 
 comprehensive enough and stable enough and reliable enough 
 to affect prices for 365 days a year. As every factory 
 owner knows, too small a machine may be a handicap rather 
 than a help. We must think in terms of the hundreds of 
 millions of dollars our city and her neighbours spend an- 
 nually for food. - ' 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 273 
 
 The central part of this food receiving and distributing 
 machinery must be a large wholesale terminal market. This 
 market must be situated in the present wholesale district; 
 for businesses cannot and should not be pulled up and planted 
 elsewhere at wiU. This terminal market, moreover, must be 
 on the belt line with easy access to all railroads and all water 
 hues. It must be large enough so that cars can be run into the 
 building and unloaded to save the expense of trucking. It 
 must have ample cold-storage facilities. Chilled rooms must 
 be provided into which perishable produce can be unloaded 
 from the cars and repacked to suit the trade without the de- 
 terioration inevitably resulting from unloading in a warm 
 atmosphere. There must be really adequate transshipping 
 machinery. In short, this plan must be big enough to make 
 for real economies in large-scale receiving and distributing of 
 foodstuffs. 
 
 Philadelphia once, long ago, under the stimulus of Revolu- 
 tionary times, bethought itself of its food facilities and planned 
 public markets that for their time were ample and effective. 
 To-day these markets, for the work there is to do, are as inade- 
 quate as Independence Hall would be to-day for both a city 
 hall and a state capitol. And, Uke Independence Hall, they 
 stand to-day, to put it mildly, merely as a tribute to the fore- 
 sight and dvic abilities of our forefathers and as a measure 
 of what proportionately we of the present generation ought 
 to be doing. 
 
 Well-administered terminal wholesale markets are character- 
 istic of every European city. They are to be found in 
 Paris, London, Brussels, Lyons, Havre, Budapest, Prague. 
 The market in Paris, for instance — located near the Louvre, 
 and known as the Halles Centrales— consists of ten pavil- 
 ions and open structures, partly covered by a roof, occupy- 
 ing in its entirety twenty-two acres and erected at a total 
 cost of $22,000,000. In this vast entrep6t the various mar- 
 
274 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 ket supplies are received by rail, by drays, by boats on the 
 Seine River, and by great wagons from the country. Over 
 one billion poimds of products are sold there every year. 
 New York City, Chicago, and other American cities have 
 recently worked out plans for terminal markets in detail. 
 
 But can a plant ample for the business be made an assurance 
 of lower food costs to the city dweller? It can be, has been, 
 and is. Moreover, it is now in many places an assurance of 
 fair prices to the farmer as well. How can this be done? The 
 plan must include provision for a public licensed auctioneer 
 who will sell foodstuffs in relatively small quantities. The 
 commission to be charged by these bonded hcensed auctioneers 
 must be fixed and care must be taken to see that they are not 
 directly or indirectly interested in the trade of market wares 
 of any kind. In European terminal markets, these commis- 
 sions average about ? per cent. 
 
 A report made some time ago by our consuls abroad, as to 
 the results of terminal wholesale markets in the countries in 
 which they were situated, bears witness to what terminal 
 wholesale markets are doing under the licensed-auctioneer 
 plan. Consul John C. Covert said, as to the system in Lyons, 
 France: "Fish and game are brought here for sale from Eng- 
 land, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, and from all parts of 
 France. If a grocer or butcher anj^where in France, in fact 
 anywhere in Europe outside of Lyons, has an overstodc of any 
 kind of provisions, he is always sure that he can get rid of it at 
 the central market auction in Lyons. Often a stock of provi- 
 sions is sold here at private sale by correspondence for and to 
 parties outside the dty." Mr. Frank Bohr, then Consular 
 Assistant in Germany, and now one of our Consuls in Switzer- 
 land, wrote as follows in regard to the results obtained in 
 Berlin: "The municipal sales commissioners are bonded 
 ofiBicials who are forbidden to be interested, directly or indi- 
 rectly, in the trade in market wares of any kind. They are 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 275 
 
 responsible to the market hall management, and are allowed 
 to collect a certain fixed percentage of all sales made. The 
 primary purpose of these ofl&cers is to offer distant dealers 
 and producers opportimity to ship in their wares, and have 
 them brought into the hands of Berlin dealers and consimiers, 
 through the agency of responsible middlemen and with the 
 assurance of a published and steady price. A second or in- 
 direct purpose is that, through their competition with the 
 private wholesale dealers and through the daily publication 
 of their report on the average wholesale prices for all wares 
 and at aU the halls, the municipal sales commissioners exercise 
 a steadjdng influence upon the entire wholesale business. 
 Although it is estimated that they handle only about one fifth 
 of the total wares received at the central market hall, it is 
 nevertheless conceded that they indirectly prevent extortion 
 by the private wholesale dealer upon the producer or dealer 
 on the one hand and upon the consumer or retailer on the 
 other." 
 
 Such a wholesale public auction would attract not only 
 retail dealers large and small and the larger consumers, such 
 as hotel and restaurant managers, but the small consumers as 
 well. To this end, the quantities offered in wholesale are 
 fixed at relatively smaU amounts. In the wholesale market 
 at Havre, France, merchandise may be offered for sale in such 
 small quantities as six ordinary-sized bunches of vegetables; 
 iiine quarts (or, when sold by weight, 11 pounds) of fruits and 
 vegetables — even this minimmn being reduced by half during 
 April and May; vegetables which it is customary to sell by 
 count, such as cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc., i dozen; 
 oranges and lemons, i dozen; large vegetables, such as canta- 
 loupes, melons, etc., in as small quantities as one of each. 
 In Lyons, quails, partridges, ducks, etc., are put up in bunches 
 of half a dozen or a dozen; eggs in lots of 100; oysters in boxes 
 of 100; butter in lots of 50 pounds. With sales in such small 
 
276 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 quantities as these, the smaller consumers, singly or through 
 cooperation, and the larger consiuners everywhere can buy 
 with but one intermediary between them and the farmer, 
 and that a public auction department that adds but 2 per 
 cent, to the price the farmer receives plus freight. The 
 average increase in the price of American foodstuffs from 
 farmer to consiuner is over 100 per cent. The American con- 
 sumer pays on the average around $2.25 for the same foods 
 for which the farmer received $1.00. Retail market stalls can 
 also be provided. 
 
 The hoary objection to all of this is that the consumer will 
 not bestir herself and buy more cheaply but wiU sit at home 
 and use the telephone and demand that the goods be delivered. 
 In the first place, there is no reason why there cannot be both a 
 telephone and deliveries in public markets. Both are being 
 used in modern public markets In the second place, if the 
 crushing evidence of bargain counters and the recent demon- 
 strations in our cities do not meet these objections, no argu- 
 ments or facts will do so. Those who feel that the only element 
 in high food costs is the comfort of the purchaser need to get 
 out awhile where living costs pinch. 
 
 But, says someone else: "You will destroy the business 
 of our food jobbers and wholesale merchants — let us have a 
 constructive plan!" Well, what are the facts? The chain 
 stores buy and sell considerably over one half the food 
 consimied in Philadelphia. The organized retail grocers — 
 1,250 of them or thereabouts — who do, say, another 25 per 
 cent, of our food business, buy collectively, in order to meet 
 this chain-store competition, through the Girard Grocery 
 Company, and this company is doing business for these grocers, 
 it is stated, at a cost (including delivery) of about 2.85 per 
 cent, (that is just a httle above the percentage allowed pubUc 
 auctioneers in European cities). That is, of the foodstuffs 
 consumed in Philadelphia, but a scant 10 or 15 per cent, is 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRML PROGRESS 277 
 
 handled by our food jobbers. The big business of our jobbers 
 and wholesale merchants is the supplying of outlying districts. 
 An adequate terminal market system would make of Phila- 
 delphia the primary market centre for a large and ever- 
 growing territory. The jobbing and wholesale business will 
 accordingly be expanded, not curtailed by a proper system of 
 wholesale terminal markets. These provisions aimed at giv- 
 ing lower food costs to consumers are also essential to attract 
 the business Philadelphia ought to handle as a food-jobbing 
 centre. 
 
 Asa con[ununity,we have thought about rapid transit and we 
 know that it is important. What we eat, and what we pay for 
 what we eat, are vastly more important. Dollars are involved 
 in food where nickels are in transit. And just as rapid transit 
 needs a plan big enough for a big city, so do food costs need a 
 plan big enough to get really efifective results. 
 
 There are other elements needed in this plan besides a 
 terminal wholesale market. A state department of markets 
 and foods is one of them. But certainly for any large city 
 of this day the first step is the terminal market. 
 
 LOCAL RETAIL DISTRICTS 
 
 There is always the tendency to bring to the centre of any 
 city an ever-increasing proportion of the retail trade. In a 
 dty of any size this means putting upon the people themselves, 
 as well as upon the streets and other transit facilities, an un- 
 necessary burden. It seemed to us to be good miuiicipal 
 policy to encourage in every way the upbuilding of separate 
 retail trade centres, and more particularly those located in the 
 outlying districts. We made the most of every opportunity 
 to improve the paving, cleaning, and lighting of such thorough- 
 fares. One indirect object of having even a few of the retail 
 trade streets well paved, well Hghted, and well cleaned, is to 
 
278 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 emphasize to our people the importance of having these cen- 
 tres and to educate the taxpayers to demand the same good 
 conditions throughout the residential districts. In other 
 words, we considered a few high-grade streets of this kind, 
 located in places where the people would use them, to be the 
 best possible advertisement of the city's industrial advantages, 
 as it was one sure way to keep down living costs and to keep 
 up living standards. To develop outlying trade centres, we 
 arranged in JPhiladelphia a week known as "Retail Merchants 
 Week" diumg which a course of evening lectures was given 
 at four different points — Frankford, Germantown, West 
 Philadelphia, and South Philadelphia. The effort was made 
 to point out to the retail merchants in these outljong districts 
 the possibilities of building up their business to their own 
 advantage and to the betterment of the city as a whole. 
 Addresses were made at these meetings by Mr. Herbert W. 
 Hess, of the Advertising Department of the University of 
 Peimsylvania, and Mr. James W. Fisk, editor of the Dry 
 Goods Economist of New York City and lecturer at the Univer- 
 sity of Minnesota and elsewhere. 
 
 The excessive concentration of trade and traffic in our largest 
 cities has caused congestion on the surface of our streets which 
 must find relief in the very near future. Besides municipal en- 
 couragement for outlying trade centres, something must be 
 done to relieve the central district. We are working in the 
 right direction along these lines in our consideration of the 
 value of the traffic circuit or, in other words, a quadrangle of 
 wide, weU-paved thoroughfares on the border of the principal 
 business district. The concentration of traffic and its relief is 
 almost too big a subject to be even touched on here, but one 
 fact is clear — ^the city must accept responsibility for its solu- . 
 tion. The traffic circuit will open up many new possibilities 
 in parking spaces for automobiles, and under proper conditions, 
 will serve as an effective fire barrier. Such projects should 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 279 
 
 be financed in part by assessments against property owners 
 deriving financial benefits from the improvement. 
 
 PUBLIC PARKS AND BATHS 
 
 The cause of our parks is the cause of our public health. It 
 is also the cause of municipal beauty. Dr. Charles J. Hastings, 
 Medical Health oflScer of Toronto, Canada, says: 
 
 "The United States and Canada are squandering $200,000,000 
 annually on patent medicines and spending less than $5,000,000 on 
 public health and prevention of disease." 
 
 The establishment of municipal parks and squares, play- 
 grounds for the children and driveways for the grown-ups 
 who are in position to use them, is one of the first considerations 
 of industrial helpfulness. These open spaces, so aptly called 
 "the city's lungs," are the protectors of the city's health, and 
 hence of its industrial prosperity. 
 
 Mr. H. D. W. English, President of Pittsburgh's Chamber 
 of Conomerce, teUs of two good-sized manufacturing concerns 
 which, wishing to move their plants to another city, sent com- 
 mittees of their skilled workmen to visit the new location, 
 hdping thereby to influence the men to move with the concerns. 
 The workmen refused, after the investigation, to accompany 
 their employers, because the city to which the employers 
 wished to go lacked the public facilities they considered nec- 
 essary to the health and enjoyment of their families. 
 
 The public bath house is a feature which no industrial city 
 can afford to overlook. In the illustrations are shown two 
 different types of bath houses in New York City. For the 
 one on East 23d Street, the figures are as foUows: 
 
 Original cost (1908) $249,432.05 
 
 Upkeep (1913) $20,580.00 
 
28o OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Patronized by. 312,614 
 
 Cost per bali Less than 6.2 c. 
 
 Figuring interest and depreciation charges on 
 this bath, both at 5% each, these patrons would 
 carry interest, depreciation, and upkeep, that is, 
 have the entire undertaking paid for in twenty 
 years, and self-supporting during that time, at a 
 cost per bath of 12 c. 
 
 The downtown bath on Allen street makes a somewhat 
 different showing: 
 
 Original cost (1905) $92,934.80 
 
 Upkeep (1913) $13,350.00 
 
 Patronized by (1913) 565,001 
 
 Cost per bath. 2.3 c. approx. 
 
 Figuring interest and depreciation charges on 
 this bath, both at 5% each, these patrons would 
 carry interest, depreciation and upkeep, that is, 
 have the entire undertaking paid for in twenty 
 years, and self- supporting during that time, at a 
 cost of about an even 4 c. per bath. 
 
 COOPEBATION WITH BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATIONS 
 
 We made it our business to keep in constant touch with 
 business men's associations and others in an effort to remove 
 long-standing obstacles to the growth of certain sections of 
 the city. It frequently happens, for instance, that a piece 
 of real estate, wholly unimportant in itself, is so held as to 
 block the development of a large area over a long period of 
 years. It requires the intserest of someone in a responsible 
 position to bring about cooperation or perhaps to develop 
 the method of forcing an undivided or roinor interest to yield 
 for the benefit of the many. Sometimes the lack of a given 
 faciUty — such as a bridge for instance — will exert an influence 
 
THE NORWOOD (MASS.) CIVIC ASSOCIATION 
 
 A. Theatre and lecture hall 
 
 B. Gymnasium 
 
 C. Game room 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 1P^^ 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 281 
 
 entirely out of proportion to its cost. We built one bridge 
 to carry a steam railroad over a street and the following year 
 the increase in real estate taxes alone in the district affected 
 more than paid the entire cost of the bridge. The elitninatioa 
 of grade crossings is another fruitful field for the combined 
 efforts of business men's associations and the city goverimient. 
 For instance, at the request of the South Philadelphia Busi- 
 ness Men's Association we undertook a study which ulti- 
 mately led to an agreement with the Pennsylvania and Balti- 
 more & Ohio railroads providing for the abolition of upward 
 of one hundred grade crossings and making nvunerous other 
 street and water-front improvements involving a joint expen- 
 diture amounting to about 25 million dollars. Without the 
 united and active support of organized business men these 
 and many other equally necessary improvements would prob- 1 
 ably have been delayed for many years. 
 
 The lajdng of wood-block pavements around schools and 
 hospitals and in certain narrow streets in the business district, 
 the removal of over five miles of imused street-car tracks, 
 the substitution of granite block at important street-railroad 
 intersections, the removal of snow from important street in- 
 tersections in the outlying districts, and the improving of 
 the type of street lamp are only some of the numerous im- 
 provements brought about because of our desire that the 
 city should be a faithful ally to industrial progress. 
 
 It cannot be stated too frequently that perhaps the most 
 important duty of the municipal administration is to get the 
 largest possible number of people "into the play" — ^to borrow 
 an expression from the football field. If a practice is made 
 of providing improvements almost before the people recognize 
 the need for them a most valuable opportunity to educate 
 the public is lost. For this reason we made the effort to have 
 suggestions for improvements as frequently as possible emanate 
 from business men's associations and other public bodies. In 
 
282 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 fact, a piece of construction work of any considerable size is 
 only well undertaken when its building has been preceded 
 by a considerable period of public discussion and agitation. 
 The naunicipal administrator is in a stronger position to lead in 
 the fight for some step forward, the importance of which is 
 not perhaps fully imderstood by all the public, if in the great 
 majority of his policies and acts he has worked with and 
 through a developed and organized public opinion. 
 
 Whenever possible, in starting any new project, we began 
 withsomekind of apubhc function. Even on grading Jobs where 
 anypublic sentiment for the improvement had been aroused, we 
 arranged a neighbourhood "party" when the first spadeful of 
 eajrth was turned. On more important projects an informal 
 stand was erected and prominent men were asked to speak. 
 The people are usually eager to know as much as possible 
 about work "going on in the neighbourhood." 
 
 COMMERCIAL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 
 
 Many cities are now providing commercial education for 
 those school children expecting to enter business or professional 
 offices. It seems entirely proper that the municipality should 
 supplement the work of private institutions in liis (Erection. 
 The girl or boy attending the conamercial course of the high 
 school is not rushed as much as is necessary in the business 
 schools, and as a consequence, has a broader foundation for 
 future work. Limch and lounging rooms, and other conven- 
 iences, broaden the students' opportunities and soften the 
 competitive edge during the training period. 
 
 Largely imder the influence of continental countries — 
 nearly every large city in the country is now doing something 
 in the direction of vocational guidance in its public schools. 
 The drift is undoubtedly in the direction of even greater 
 activity along these lines. It is certainly well that it shoixld 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRLYL PROGRESS 283 
 
 be so. No industrial community can face the future with 
 any degree of security unless the educational system does 
 cooperate broadly and wisely in preparing the oncoming gene- 
 ration of men and women workers. Experience will demon- 
 strate that specialized training in this field can be carried too 
 far. Finished printers and machinists and textUe workers 
 cannot be trained in the schools. The time is too short, the 
 expense is too great, and there is altogether too great a 
 chance that the student will never have the opportunity to 
 use just the tj^e of specialized training which the school 
 course afforded. But imderlying the work of mechanics 
 of all classes are certain principles and objective tests which 
 can be developed and later the special training for individ- 
 ual trades on which so much emphasis is now placed will 
 take its proper relative position after a "job" has been se- 
 cured. The schoolroom cannot take the place of the special 
 training that must be offered in the first few Weeks of employ- 
 ment in any industry, not excepting agriculture. 
 
 EECOGNITION OF PUBLIC SERVICE 
 
 In time of war our cities vie with each other in honouring 
 their sons and daughters who have been brave and faithful 
 in their devotion to the public welfare. This custom has 
 come down to us through almost countless generations. 
 Some such equivalent must be found for rec«gmzing those 
 who perform signal services in the public interest in times of 
 peace. Especially in industry this type of municipal activity 
 will ultimately afford great opportunities for municipal states- 
 manship. 
 
 Fresno, California, recognizes the value to the public of 
 her raisin crop. She has already become the centre of the 
 California raisin industry. This is due largely to the efforts 
 of the Fresno Boosters Club, guided by Mr. Levy, publicity 
 
284 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 manager of the Fresno Republican. Much of this raisin suc- 
 cess has been accomplished by the activities of a Miss Anita 
 King who loses no opportunity to boost Sun Maid Raisins, 
 the kind that saved her life on the western deserts, and the 
 kind that comes from Fresno. By all sorts of methods these 
 Fresno people are trying to develop more uses for raisins 
 so that the industry may prosper and Fresno grow. Miss 
 King, whose main vocation is that of a movie actress, 
 has attained great local prominence because of her success 
 in advancing this civic interest. The Fresno Republican of 
 November 13, 1915, in the course of a half-page illustrated 
 article, outlines Miss King's efforts of the previous day: 
 
 The trip of the day, which began at Selma, included in its 
 course a stop at Fowler, throwing of the first shovelful of earth for 
 the Van Ness Boulevard Arch on the sputh line of Fresno, a recep- 
 tion to the municipality at the Republican comer, where the three 
 keys of Fresno were presented, a trip to the Kearney Estate Uni- 
 versity farm, and an address by Miss King at the State Normal 
 School, and another to the Vocational Club at the High School. 
 
 CITY AID TO WHOLESOME NTJTEITION 
 
 Our national and local governments are doing a great work 
 to help the American farmer. In addition to national, state, 
 and dty support of various agricultural colleges which co- 
 operate with the United States Department of Agricidture, 
 and with each other, the Government has a specialist in charge 
 of club work whose duty it is to organize clubs to promote 
 better farming methods among the yotmg farmers, and to 
 arouse their enthusiasm. Com, tomato, and potato clubs are 
 scattered over the whole country and their work has re- 
 ceived the recognition and support of a number of municipal- 
 ities. 
 
 Several of our cities have experimental farms, managed 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 285 
 
 separately or in connection with some other phase of municipal 
 work. More often our states are supporting experimental 
 stations at state colleges, ia connection with the agricultural 
 work. Special lectures for farmers, given in various country 
 districts, are a feature of this work. Short courses at the 
 state's model farm is another method the Government adopts 
 to aid the farmer. The railway car or train of special cars, 
 illustrating modern methods of carrying on various phases of 
 farming, such as the dairy, is becoming a familiar method of 
 governmental aid to the farming industry. The Federal De- 
 partment of Agriculture distributes bulletins, seeds, etc., and 
 undertakes scientific solutions of the farmer's problems. 
 Agents of this department are looking out for the farmer's 
 interests ia all parts of the country. 
 
 Thirty states had 174,121 members enrolled in their boys' 
 and girls' agricultural clubs dining 1915. These have been 
 greatly increased since the war began. The names given to 
 these dubs depend on their chief interest, as: com, potato, 
 poultry, garden and canning, pork, cooking or sewing. The 
 various canned products of the girls' clubs, when they come 
 up to the standard reqtiirements of the United States Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture, may be sold under the 4-H Brand Club 
 Label. Thus is the lesson in standardization of farm products 
 driven home. 
 
 The problem of capturing the interest of the boys and girls 
 of our cities in the work of the municipahty In some such 
 fashion as has been done in these agricultural clubs has hardly 
 been stated much less solved. But the boys and girls of 
 any dty constitute a great reservoir of munidpal power which 
 must be tapped before our munidpal problem can be considered 
 as on the way to any adequate solution. 
 
 An example of what I have in mind must suffice. It is 
 now fairly well established by dietary experts that there are 
 certain nutrient elements in milk that are essential to a whole- 
 
286 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 some diet.* These nutrient properties can be foiind in other 
 foods but in none so surely and cheaply as in milk. With 
 all the quantity of certain foods — sUch as cereals — that a 
 Croesus could buy, mal-nutrition will inevitably result unless 
 from some source these nutrient properties are attained. 
 Again, the best of modem authorities point to the necessary 
 relation between wholesome nourishment and even nominal 
 earning power. 
 
 What a host of new opportunities and duties these new facts 
 of science give to our cities. Would we have well-nourished 
 individuals as a basis of our industries? Our boys and girls 
 can be organized into enthusiastic groups for the spread of 
 knowledge as to diet and for the inculcation of wholesome die- 
 tary habits. 
 
 STABILIZING EMPLOYMENT 
 
 Thomas Carlyle in his "Latter Day Problems" has said 
 that "the 'organization of Laboiir' is the universal Problem 
 of the World." This seems to summarize my interest in 
 scientific management. I believe that through a genuine 
 science of management we are going to get more of what 
 Carlyle had in mind by "organization" than by any other 
 grouping of industrial mechanisms or by any other system of 
 industrial philosophy. 
 
 Management, of course, must be both efficient and scientific. 
 But it must first be democratic. Ultimately every party at 
 interest must have a fair share in its conduct. Just as surely 
 it must be built essentially out of cooperation and not out of 
 strife and loss. And most importaiit of all, the principles upon 
 which it rests must be grounded so deep in eternal justice and 
 
 'See "Some Essentials to a Safe Diet" by C. V. McCollum, Annals of the 
 American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. LXXIV, November, 
 1917. 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 287 
 
 in the fear of God as to afford a basis for an ever-expanding 
 idealism. 
 
 In the one word "Unemployment" is summed up a prob- 
 lem of tremendous importance to any industrial city. No 
 other obstacle to our growth as an industrial nation is less likely 
 to be successfully combated unless our leaders — industrial, 
 educational, and civic — ^keep attention focussed upon it. 
 No one of the unfortimate conditions of our industrial life is 
 more susceptible to control than this one, if manufacturers, 
 educators, the labouring class, and others interested will so 
 view it. It has been responsibly estimated that the average 
 aimual periods of unemployment are 25 per cent, in the textile 
 industries, as high as 40 per cent, in the building trades, from 
 six to twelve weeks in the shoe industry, and from 20 to 30 
 per cent, among those engaged in printing and binding. 
 
 A telling picture of concrete results of unemployment in the 
 lives of men and women is given in a letter from Miss Mary 
 Van E^eeck, now head of Women's Work in the Department 
 of Labour. Her story of Rose — the little Italian who earned 
 her living making artificial flowers, and who had worked in so 
 many places that she could not even remember their names 
 — ^makes one eager to help to bring science to the ordering 
 of this haphazard industrial regime. For weeks at a time 
 Rose had no work when she needed it most. This hap- 
 pened again and again — each time apparently for a different 
 reason. Her ups and downs bore no relation to the normal 
 labour demand and were in no way occasioned by her own ef- 
 ficiency or inefi&ciency. We did not need Rose's testimony — 
 that "I am awfully scared they will lay me off. The worry 
 makes my head ache so I cannot sleep nights" — to know that 
 the "fear of unemployment" is one of the worst — ^if not the 
 worst — ^burdens carried by the working classes, and doubtless 
 a very potent influence toward national inefl&dency. 
 
 This industrial disturbance which we broadly characterize 
 
288 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 HoLDrao A Job 
 The average American"workingman finds a new"empIoyer once a year 
 
 as unemployment is brought about by almost nimiberless 
 different causes, important and trivial, known and imknown, 
 operating both at home and abroad, both inside and outside 
 the factory, and both regularly and spasmodically. Any effort 
 to reduce the total amount of imemployment, whether in the 
 nation as a whole or in an industry or in an individual factory, 
 presupposes an analysis in whidi the effects of the several 
 operating causes are clearly isolated for individual attack. 
 My theory is that the problem of unemployment is a problem 
 of good times rather than of bad times and that, say, 90 per 
 cent, of all the unemployment, which makes men and women 
 suffer and which demorahzes and degrades them, can be elimi- 
 nated by proper organization within our factory walls. 
 A good many manufacturers work on the theory that periods 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 289 
 
 of employment or unemployment are "wished" on us or come 
 largely as "Acts of God." So the stroke of lightning may be 
 taken as an evidence of a Divine dispensation. But this does 
 hot prevent us from erecting lightning-rods to conduct this 
 power back to Mother Earth in such a way that no harm is 
 done. In the same spirit sdenti&c management takes the 
 hopeful view as to these interruptions in employment. 
 
 The principal bar to any largei accomplishment in this field 
 is our inherited fondness for things as they are. Walter 
 Bagehot has said: "There are many persons to whoto a new 
 idea gives positive pain." If I were a Chinaman and I saw 
 one of my neighbours begin to tie his queue in a novel way, 
 that neighbour would become my enemy and the* enemy of 
 my people. Could I be assured that if he made a minor change 
 in this matter he might not change* his ideas as to more im- 
 portant matters? Once recognize the possibihty of change 
 in one individual and it may become contagious. So we all 
 come honestly by our antipathy to change. Therefore we 
 can afford to be very charitable to those who have difl&culty 
 in adjusting themselves to any new order. 
 
 The goal for a given establishment is a definite number of 
 employees each working full time — ^without overtime — ^and 
 at maximum wages and with no changes in the personnel. 
 This 100 per cent, result is not possible of achievement but is 
 a standard with which to compare such results as are attained. 
 
 Frequent changes in personnel — even when the total number 
 of employees remains fairly stationary — ^is one cause of unem- 
 plo}Tiient and constitutes perhaps the worst malady of Ameri- 
 can industry. The average employer in this country hires 
 and discharges as many men in a year as he employs. When 
 I first heard this statement made by a national authority on 
 the subject — ^E. M. Hopkins, President of Dartmouth 
 College and at the time in charge of the Employment Bureau 
 of the Curtis Publishing Company — ^it seemed to be an exag- 
 
290 
 
 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 geration. But taken the country over, the average man has 
 to seek a new job once a year. I am informed that in the 
 clothing industry the "hirings and firings" run from 150 to 
 250 per cent, of the total number employed. An example 
 of the improvement that may be effected by an intelligent 
 supervision is represented by the experience of the firm of 
 Joseph & Feiss, Cleveland, Ohio, during a five-year period: 
 
 1910 
 1911 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 1914 
 
 STANDAED 
 
 NEW HANDS 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 PAYROLL 
 
 
 
 1,044 
 
 i>S7o 
 
 ISO 
 
 9SI 
 
 807 
 
 8S 
 
 887 
 
 663 
 
 75 
 
 8S4 
 
 569 
 
 66 
 
 82s 
 
 290 
 
 35 
 
 The very frequency with which the average American 
 changes his employer seems to have suggested the undue im- 
 portance, as mitigating agencies, which has been accorded to 
 labour exchanges — ^municipal, state, and federal. We need 
 such exchanges and we want them to. be the most effective 
 in the world, but at best they represent only the beginning 
 of the attack on the problem. There is an important field 
 for such agencies if they can be organized in harmony with 
 democratic ideals. Their principal function is not to care 
 for unusual conditions, but to aid usual conditions. In 
 "hard times" public labour bureaus help the labourer; in 
 normal times they help both the labourer and the employer. 
 They can assist in linking up the berry picker and the cannery, 
 the winter lumbering and the summer harvesting, etc. That 
 is, they can assure a fair total annual wage to all who desire 
 it. 
 
 The causes for the failures among the state and municipal 
 employment bureaus are easily discovered. In the first in- 
 stance the appropriations are inadequate. A small appropri- 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRML PROGRESS 291 
 
 ation is worse than none; it accomplishes no results and is 
 an inducement to corruption. An adequate appropriation is 
 the first essential. With proper funds, managed correctly, 
 a capable personnel will be attracted. 
 
 The municipal employment offices, operating independently, 
 are naturally limited in resources and achievements. The 
 Newark, New Jersey, office is in charge of the city clerk and 
 operates mostly by "want ads" and circular letters. Before 
 any very radical relief can come from this direction there 
 must be cooperation between the agencies — ^municipal, state, 
 and national, 
 j The value of any employment bureau is, after all, dependent 
 
 t 
 
 
 Only Three Yeaks Ago 
 
 The writer of this letter receives, a year, $1,500 for his services. Who wins? 
 
 The PoUticd Boss, who appointed htm 
 
292 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 to a large extent on the quaKfications of the superintendent. ' 
 The superintendent should understand the technical principles 
 involved in his business, the industrial problems of his state 
 and nation, and he should be a capable manager. " He should 
 be depended upon to train the staff, supervise the work, and 
 todevelopan administrative machine that will be permanent."^ 
 Such a man cannot be had for $i,ooo or for $1,200. The 
 local superintendents of emplo3Tnent bureaus, therefore, can 
 hardly ever be secured, through a system of political appoint- 
 ;ments. As a successful western private agency writes: 
 "With a free ofl&ce, the manager, as far as I have seen, 
 knows nothing about an employment oflSce. He draws his 
 $1,200 a year. If any jobs come, aU right; if any help come, 
 all right: he does not advertise for help or jobs."^ 
 
 The developments of the War including the enlargement 
 of the scope of the employment service of the Department 
 of Labour are likely to affect radically every phase of the em- 
 ployment problem. In fact, this has already happened. 
 
 The statement is frequently made that it is up to the gov- 
 ernment — ^federal, state, and municipal — to provide work 
 for the unemployed in times of great industrial depression. 
 Only a little figuring as to the amounts of money available 
 for public improvements will convince one that government 
 work can be used only to mitigate the worst of the distress at 
 the peak of imemployment. It would be better for govern- 
 ment work, and especially municipal work, to be made more 
 regular. Our cities, as employers, set a very poor example 
 in this respect to private employers. A large percentage of 
 this part-time employment, on the part of the municipality, 
 as our experience in Philadelphia has demonstrated, can be 
 done away with. 
 
 Where the greater part of the work of an establishment is 
 
 i"AmericanLabourLegislationReview,"Vol.IV,No. 2, publication 25, p, 323. 
 'Kenworthy Employment Co., Wichita, Kansas, November 21, 1914. 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRL^L PROGRESS 293 
 
 complex, it hardly ever happens that we have for each employee 
 just the right amount of work of thekind he or she is best quali- 
 fied to perform. Too frequently this condition is allowed to 
 cause a break in employment. In fact, this is probably the 
 principal cause of lost time for those having so-called regular 
 employment. Under scientific management this great cause 
 of economic waste can be cut out, very largely, through teach- 
 ing employees how to do more than one thing at least reason- 
 ably well. There should be more elasticity in the possible 
 shifting of workers from one department to another in 
 the same factory, so that an employee is not being laid off 
 in one department while a new one is being hired in the ad- 
 joining department. 
 
 In front of a large clothing house in Philadelphia there is 
 a bulletin board on which the concern is constantly making 
 known its wants as to workmen and workwomen. Recently 
 it read: 
 
 Ticket girls Feller hands 
 
 Sewers Canvas Basters 
 
 Girls Pressers 
 
 Edge Basters 
 
 It is probable that this condition is due to a combination of 
 the unconscious lack of scientific management and the con- 
 scious desire for a large labour reserve. Obviously all the 
 operations called for on this schedule are so simple as not 
 to require any segregation by trades. Under even a rela- 
 tively crude type of factory management it should be possible 
 to^teach workpeople of average abihty in a very few days, if 
 not in a very few hours, to perform any of these operations. 
 Col. A. E. Barter, formerly Superintendent of the Plimpton 
 Press, Norwood, Massachusetts, wrote me, in regard to his 
 devices for reducing unemployment, as follows: 
 
 A convenient mechanism which assists in this work is an expense 
 charge which we call "retainers." In case we have a high-priced 
 
294 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 employee and give him work of a somewhat lower grade than that 
 which he is accustomed to perform, our cost-keeping system permits 
 us to charge the excess up to "retainers," which latter is then spread 
 as a general business expense over the whole product. We use 
 the same accounting device for taking care of the superannuated 
 employees who are no longer able to compete in the matter of 
 output but the question of whose discharge cannot be considered. 
 
 i Among the causes of unemployment which may be ahnost 
 entirely counteracted by the efforts of the individual em- 
 ployer are: 
 
 1. Seasonal demand. 
 
 (a) Calendars, for instance, are usually wanted for delivery 
 in December. It is generally customary to increase, period- 
 ically, the finishing-room staff, beginning late in the summer. 
 Four girls put on for one month in December require four 
 times as much room as one girl put on September first — and 
 four times the teaching. A minimum of planning and routing 
 on this class of work has proved that so much of it can be done 
 during the late spring, summer, and early fall, that very little 
 increase in the force is absolutely necessary. 
 
 (b) Again, the demand for shoes is largely a question of 
 seasons. As a result of a study of the employment problem, 
 one large shoe plant, doing a business in the neighbourhood 
 of '$i5,ooo,cx3o annually, had not varied its daily output by 
 more than i per cent, over a period of several years just prior 
 to the War. 
 
 (c) School books are usually required in late August and 
 September. Under scientific management one factory has 
 worked out arrangements with its customers and planned its 
 manufacturing so that nearly all overtime in the so-called 
 "rush season" has been cut out. Formerly a large number 
 of the employees worked until lo p. m. during the six hottest 
 months of the year. 
 
 2. Intermittent character of work. ' 
 (a) The work of stevedores, incident to arrival and de- 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRML PROGRESS 295 
 
 parture of vessels, could be regularized to a large extent by a 
 central agency acting for several different companies. The 
 necessary periods of unemplo5Tnent would thereby be greatly 
 reduced, if not almost entirely removed. 
 
 (b) The mailing of monthly publications is another example 
 of this class of work. Our largest periodical publishing house 
 in Philadelphia only recently put a stop to laying off its 
 mailers once a monlii by finding other things for them to do 
 when not actually engaged in mailing. 
 
 3. Rise and fall in demand due to changes in style. 
 
 (a) The narrow skirts of a few seasons past threw thou- 
 sands of women out of work. From the standpoint of scien- 
 tific management this great change and its effect upon the 
 labour situation should have been foreseen, and something 
 plaimed by those leading this industrial army whereby the 
 great distress caused by the change would have been avoided. 
 , (b) One shoe concern maintains four men on the road all 
 'the time — salesmen who do not sell — ^in order to get the earli- 
 est possible advice as to impending changes in style and 
 demand, that employment may be kept constant. 
 
 4. Invention of new machines. 
 
 One of the most enlightened labour leaders and most expert 
 machine type-setters in the country told me that he walked 
 the streets for nearly a year after the invention of the type- 
 Setting machine, peddling groceries, and sometimes making 
 less than $10.00 a week This happened until someone woke 
 up to the fact that, having been a good hand type-setter, he 
 could probably be taught to be a good linotype operator. • 
 ( The following causes operate largely within the industrial 
 establishment itself : 
 
 I. Carrying a larger number of employees on the payroll than 
 are actually needed. 
 
 In the Kensington Textile district of Philadelphia this 
 appears to be the rule. An employer having a mill which. 
 
296 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 when running full, might require 500 hands will carry 450 on 
 the payroll but give work actually to but 400. This means 
 that, on the average, 50 are kept reporting for work and are 
 told to come back to-morrow or next week. Since the most 
 valuable hands would quit if they were treated in this way, 
 it usually happlens^that it is the least efficient and lowest-paid 
 men who get the unsteady work, thus adding to their demoral- 
 ization. I am informed that the intermittance of employment 
 is so usual in this district that it has had the effect of making, 
 hundreds of men living there really incapable of continuous 
 work. Such is the natural result of the employer's desire 
 to hold as large a labour reserve as possible. The conditions 
 which led to the Lawrence strike were very largely of the same 
 nature except that in that instance there was a whole town 
 in which more men and women were housed than could pos- 
 sibly be given work under any set of conditions which might 
 reasonably be expected to occur. 
 
 2. Frequent changes in standard prodtiction, according to volume 
 of orders in sight. 
 A remarkable instance of this is an eastern locomotive- 
 building concern which, on two occasions within the last 
 ten years, has laid off more than 75 per cent, of its force almost 
 overnight. On January i, 1908, this concern employed over 
 19,000 men, and six weeks later had less than 8,000, and these 
 were working half time. No industrial community can absorb 
 such peaks of labour supply, no matter how efficiently it may 
 be organized. I never uiiderstood how this could occur until 
 I was told that for years this establishment has regulated the 
 number of its employees by the total volume of business 
 booked so many weeks ahead. Rimning a manufacturing 
 plant of the size of this one is too big a job for the appli- 
 cation of such simple arithmetical rules. Such meliods 
 smack too much of acquiescence in what is handed to you 
 — too little of that type of optimism which, as President 
 
THE WISS.VHICKON RAVINE 
 A wooded glen included in Philadelphia's park system 
 
BOY SCOUTS GIVING FIRST AID 
 Independence Hall in the background 
 
 A CORNER. IN OUR, 
 CITY HALL COURT YARD 
 
 "A cmderpatck lrayi5/onned 
 into a yield e/wavijxg ^reeit 
 
 Grading and planiin^done 
 by ci[y -workmen.. Total 
 es^en^eless iliaiv$20D. 
 Plawted and executed as a 
 "surprise" /&r tlie Cii/Por- 
 TCsler smf on a vacalio n. . 
 
 L 
 
 GREEN GR.\SS VERSUS CINDERS 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRL\L PROGRESS 297 
 
 Wilson says, "makes an opportunity out of every lemon." 
 An army of 19,000 men has a right to demand more re- 
 sourcefulness on the part of those in command. The time 
 will come when public opinion will force resignations from 
 the inefficient leaders of an industrial army just as it does 
 from those who fail the nation in military enterprises. 
 
 3. Lack of balance between different manufacturing departments. 
 This is altogether a problem in scientific managenjent both 
 
 of selling and manufacturing. 
 
 4. Lack of stock. 
 
 Frederick W. Taylor developed, fully twenty years ago, 
 what has since become the standardized and fairly uni- 
 form practice of dozens of establishments in the matter of 
 purchasing, receipt, and storage of materials. Delays due 
 to no stock or the wrong stock have been practically elimi- 
 nated. 
 
 5. Stock-taking. 
 
 I am constantly hearing of concerns in all parts of the coun- 
 try which stop all operations to take an inventory. Most of 
 our Philadelphia textile mills lose from one to two weeks a 
 year taking stock. One is reminded of Lincoln's story of the 
 steamboat which had to stop every time it blew the whistle. 
 Stock-taking of this kind should be, of course, a thing of 
 the past. 
 
 6. Lay of because employee has earned more through piece rate 
 
 than regular weekly wage. 
 If Molly Brown happens to be rated as a nine-dollar-a-week 
 girl and also happens by Thursday night to have earned $9.30 
 through having what are called "fat" jobs, she is frequently 
 laid off by the forelady. Or, if the necessities of the work allow 
 a so-caUed eight-doUar-a-week girl to earn $16 in one week, 
 she is very apt to be told to stay at home the next week so that 
 for the two weeks she wiU average her regular wage. This is 
 the means frequently used by those in charge to maintain 
 
298 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 respect for inequitable piece rates. I have never known a 
 factory using piece rates where this device, in some form, is 
 not practised. The only relief is a scientifically detemained 
 wage scale. 
 
 There are also many causes of unemployment for which 
 the employee is principally or altogetiier responsible, such as: 
 
 1. Coming in late. 
 
 By issuing late slips and making everyone who comes in late 
 give a full, even if inadequate, reason, this habit can be grad- 
 ually cut out. Raising the general efficiency of the individual 
 employee has a beneficial effect. 
 
 2. Illness. 
 
 (a) High wages and the type of discipline that goes with 
 scientific management invariably improve the health standard. 
 A regularly employed shop nurse can help a great deal in this 
 matter. One shoe concern some years ago figured the total 
 expenses of its shop nurse at sixty-seven cents per employee 
 per annum. Concerns too small to have individual shop 
 nurses can share one, each paying a pro-rata share of the ex- 
 pense. Thus, in Walpole, Massachusetts, four small concerns 
 employ a nurse in common. 
 
 (b) A "booze fighter" coming in on Monday and deciding, 
 about 9 A.M., that the factory is no place for him, can usually 
 be put back to work by the nurse after a good dose of aromatic 
 spirits of ammonia. The man gets his wages, his family is 
 spared the disgrace of his return, and the employer keeps his 
 machines going. 
 
 3. Home conditions. 
 
 A good social worker can keep many men at work by 
 straightening out all sorts of home tangles, which, through her 
 experience, she is able to handle with precision and efficiency. 
 
 4. Incompatibility as between two employees. Sometimes a 
 
 foreman is concerned. 
 One disciplinarian for the entire establishment, as advocated 
 
AN. ALLY OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 299 
 
 by Mr. Taylor, soon does away with the necessity for much 
 disciplining. Admiral Benson, when the operating head of the 
 Philadelphia Navy Yard, insisted that the case of every man 
 who voluntarily left the service of the yard should be investi- 
 gated. He held that it was almost an insult to have a man 
 willing to retire voluntarily from the service of Uncle Sam. 
 Such departures were usually the result of friction or mis- 
 understandings. 
 
 Mr. John F. Kavanagh, of the New York Civil Service 
 Commission, has suggested, in the American City, that the 
 permanency of employment could be increased in many occu- 
 pations if private employers had access to civil-service " eligible 
 Usts." The persons whose names appear on these lists have 
 been examined in a more or less efficient manner, and their 
 ability has, to that extent, been determined. Especially for 
 the great army of clerical help, and to a less degree for pro- 
 fessional and scientific men, it would seem that a wide applica- 
 tion of this principle would lessen to a considerable degree the 
 number of imnecessary exchanges of help among business con- 
 cerns. Such a scheme would aid in the distribution of skilled 
 labour throughout the country. It might also help to raise 
 the general standard of those presenting themselves for civil 
 service examinations. 
 
 A very primitive philosophy of salesmanship seems to be 
 at the bottom of a good deal of unemployment. Of genuine 
 vision as to finding markets and distributing product we have 
 had almost none. Mr. FarreU of the Steel Corporation, Mr. 
 Ford of automobile fame, and the shoe manufacturing concern 
 to which I have before referred, suggest possible progress 
 in the future. The selling end, for some reason, has had too 
 much authority in most concerns as compared to that given to 
 the manufacturing end. If orders so accumulate that normal 
 production in a given period must be increased by half, the 
 selling force expects the manufacturing end to be resourceful 
 
300 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 enough to cope with the situation. Ahnost a minimum of 
 effort, however, is made by the salesmen of most establish- 
 ments to secure orders so that the peaks of demand for de- 
 liveries are evened off and manufacturing is thereby assisted. 
 Salesmanship has too frequently meant only selling to un- 
 willing buyers or the securing of undue margins of profit. 
 No great business, of course, can be built on such policies. 
 
 Attention should also be called to the fact that the separa- 
 tion of the selling and manufacturing ends of a business makes 
 for unemployment. "We are not sellers, we are the manufac- 
 turers. That's enough for one concern." As long as the 
 manufacturer is content to sit and take whatever orders are 
 handed him and whenever they choose to come, he is disre- 
 garding his power to regulate production by regulating 
 demand, or at least to plan ahead against known irregularities 
 in demand, so that production will be regular. Moreover, 
 in those cases in which the manufacturer has placed all the 
 selling in the hands of one agent, that agent usually sells the 
 goods imder his own brand. The agent, therefore, dominates 
 the manufacturer. Agents in this position "lie down" when 
 hard times appear. As a result the production curves of 
 firms who have deeded away the control of their selling drop 
 much more quickly when hard times occur, they go down 
 further and come up more slowly. The manufacturer who 
 "farms out" his selling does not have his ear to the ground. 
 He is slow to readjust himself to changes in demand. 
 
 The lost control of the selling contributes to irregular em- 
 ployment in yet another way. Since the agent sells imder his 
 own brand — ^not the manufacturer's — he can, without incon- 
 venience to himself, divert to Manufacturer B the orders that 
 he is giving to Manufacturer A. Manufacturer A's whole 
 trade is gone and serious imemployment results before he can 
 readjust himself. 
 
 Such experience as I have had suggests definitely that a 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRLU. PROGRESS 301 
 
 decided business advantage accrues to those who pay high 
 wages and give continuous employment. To make such poli- 
 cies pay dividends, however, requires men who have not only 
 brains and vision, but those to whom effort and struggle are 
 inseparable factors of any successful industrial r6gime. 
 
 Not all the moves on the industrial chess board are indicated 
 by money considerations. Even the so-called "economic 
 man" is, in these days, taking on some human qualities. In- 
 deed we are beginning to realize that there are possibiUties 
 for romance even in our factories. And both the employers 
 and the employed are more and more going to become inter- 
 ested in this adventure as science and mutuality of interest 
 point out the way. 
 
 Could not the director of a City Industrial Bureau, with such 
 facts and principles as these in mind, make the dty in truth 
 an ally to industrial progress? When considering the effects 
 which the irregularity of production, as practised by the aver- 
 age American manufacturer, has upon his workers, we are re- 
 minded of the wholesome advice of our good friend, WiUiam 
 Perm: 
 
 And truly they ought to expect no Pity in their Fall, that when in 
 Power had no Bowels for the Unhappy. 
 
 A CITY PLANNED FOR INDUSTRIAL COMPETENCY 
 
 The industrial competency of our cities can be no better 
 than we plan for it. Are our city's factories to have quick 
 access to railway and water lines? — belt-line railways must be 
 designed and built. Are the city's streets to meet the city's 
 needs? — there must be direct arteries for heavy traffic and 
 special streets for light and swift traffic. 
 
 The weakest point in our national transportation system 
 is the lack of a proper coordination of water and steam routes. 
 Our waterways are important, not only as competitors for 
 
302 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 rail linea in securing lower rates and better service, but also 
 in order to keep open to our dty markets the agricultural and 
 producing sections more readily accessible to water-routes. 
 Our national government has spent millions in the develop- 
 ment of water channels. But chaimels alone do not mean 
 that boats are plying on them. Of as great importance as the 
 channel itself are adequate water-terminal facilities. But our 
 water terminals are inadequate, and our harbours ineffectively 
 organized. For greater national efficiency and for lower dis- * 
 tribution costs, civic attention must be focussed more and 
 more upon cheap, efficient water-terminal facilities, free from 
 the domination of interested and competing concerns. 
 
 There are indications in several cities that control over water 
 facilities is increasing. Since 1910 a number of cities, such 
 as New York and Trenton, have increased their control and 
 ownership over their frontage. Much yet remains to be 
 done, however, to give our big distribution centres with water 
 terminals free, well-correlated, and efficient distributing sys- 
 tems. For any inefficiency, waste, or duplication in these 
 systems, the consimier pays in higher prices. 
 
 Of as vital importance as control of water frontage is the 
 way this frontage is equipped, supervised, and operated. 
 Tenninal efficiency determines the efficiency of the carrier. 
 Terminals must be equipped with wharves. Water-front 
 warehouses — at present inadequate save at a few important 
 ports— and cold storage facilities, are likewise essential in 
 order that out-going local freight may be assembled in quan- 
 tities sufficient for cargo loads, and that incoming freight may 
 be assorted for local distribution. For the transshipment of 
 freight between rail and water lines, transshipping machinery 
 and appliances are essential. These, as a rule, are whoUy 
 inadequate in American cities. Such transshipping machinery 
 and appliances are characteristic -of German cities. Dr. 
 Howe, in his recent book on "European Cities at Work," 
 
AN ALLY OF INDUSTRML PROGRESS 303 
 
 says of German harbours: "The harbour and the docks are 
 owned by the city and are equipped with railway tracks, ware- 
 houses, and wharves to facilitate the handling of vast quantities 
 of freight in the most economic and speedy way possible. 
 This is characteristic of German harbours. The docks and 
 warehouses and machinery for transshipping freight from ves- 
 sel to Vessel, or from water to land, are aU under public con- 
 trol and are operated as a unit." 
 
 Since our entry into the War of course problems of labour 
 and industry have been forced upon public attention. In 
 every direction we find not only change and unrest but we 
 find also a general spirit of apprehension. This necessarily 
 leads to a desire on the part of our best citizens to do some- 
 thing to help the situation and to guard us against virtue- 
 less innovations and false leadership. This can best be ac- 
 complished by each of us struggling to see that in those parts 
 of the industrial world of which we have cognizance that 
 working and living conditions are such as to afford no proper 
 basis for protest. This is a task worthy of the best efforts 
 of the municipality and of each and every citizen. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 
 
 SOCIETY has not yet detenmned the relation of mass 
 action to government. It has been assmned that if 
 we adopt the current suggestions looking toward state 
 socialism all action by the mass or by the group will become 
 that of the state and therefore that the boundaries of govern- 
 mental action will not only be immediately broadened but 
 that the opportunity for collective action without the gov- 
 ernment will be reduced — almost to a negligible minimum. 
 This does not seem to me to be a possible outcome of pres- 
 ent day tendencies. 
 
 The everywhere noticeable reluctance to extend the func- 
 tions of government will gradually be reduced, as government 
 becomes not only more effective but more truly and promptly 
 responsive to public sentiment and desires. There can be no 
 such thing as jealousy of the government in a true democracy. 
 We can safely predict that, as time goes on, we wiU more and 
 more freely entrust to governmental control those activities 
 which we have determined to be for the public good. 
 
 The playground movement affords a good illustration of 
 these tendencies. Before we have built up a dense population 
 at a given point, and while each home is surrounded with 
 ample areas for play, it is not necessary to organize to provide 
 opportiuiities for play for our children. But with the gradual 
 concentration of urban population there comes a time when 
 the individual finds it increasingly difficult to provide areas 
 for his own children, and he cooperates in some way with his 
 
 304 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 305 
 
 neighbours to get the needed space. Or, as it usually happens, 
 someone entirely out of this district first detects the need and 
 develops some kind of an agency— say a Playground Society 
 — through which to supply it. In due course one or more 
 playgroimds are developed. After a few years, imder pains- 
 taking and enlightened private management, such a play- 
 ground becomes not only a community necessity but is very 
 generally recognized as such. The demonstration has been 
 made by the private operators and they naturally expect 
 the public, in whose interest the project was undertaken, now 
 to assume the fiill responsibility for it. It is usually compara- 
 tively easy — sometimes after a few years of agitation — to get 
 the city government to assume this responsibility. Of course 
 if a playground is a necessity in one district other localities 
 soon discover the same need. Out of the establishment of a 
 niunber of such play areas the need is developed for a Board 
 of Recreation or some similar general agency to take charge 
 of all such work and to carry it on in the most advantageous 
 manner. Instead of this being an exceptional method of 
 developing municipal f imctions it will be f oimd to be the almost 
 universal method. The water supply, policing, the control 
 of nuisances, for example, have each passed through quite simi- 
 lar phases before they became generally recognized as essential 
 elements in the whole enterprise of running a dty. 
 
 As time goes on, as our population grows and as its density 
 in urban imits increases, there is no possibility of ever reaching 
 the point where we will be without the need for new municipal 
 functions or for fimctions not heretofore* recognized. Even 
 the most casual study of the past reveals not only the never- 
 ending, but the always broadening, field of municipal en- 
 deavour. 
 
 If we concede both the rapidly increasing multiplicity of mu- 
 nicipal functions and the manner in which these fimctions 
 originate through private recognition of a need met by private 
 
3o6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 organizations, and finally the gradual transference to the 
 public control of those which secure public approval, then 
 we have as an inherent element in all municipal growth a 
 degree of activity on the part of the individual citizen which 
 is not now generally recognized. Our citizens must be some- 
 thing more than voters. In the truly great city every man, 
 woman, and child must take a hand in those municipal 
 activities which are not in any way a definite part of gov- 
 enmaental action and many of which for one reason or 
 another may never become so. We have been assiuning that 
 if we could get every enfranchised person to vote and to 
 vote intelligently, all would be well in the mimidpal house- 
 hold. As we progress mere voting will become only the 
 routine of an educated citizenship. The real glory of a dty 
 will ultimately lie in the extent and character of private ac- 
 tion, in the development of what may be called the trying- , 
 out agencies, in the broad vision which projects them, in 
 the enthusiasm with which they are pushed, and in the ; 
 devotion and sanity with which, year after year, they are 
 carried on. 
 
 The very structure of democratic government, of course, is 
 conditioned upon a conscientious use of the franchise by all 
 the citizens. The failure of so many of out most intelligent 
 citizens to vote, combined with the instructed vote cast by a 
 great many more who are subject to control by the political 
 boss, are certainly two of the major factors tending to under- 
 mine representative govenmient in our country. 
 
 In spite of the obligation for individual voting, the best in 
 this municipal field, as well as in most others, is not obtained 
 by the registration of individual opinions only, but by 
 organized action. The citizen's duty extends beyond the 
 ballot box; it includes the earnest endeavour on his part, 
 working with his fellow-townsmen, to influence others to the 
 best in government and in civic development. As Dr. Clyde 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 307 
 
 L. King, of the University of Pennsylvania, has SMd, "The 
 price for responsive government is citizen organization. The 
 three essentials to responsive democratic government are: 
 
 "(i) Organization; 
 
 "(2) Organization; 
 
 "is) Organization." 
 
 The poHtical party is one outlet for the organized ex- 
 pression of citizenship. Such expression serves its purpose 
 best in state and national questions, and to a much more 
 limited extent in questions affecting the cities primarily. 
 The most effective organization for the expression of civic 
 needs is the well-organized civic body, whether a business 
 men's association, an improvement association, a chamber of 
 commerce, a civic club, a neighbourhood club, a boy's club or 
 any other of the numerous forms which such organizations 
 take. 
 
 More effort must be put into humanizing public adminis- 
 tration. Those in official positions are apt to have the idea 
 that the man at the top is in a position to tell the man at the 
 bottom what is good for him. The fact that our country 
 was founded and has been perpetuated on the contrary idea 
 does not always keep us out of this error. Take, for instance, 
 the movement which has led to the formation of large nimibers 
 of local business men's associations and improvement asso- 
 ciations. This affords one of the very best examples of the 
 present vitality of American public life. Our leading men 
 should accept them as something that, has come to stay and 
 cooperate with them in such a way as to direct their activi- 
 ties into profitable channels. It seems to me that they afford 
 the most promising agency through which, in the first place, 
 the thought of the public on civic questions can be crystallized, 
 and, secondly, through which that thought can be given ex- 
 pression in definite pubUc action. I have found these associ- 
 ations ready and anxious to hear from men who had definite 
 
3o8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 knowledge on matters of public interests It should be the 
 attitude of every citizen who wants to play his part in the 
 community, to affiliate with one of these organizations and 
 to help to make it an influence. You can rest assured that 
 the ward politician who is in public life for his own personal 
 advancement is bending every energy to defile and degrade 
 these institutions and to divert them from the high mission 
 which they have it in their power to carry out. It is up to 
 the forward-looking members of the community to make 
 them strong enough and virile enough always to stand for 
 the best. 
 
 We must as a people hold ourselves in readiness for very 
 decided changes in all our governmental activities. Perhaps 
 one of the first and most radical of these changes will come 
 in the police force. The idea of the police force as a 
 repressive agency must of course give way to a more truly 
 constructive one. Such changes will come very slowly, if 
 at all, if we put all the responsibility for them entirely on the 
 police force itself. There should be more than one citizen 
 agency in every city at work on this group of problems. Per- 
 haps the recent creation in New York City, b.y Commissioner 
 Woods, of a citizen reserve police numbering nearly 25,000 may 
 have the effect of stirring up citizen interest in police problems. 
 
 One of the district captains of the New York police force 
 conceived his duty to the comjnUnity to extend beyond the 
 detection of crime on his beat. The result was the organiza- 
 tion of the Junior Police in his division. Uniforms were pro- 
 vided for the officers and scheduled drills are punctually at- 
 tended by almost every member of the squad. This pre- 
 cinct of New York City has probably the most efficient police 
 administration of the whole city. Imagine the constructive 
 and preventive work that is done by enlisting a majority of 
 the boys of an impressionable age in an organization of this , 
 kind. The membership of the Junior Police is limited because 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 309 
 
 of the lack of funds and other provisions for carrying on the 
 work. It is sufficient testimony to the popularity of the work 
 to say that there is quite a waiting hst of boys who wish to 
 join. The officer who conceived and worked out this idea 
 is certainly deserving of the greatest praise from his fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 MUNICIPAL BOOSTING 
 
 "Don't knock — ^just boost" has come to be a popular 
 municipal slogan. Especially in some cities in the Far West 
 this municipal boosting is carried to, an ahnost unbeHev- 
 able extent. It is organized with a degree of care and to an 
 extent not found in any other municipal activity. Unfor- 
 timately exact truth has not always been the guiding star 
 of our municipal boosters and to that extent it has been 
 a hindrance and not a help to the conmiunities practising it. 
 Within the last few months the Chamber of Commerce of an 
 important Pacific Coast city has gone on record as believing 
 that in the long run the city had been more hindered than 
 helped by boosting. However, when carried on with a due 
 ■regard to the facts, boosting would appear to be a miuiidpal 
 force of which we may properly more and more avail our- 
 selves. If every city in the land would draft a set of claims 
 which could be defended before a fair tribunal, and would 
 publish it to the world, the result would be an increase in 
 thoughtfulness as to those factors which constitute true mu- 
 nicipal greatness. 
 
 Such city-wide organizations as chambers of commerce, 
 city clubs, rotary clubs, and the like have unlimited possibil- 
 ities for helping the city. The results depend almost entirely 
 on their desires and their methods. Such citizen agencies can ac- 
 comphsh almost anj^hing but only because they assume that 
 they can — and act accordingly. Elections will not ' ' just come 
 outright" naturally; there must be effective organization to 
 
3IO OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 accomplish results. Given a properly organized fighting 
 machine, any bill providing for a reasonable dvic improve- 
 ment can be put through the legislature or city council. 
 The old idea was that you must wait for things to crys- 
 tallize. The real secret is organi^d action. We must make 
 things happen. 
 
 The "Boosters' Club" of Fresno, California, a town of about 
 fifty thousand inhabitants, is continually on the job for a better 
 town. They not only plan but they organize a campaign 
 in every instance that spells and assures success. Nothing 
 succeeds like success, and the Fresno Boosters have certainly 
 once again demonstrated the truth of the old saying, li'rom 
 a "Clean City," a "Visit Your Neighbour" excursion of two 
 or three days, a "Pubhc Christmas," and a few dozen other 
 special activities to a continual energetic boosting of Fresno 
 as a raisin centre, this club and its band make public boosting 
 one grand carnival of successful achievement. 
 
 Frequently the chamber of commerce or other dvic or- 
 ganization can guide a campaign and feel that they influence 
 the result, although unable to claim full credit, apart from 
 other organizations in the same town for swinging the im- 
 provement. The Secretary of the Philadelphia Bourse re- 
 monstrated when asked to name specifically the accomphsh- 
 ments of that organization for the preceding year, declaring. 
 
 It is impossible for the Bourse, or any of the commerdal organiza- 
 tions, properly to claim sole credit for the accomplishment of any 
 work for the benefit of the city, as the plan of cooperation by the 
 various commercial organizations and exchanges necessarily makes 
 such accomplishments the result of combined work, although one 
 or another of them may have started and taken a leading part in 
 some one or another of the various activities. 
 
 Detroit's rapid growth during the last few years must be 
 attributed in large measure to the activity of her progressive 
 business organizations, and to their influence on the conditions 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 311 
 
 of municipal government. Detroit's population has increased 
 by 63 per cent, in the last ten years, a more rapid rate of in- 
 crease than is shown by any city of similar size in this country. 
 Pittsburgh, during this same period, gained 18.2 percent.; 
 Buffalo, 20.2 per cent.; and Milwaukee, 31 per cent. 
 
 Detroit organizations work for their city. The reputation 
 of the city for good government — efficiency in administration 
 and economy in expenditures — attracts honest manufacturers 
 and merchants. Business men who are not looking for special 
 privileges, but for the square deal and good hving conditions 
 for their employees, will naturally establish themselves in 
 cities having the best government. Mayor Pingree's efforts 
 to promote good government in Detroit undoubtedly con- 
 tributed to its recent phenomenal growth. 
 
 A healthy rivalry among citizen societies doing civic work 
 is a great stimulus to their efforts. It puts everyone on his 
 mettle, and often has a great influence on the results obtained. 
 There is, however, unknown to the general public, a spirit of 
 unhealthf ul rivalry which often creeps into these civic organi- 
 zations, especially in our larger cities. Too often large civic 
 bodies, as chambers of commerce for instance, backed by 
 strong financial support, spend the major portion of their 
 time and money calling attention to their own existence. 
 They are too prone to advertise the chamber of commerce 
 rather than the dty whose interests they are supposed to be 
 fostering. This note of our commerce chambers has at times 
 rung clear enough even to be recognized by distinguished 
 foreigners visiting this country. Baron de Constant, in his 
 "America and Her Problems," testifies (p. 116) : 
 
 I realize perfectly that the innumerable receptions with which I 
 have been honoured by all kinds of chambers of commerce, in all 
 the countries I have visited in Europe and America, have been 
 principally intended to impress me with the superiority of each 
 chamber over aU the others. 
 
312 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 In every dty, as in the nation itself, we find the problem 
 of civic organizations either ossified or controlled by unseen 
 influences. The unnecessary multiplication of such agencies 
 is in itself regrettable. But there is, as a rule, no more efficient 
 way to make some existing organization either become active 
 when it has been inactive or become straight when it has shown 
 a disposition to be either crooked .or unduly partisan than to 
 organize another organization with somewhat similar aims. 
 At times this is the only remedy heroic as it may seem. One 
 can always safely assume that constant efforts are being put 
 forth both by partisan political groups and by big business 
 interests to control, or at least to imduly influence, almost 
 every civic agency. Eternal vigilance is the sole safeguard 
 in this field as it is of liberty itself. 
 
 BUSINESS men's associations 
 
 Mayor Blankenburg, after a long experience in public life, 
 addressed a large public meeting as follows: 
 
 Let me say to you that there is no body of men in any community 
 that can exert a greater and better influence for the public good than 
 the business men, if they will. They have proved it on a number 
 of occasions and they can and will again show their power for good 
 whenever the occasion arises. 
 
 Very often the business men's association employs nothing 
 but volunteer workers. This relieves everyone of responsi- 
 bility, but the results are not so satisfactory as when tie as- 
 sociation pays one or more people to represent its interests 
 and coordinate its activities. One such association, covering 
 an outlying district of Philadelphia, has a special representa- 
 tive to follow up "kicks" and suggestions principally about the 
 municipal service. During sixteen months he personally in- 
 vestigated 2,824 such complaints. 
 
 The Central Mercantile Association of New York City 
 
In rcbuildiig Railroad bridges improved designs Kave been insist- 
 ed \ipon. Vgly plale. girder and truss bridges ^avc way to concrete. 
 
 Ihrce Typical Bridges 
 
 Nmtk d 
 
 Spring^arden 
 
 (P.&RR.R) 
 
 Broad Street at 
 North Pkila. 
 (P.R.R.) 
 
 Cjirard Aveaue 
 (P.R.C) 
 
 BEAUTY IN BRIDGES 
 Three typical examples of the old and the new 
 

SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 313 
 
 pointedly demonstrated one way in which the business men 
 of a community can assist the city government in attaining 
 efficiency when — at the third annual presentation of prizes 
 to members of the Street-cleaning, Parks and Public Works 
 departments — thirty-three dty employees of the lower ranks 
 were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals. Such recog- 
 nition sends a thrill of endeavour all down the Une. A photo- 
 graph of Mayor Mitchel awarding one of the medals to a 
 street-deaner appears in an earher chapter. In his address 
 to the prize winners the Mayor said: 
 
 If we are going to get the best work out of the men in the city's 
 service, there must be the kind of citizen interest in the city's 
 work that the Central Mercantile Association is showing to-day. 
 The people of the city must evidence their appreciation of the faith- 
 ful work of you men. 
 
 On the same occasion Borough President M. M. Marks 
 pointed out that until the business men get in touch with gov- 
 ernment we shall never have good government. The president 
 of the business men's association giving the prizes presided 
 at the meeting. The 200 most efficient men, dressed in spot- 
 less Toniforms, were lined up in the square waiting to hear the 
 annoimoement of the prize winners, and the Street Cleaning 
 Department band played while the Mayor was pinning on 
 the efficiency medals. 
 
 Very often individual business men filled with genuine 
 civic spirit are able to bring their dty's virtues to the attention 
 of those with whom they have business relations in other dties. 
 One large private concern had the following announcement 
 at the top of its letterhead : 
 
 "Columbia is an educational centre— and more. Missouri 
 University and five other advanced schools create a distinct local 
 atmosphere. An ideal home enviromaent is the dvic crown of 
 dean, courteous Columbia." 
 
314 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 This particular Columbia happens to be in Missouri. I am 
 not at all sure that this wide-awake business man is not help- 
 ing his own business more than Columbia by his method. 
 Good customers — the large ones — like to deal with human 
 concerns. Everyone who receives one of these letterheads 
 immediately decides that the owner of that business must 
 be a broad-minded citizen, and just as probably a thoroughly 
 trustworthy man with whom to do business. 
 
 A live business men's association usually acts as an effective 
 adjunct to the city's inspection service. The condition of the 
 streets, lighting, police protection, behaviour of city employees, 
 and in fact almost everything in the catalogue of municipal 
 activities comes in for comment from the men who make the 
 city's industries and commerce and trade. 
 
 IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS 
 
 Those local associations which admit to membership both 
 men and women and which take up questions affecting the 
 district as a place of homes rather than as a place; of business 
 are usually called improvement associations. They may be 
 dty-wide in their efforts or confined to some one locality or 
 perhaps even to some one activity affecting the locality. Thus 
 in Philadelphia William H. Ball, Chief of the Bureau of City 
 Property, was instrumental in starting nearly fifty such im- 
 provement associations each with one small dty park as the 
 object of its interest. It is truly remarkable how many differ- 
 ent considerations affect the usefulness of such an area and in 
 how many ways the interests of those living in the immediate 
 neighbourhood can help. In the districts where those of mod- 
 erate means find their homes this interest may be confined to 
 rendering help to the police authorities in maintaining proper 
 order during band concerts, or in providing committees on 
 arrangements, etc., for special festivities or for the encouraged 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 315 
 
 ment, especially among the young people, of greater respect 
 for grass, flowers, and shrubbery. On the other hand, some 
 of these associations in the parts of the city where the wealthy 
 had their homes and places of business carried out quite ex- 
 ' tensive improvements. The Rittenhouse Square Association 
 of Philadelphia spent $25,000 in tlie complete reconstruction 
 of the small park for which it aims to care. 
 
 The Norwood, Massachusetts, Improvement and Civic 
 Association thus explains its chief activities: 
 
 The Association at the present time owns the so-caUed Corner 
 House, which is its executive office and in which an eye clinic 
 and a dental clinic are conducted for the inhabitants of Norwood. 
 It owns, also, the so-called Civic House, which is a combined club- 
 house and gymnasiu.n for the town's inhabitants. The gymnasium 
 is properly equipped and includes a swimming tank, whUe the club- 
 house proper has reading rooms, an auditorium, bowling alleys, 
 and a pool room. The Association also owns a model home, which 
 has been set up to show how a home may be arranged and furnished 
 at moderate expense. In this are conducted classes in home- 
 making, including sewing, cooking, and other domestic arts and 
 sciences. 
 
 Recently an old mansion has been acquired by the Association 
 which is is to be tumed into a hospital. For some years the 
 Association has been doing district musing and for this purpose 
 has had a superintendent of nurses and four or five assistants, who 
 have carried on their business without a hospital but have done a 
 large amount of excellent work in the community. 
 
 The Association maintains a playground. It also owns a lake 
 and the shores about it, which may be described, perhaps, by say- 
 ing that they constitute a picnic ground for the town. The 
 lake afiFords bathing, boating, and, in the winter, skating. 
 
 A woman is employed by the Association as physical director for 
 women and girls and a man as physical director for men and boys. 
 From October until the ist of July classes in physical training are 
 conducted for men and boys, and women and girls. Apparently, the 
 Association is about to make an arrangement with the town by 
 which the physical training and organization of school children 
 will be conducted hereafter under the charge of the Civic Associa- 
 
3i6 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 tion, subject, of course, to the approval of the Superintendent of 
 Schools. 
 
 The Civic Association has heretofore furnished an excellent course 
 of lectures or entertainments for the townspeople, the price of 
 admission to which has been small because so many of the people 
 have availed themselves of them. 
 
 CIVIC WORK 
 
 The great value of the civic club is that it " starts something " 
 that the people's representatives will not provide for until 
 they are "shown." Witness, for example, the following from 
 the twenty-first annual report of the Philadelphia Civic Club. 
 This part of the report has to do with free, open-air musical 
 concerts which the Club has been providing: 
 
 When these concerts were begun in 1897, Allegheny Avenue 
 Pier was chosen because of the distance separating this neighbour- 
 hood from the parks and recreation places provided for the more 
 central sections of the city. With the march of events and of 
 years, musical opportunities have come nearer and nearer to this 
 part of the city and in 19 14 it was felt that, with the Mimicipal 
 Band giving concerts in the neighbourhood, the Civic Club could 
 well leave lie people's musical recreation in the hands of the City. 
 
 ' The City finally took up the work begun by the Club. 
 Had it not been for their initiative, municipal concerts would 
 probably have been delayed many years in Philadelphia. 
 They simply demonstrated the feasibility of the plan. 
 
 The efforts of this civic club gave Philadelphia a Municipal 
 Band which plays in various squares, according to a regular 
 schedule, and another — the Philadelphia Band — which plays 
 on the plaza of City Hall. Both bands play every evening 
 during the svmuner months. Every Tuesday evening a regular 
 printed programme is provided. The words of four popular 
 songs are printed in each programme. The singing is led by 
 one experienced in handling such open-air concerts. Com- 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 317 
 
 meriting on this public singing and very effectively giving the 
 spirit of these great gatherings, the "Spectator," writing in the 
 Outlook had this to say: 
 
 For one concrete instance out of many that might be cited, it 
 did the Spectator's heart good to hear the people in their regular 
 Tuesday evening "sing" with the band of forty pieces, on the City 
 Hall Plaza in Philadelphia. At the foot of the great 548 foot tower 
 the people gathered, and the shadowy figure of Father Penn, with 
 the tiara of Ught at his feet and the mellow effulgence of the great 
 clock, seemed to bless the singing as it upsoared to him from the 
 very soul of the metropolis that has grown from the "faire greene 
 country town" he planted. The concert began with Wagner 'g 
 "Rienzi" overture and SibeUn's "Valse Trieste" from the band, 
 with a gay, harmless Httle jig tune by way of encore. The director 
 of the singing had the voice of a very pleasant and friendly bull of 
 Bashan and the unquenchable vitality of a Billy Sunday. He 
 discovered that those who couldn't sing could at least swell the 
 tidal wave of sound by "roaring like thunder," as the rule book of 
 the Tyringham Shakers used to prescribe. Whether the song was 
 "Old Black Joe" or "Annie Laurie" or "Lead Kindly Light" or 
 "The Blue Bells of Scotland," he galvanized the most diffident 
 into surprising themselves. "Now, let's have that verse again — 
 and let's try what it'll sound Uke if the ladies sing and the men 
 whistle." It is strange that even with a trifling discrepancy in 
 time between the whistling obbligato and the soprano unison, there 
 was an ethereal sweetness of sound. Birds of the woodland know 
 nothing of the metronome, yet when thrushes warble their "native 
 wood-notes wild" who complains of the ensemble ? There are 
 places where the asperities of professional criticism were better 
 withheld. 
 
 During the latter part of the season as many as five thousand 
 people take part in the singing each evening. In connection 
 with some of the concerts given by the Municipal Band, danc- 
 ing is arranged for where the asphalt street paving is in good 
 condition. 
 
 The abatement of the smoke nuisance is another feature 
 of the work of the Philadelphia Civic Club. The interest of 
 
3i8 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 a lively committee assigned to this work results in acknowl-. 
 edged improvements in the cases of 353 plants in one year. 
 The introduction into the offending plants of several money- 
 saving methods of decreasing the volume of smoke, accom- 
 plished this splendid result, with the hearty endorsement of 
 several well-known manufacturers. 
 
 Unnecessary noises is another subject demanding attention 
 In the larger cities. Especially around the hospitals and 
 schools quiet is much to be desired. The anti-noise societies 
 generally succeed in having "zones" marked off by the pohce 
 department, and then by their persistent watchfulness, see 
 that the regulations are obeyed. This work was pressed 
 with unusual vigour in Baltimore with the result that an anti- 
 noise policeman was appointed. His special duty is to enforce 
 the laws regarding noises. He keeps in touch with the zones 
 of quiet, complains to the traction company about imgreased 
 curves, and, according to reports, has given very satisfactory 
 service. In Philadelphia a similar agitation resulted in having 
 wood block pavements put in front of all school houses and 
 hospitals. Some way should be found to stop the jangling 
 of milk bottles during the early hours of the morning. 
 
 Another subject which demands the attention of our 
 civic clubs is outdoor advertising. Laws regulating bill- 
 , board and other forms of outside advertising are very scant 
 in most states and very poorly enforced in many more. The 
 general method of attacking the nuisance is to give wide pub- 
 licity to the law and warn offenders. Of course a most im- 
 portant part of the work in any such campaign as this is 
 the educating of the pubhc to new standards. At the 
 present time aesthetics is not considered a proper subject 
 for legislation. In fact, legislation against bill boards, on 
 the groimd of their being unsightly, would be unconstitu- 
 tional. But already a movement is under way to "read 
 aesthetics into the N. Y. State Constitution." 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 
 
 319 
 
 Then there is the work among the immigrants, the estab^ 
 lishing of libraries, district nurses, clean-up campaigns, pub- 
 lic concerts, and an endless number of other activities, 
 undertaken and suggested, because of pecuUar local condi- 
 tions. 
 
 These civic clubs have frequently come out openly in a poli- 
 tical campaign working for that party from which they are 
 led to believe they may expect honest and efficient govern- 
 ment. This special election work is generally undertaken by 
 those societies which keep in touch with the results of the 
 administration, and take issue actively at elections either for 
 or against the party in power. 
 
 Work with the juvenile court is another valuable feature 
 of the work of many of these voluntary citizen organizations. 
 Societies doing this special work are known as juvenile aid 
 societies. 
 
 UNIVERSITY COOPERATION 
 
 The benefits of education and of useful knowledge, generally 
 diffused through a community, are essential to the preservation of 
 a free government. 
 
 Sam Hoxjston. 
 
 A number of our universities, especially those serving a 
 mixed population, either entirely through their own efforts or 
 throu^ an association of interested citizens, conduct what 
 are called extension courses at the university seat and in 
 neighbouring towns. The University of Texas spent $45,815 
 on this extension work last year. The secretary in charge 
 estimates that through all their extension work, including 
 correspondence, they reached "considerably over one hundred 
 thousand" people with these funds. 
 
 The free public lectures given by many of our universities, 
 at times when the general public can take advantage of the 
 
320 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 opportunity, has grown to be of great interest and service in 
 numerous communities. Princeton and Columbia and many 
 other universities, colleges, and schools, undertake such work 
 for the public. The University of Pennsylvania, several 
 years ago, instituted a regular Saturday afternoon lecture 
 covirse as an integral part of its work. The lectures are given 
 by members of the teaching staff and are open, without any 
 admission fee, to everyone who cares to listen. A distinct 
 problem is treated in each lecture. The subject matter may 
 be depended upon to be the most recent in the domain of 
 which any particular address is a part. The general pubKc 
 has responded in nimibers reaching far into the thousands. 
 These addresses have been published each year by the Univer- 
 sity. They present their subjects in an interesting fashion 
 and, of course, may be depended on as up-to-date thought. 
 During the academic year 1914-1915, the following were 
 among the twenty-seven talks that made up the program: 
 
 "Is the Montessori Method a Fad?" 
 
 "Some New Ideas in Government." 
 
 "The Smoke Nuisance." 
 
 "The Monroe Doctrine and American Foreign Policy." 
 
 "The American Novel." 
 
 "Scientific Management in Educational Administration." 
 
 "Plant Life Seen Between Philadelphia and Atlantic City." 
 
 "What Is Electricity?" 
 
 The interest of our schools and colleges has in the past been 
 too frequently devoted exclusively to the people " in residence " 
 — those usually studjdng for a degree. More and more the 
 interest of our educational institutions of all grades must be 
 exerted in behalf of the community as a whole and of 
 every individual member of the community who may be 
 willing and able to devote an hour, a week, a year, or a lifetime 
 to study. Any one willing to lend an ear should be consid- 
 ered as having matriculated. When this programme is fully 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 321 
 
 under way the school and university will not depend so exclu- 
 sively on the regular staff's giving all their time to teaching. 
 Part-time and specialty teachers will be increasingly in de- 
 mand. Broadly speaking, any one who wishes to teach 
 and who can teach, must be considered as a part of the 
 teaching staff, even if he or she can only give a limited time 
 to it. The time is coming when the whole community will 
 be "in attendance" if not in residence at school, college, and 
 university. Education will, in the course of a few generations, 
 become the absorbing interest of the world, and to this great 
 cooperative effort every friendly agency must be welcomed. 
 The time is already here when, in every Une of thought, the 
 university should enroll as teachers men and women whose 
 major activities may lie outside scholastic walls. 
 
 THE TECHNICAL SOCIETY 
 
 More and more our technical societies — ^local, state, and 
 national— must consider commimity demands and community 
 needs in framing their programmes. There will always be 
 work which can be done better by them than by any officer of 
 the government. The Commissioner of Pubhc Works in 
 Buffalo has recently asked the Engineering Society of that 
 city to assist him in the preparation of plans for a proposed 
 pumping station. The unpaid and volunteer National Board 
 of Review for Moving Pictures is a national agency doing 
 good work in a field of increasing importance. 
 
 As explained elsewhere in this book, the outline and plans 
 of the work our department did on the grounds and build- 
 ings of Independence Square in Philadelphia were submitted 
 by the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of 
 Architects. When the outside had been renovated and the time 
 came to pay attention to the interior, we had again hearty 
 cooperation, this time from the Society of Colonial Dames 
 
322 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 And the Daughters of the Revolution. The ward politician 
 who had been allowed the privilege of selHng souvenirs in In- 
 dependence Hall was asked to close up business at that 
 stand. The pictures and other art treasures in the buildings 
 were completely catalogued by our men in consultation with 
 these two societies. The interest of these three organizations 
 had a definite bearing on the life of the community. The 
 result of their work was generally recognized. 
 
 When the renovation of Congress HaU was completed, the 
 building was formally dedicated. The reopening of the 
 building was attended by President Wilson and other dis- 
 tinguished representatives of the ofi&cial Hfe of the city, 
 state, and nation. Plans for the restoration of the State 
 House at the corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets are 
 now being prepared under the auspices of the Philadelphia 
 Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Too much 
 credit cannot be given to this association of public-spirited 
 professional men for their splendid and untiring efforts to 
 restore this group of buildings to their original dignity and 
 usefulness. 
 
 THE CITY AND THE CHILDEEN 
 
 Even a child can be "more than a voter" to an extent 
 too httle appreciated by most of our city administrators. 
 We have always found the services given by the children, when 
 properly encouraged in an organized way, to be absolutely 
 the best investment the city can make in the present, and a 
 lesson of incalculable value for the future. 
 
 A close relationship was established between our Bureau 
 of Highways and the school children through The League of 
 Good Citizenship founded by Mrs. Thomas S. Earkbride, to 
 whom Philadelphia owes a debt of gratitude for a lifetime 
 of usefulness and inspiration. A woman specially interested 
 in the work was made a street-cleaning inspector in the High- 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 323 
 
 way Bureau, and the results obtained were very satisfactory. 
 The children not only saw to it that they themselves gave no 
 cause for complaint in making unnecessary work for the 
 Bureau, but they did an immense amount of constructive 
 work in advising others and in reporting delinquencies on the 
 part of employees of the Bureau. These reports were 
 aways received in writing, as for example: 
 
 Walking home from school a cat tumbled over a garbage pail 
 and all the garbage fell on the pavement and street. I went into 
 the house where tbe garbage was laying on the pavement and told 
 the mistress of the house. She took a broom and put all the garbage 
 in the pail because she knew that garbage thrown on pavements will 
 make disease. 
 
 On Reed Street between Sixth and Seventh a woman put her 
 ashes on the pavement in a broken box. When the man came 
 around, he took the box of ashes and put the ashes in the wagon, 
 then he threw down the box and all the ashes that were left at the 
 bottom of the box came out and it made the pavement very[|dirty. 
 The wagon was full of ashes and it was a wind and the wagon was 
 uncovered and a lot of ashes blew on the street. 
 
 The children had the satisfaction of knowing that their 
 complaints and reconmiendations reached headquarters, and 
 that those considered worth while were acted upon. The 
 League is in a growing and prosperous condition. Here is a 
 group of future citizens who, in their interest for the com- 
 munity, will not stop at voting. 
 
 At the Arbor Day celebration in our squares last year school 
 children of all ages participated with marked enthusiasm. 
 It is possible to note the effect of these exercises on the attitude 
 of the children toward our trees, and their general care of 
 squares and parks. In the early part of the year we succeeded 
 in getting the Boy Scouts interested in what was known as 
 the "tree-warden movement." The boys were instructed 
 in the various uses of trees and in their care in our parks 
 
324 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 and on the highways such as the removing of moth eggs, and 
 after successfully passing an examination, were awarded a 
 "tree-warden badge." These awards were made in connec- 
 tion with appropriate ceremonies on Arbor Day, April 24, 
 1 9 14. During the year, 376 tree wardens were enrolled in 
 the first degree of the "Bronze Badge." 
 
 INDIVIDUAL INTEEEST 
 
 Hundreds of instances come to public attention each year 
 of individual citizens who have shown an vmusual responsi- 
 bility to tJieir commimity. Hundreds more are doing imusual 
 work which never sees the light of publicity. These represent 
 some of the higher things in our city life. While a public 
 official has an advantage in a great many ways of accomplish- 
 ing good for the people he is serving, there are certain things 
 which a citizen in private life can do to much better advantage. 
 We note one suggestive case from Cleveland, Ohio. This time 
 the "citizen" was a woman. The following account of her 
 work to promote civic development is taken from an address 
 of O. H. Benson, specialist in charge of club work for the 
 United States Department of Agriculture. 
 
 • 
 
 Mrs. J. K. Turner, of Cleveland, Ohio, a well-to-do and a leadiag 
 society lady of that city, directed a letter to the Department of 
 Agriculture, and asked for suggestions as to what she could do, 
 of a worth-while character, for the girls of Geauga County, Ohio, 
 and wanted especially some information in regard to the girls' 
 club work, which she had read about in some of the papers. She 
 asked for and insisted upon the United States Department of Agri- 
 culture giving her definite help in getting this new line of work 
 started in her county. She agreed to do all the work of supervision, 
 organization, and encouragement, and furnish a liberal amount for 
 prizes herself, if we would give the initial instructions in home 
 canning to the girls and agree to furnish them the follow-up in- 
 structions throughout the year. This woman, without a dollar 
 to reimburse her for several months of hard work, at considerable 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 325 
 
 additional travelling expense, as well as the expense of banquets, 
 picnics, receptions, prizes, etc., organized a club of 126 girls. She 
 not only organized them but visited every girl several times during 
 the year, invited them to her home, gave receptions to them, and 
 paid the expenses of a free trip to Washington for the four cham- 
 pions. 
 
 SOME EESULTS 
 
 Some suggestions as to what has actually been done by a 
 few of the various organizations doing community work will 
 probably be of interest. These suggestions were culled from 
 replies to a questionnaire, and represent onlya small fraction of 
 the activities in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and in a number 
 of small towns in the rural districts of Pennsylvania. In each 
 case, among a mmiber of other questions, we asked what 
 they considered their most important accomplishment in the 
 past two years. This was a very hard question for some of 
 them to answer — ^they had been so busy. A few of the brief 
 replies are listed as suggestive: 
 
 NATITRE OF ORGANIZATION CHIEF ACCOMPLISHMENT 
 
 Improvement Association (a) Playground 
 
 (b) BuUt a bridge 
 
 (c) Rejuvenation of public park 
 
 (d) Established a free library 
 Business Men's (a) Placed bronze tablet mark- 
 ers on historic buildings 
 
 (b) Cooperative store lighting 
 
 (c) Secured paving for five 
 blocks of new streets 
 
 (d) More street lights and a 
 playground 
 
 (e) Old Home Week 
 
 (f) Built a band stand 
 
 (g) Auto fire apparatus 
 (h) Recreation centre 
 (i) Social Centre House 
 
 Civic W Equipped a playground 
 
 (b) Built a convention hall 
 
326 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 (c) District nurse and a street 
 sprinkler 
 
 (d) A public playground 
 
 (e) Supplied shoes to poor 
 school children to keep tiiem 
 in school 
 
 (f) Domestic science equip- 
 ment in high school 
 
 (g) Clean-up Campaign for the 
 town 
 
 (h) Playground 
 
 (i) Work with Juvenile Court 
 
 (j) Secured a District High 
 
 School 
 ' (k) A new school house 
 
 (1) Held flower contests. MiU 
 
 workers with best exhibits 
 
 given prizes 
 (m) Centralized charity organ- 
 izations in the town 
 (n) Playground and "Tea 
 
 House" for town socials 
 (o) Athletic Park 
 (p) School Gardens 
 (q) Removed 1,200 beggars 
 '• from streets 
 (r) EstabUshed peimy lunches 
 
 in poor grade schools 
 (s) Cooperative Boarding Qub 
 
 for Business Girls 
 (t) A trade school for girls 
 (u) Supporting a consumptive 
 
 colony 
 (v) Have a trade school for 
 
 bUnd 
 (w) Aided American Red Cross 
 (x) Agitated for local option 
 (y) Americanize Italians 
 (z) Extension educational 
 
 classes 
 Woman's Club (a) Established a public library 
 
SOMETHING MORE THAN A VOTER 327 
 
 While activities such as the foregoing are primarily those 
 of the private citizen, any public official is well advised to do 
 anything and everything he can to foster them. In fact, a 
 great deal of the most valuable kind of civilian assistance is 
 impossible \mless Government ofl&cials lend a helping hand, or 
 at least provide sympathetic support. As a rule, such civilian 
 agencies as have been described in this chapter should have 
 an organization independent of the municipality with head- 
 quarters outside of the City Hall. At the same time, the 
 oflScers of ciArilian agencies should be able to command the 
 immediate interest of city officials in every effort to promote 
 the public good. 
 
 GOOD CITIZENSHIP 
 
 / like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like 
 to see a man live in it so that his place will be proud of him. 
 Be honest, but hate no one; overturn a man's wrong-doing, but 
 do not overturn him unless it must be done in overturning the 
 wrong. Stand with anybody that stands right, and part with 
 him when he goes wrong. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 
 
 THE operation of street cars and telephones, the housing 
 of machine shops and department stores, the construc- 
 tion of mammoth port facilities are not the ultimate 
 considerations either of municipal life or even of municipal 
 government. In the past we have been all too prone to look 
 upon great industrial activity or a comprehensive system of 
 street railways or a commodious city hall as ends justifiable 
 in themselves. Such developments are only desirable as they 
 serve in the upbuilding of an efficient, happy, and liberty-loving 
 citizemy. In the last analysis a city is simply an aggregation 
 of homes and the object of each individual home is to be the 
 source of the maximum of service and human happiness. 
 Thus trolley cars and industrial establishments and the City 
 Hall itself become accessories. And to develop beauty — ^in 
 whatever form it may take — everjrwhere within the city, and 
 art for happy homes, is after all the ultimate end and 
 object of all this striving. If we piece together these high 
 spots of fine living, and culture, and beauty wherever we find 
 them in the cities of the world we can gain a glimpse of the 
 urban life which the spirit of America is making possible. It 
 is to the accomplishment of this great end that we seek to put 
 down corruption and misrule and to exalt civic righteousness 
 and to bring about the development of a mimidpal environ- 
 ment in which the happiest homes in all the world can be 
 located. 
 As has been said in other connections in this book in making 
 
 328 
 
Sopranos and altos to the riijht and left, and the male \'oices in the centre 
 
 Chapel of Lehigh University and the choir 
 BACH FESTIVAL AT BETHLEHEM, PA. 
 
The Main Dining Room 
 
 The Grill 
 THE BOSTON CITY CLUB 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 329 
 
 any effort to visualize the possibilities of municipal growth 
 and development and to pave the way for it, two distinct cur- 
 rents of influence must be recognized. On one hand we have 
 vice and corruption and poverty and the narrow point 
 of view; on the other efl&ciency, self-respect, contentment, and 
 vision. Progress means combating the first group while 
 fostering the second. 
 
 The psychology of the attack on an untoward tendency is as 
 important in civic affairs as anjrwhere else. In many cases 
 an abuse should be subjected to an indirect attack. Some 
 years ago, Mr. Edward Bok, Editor of The Ladies' Home Jour- 
 nal, became convinced that the conditions surrounding child 
 life in Philadelphia were deplorable, leading to a very high 
 infant mortaUty rate, the enfeeblement of the adult popula- 
 tion, and to other equally regrettable results. He organized 
 The Children's Federation — a group of prominent citizens and 
 city ofl&cials who recorded themselves as being concerned in 
 the matter and willing to help to improve conditions. Almost 
 the first act of the new organization was the erection of a muni- 
 cipal Christmas tree in Independence Square as a token of 
 interest in the children and love for them. It was so advertised 
 and acted to establish the Federation as a constructive agency. 
 It did not come on the stage as against anything but for the 
 children. It has held this position ever since by seeking to 
 cooperate with forces looking to the upbuilding of child life 
 rather than through stressing its repressive contacts. Of 
 course there are factors in modern municipalities which almost 
 prohibit such a constructive attack. The extermination of flies 
 and mosquitoes, the abolition of saloons, bawdy houses and 
 privy vaults, the purification of the water supply are matters 
 so obviously necessary that no self-respecting community 
 need apologize for maintaining an incessant and direct and 
 energetic attack on them. 
 
 But whether our efforts toward improvement are indirect 
 
330 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 or direct the first move toward a city in which as Tom Johnson 
 expressed it "children sing in the streets" must be a frank 
 taking of stock and a listing of those factors and conditions 
 which must be obliterated before the new day can dawn. 
 I^erhaps at the very top of any such list must be placed the 
 abolition of poverty. Nobody can be happy if hungry, or 
 poorly clad or indecently housed. Especially in a nation like 
 ours, possessing great stores of natural resources and these for 
 the most part untouched, there can be little excuse for poverty 
 anywhere. But ignoring for the moment our national wealth 
 and considering nothing but the inherent possibilities of most 
 industrial conamunities science has shown the way through 
 which a city with, no special advantages as to location or nat- 
 ural resources can prosper if intelligence and foresight tand 
 cooperation are brought into play. Under any such (dis- 
 pensation the industries of a city must be looked upon as not 
 altogether the private possessions of those who own their 
 securities or of those who at any given time control the manage- 
 ment. Any such industry has a distinct responsibility toward 
 the commiuiity in which it is located which lays upon it very 
 definite obligations. In the long run a manufacturing estab- 
 lishment which through any cause sudi as inefficient or short- 
 sighted management fails to pay "living wages" or provides 
 imduly intermittent employment to the workers is a handicap 
 and a menace to the dty, state, and nation in which it is lo- 
 cated. This is a moderate statement. It is becoming true 
 that industrial establishments which are not so ably managed 
 as to be able to pay high wages and to surround labour with 
 every proper safeguard find it increasingly difficult to compete 
 in the markets of the world. 
 
 If necessary, social pressure must be brought to bear on any 
 manufacturer who refuses to recognize and act in proper 
 fashion. In this matter as in everything else reasonable 
 publicity is our greatest safeguard. The day is not far dis- 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 331 
 
 tant when it will be as unthinkable to maintain secrecy about 
 either the pa3Toll or the sanitary arrangements of a manu- 
 facturing plant as it is now to conceive of a public school 
 S)rstem shrouded in mystery. 
 
 In my opinion liquor and a dying industrial regime have 
 been principally to blame for poverty in this country. Given 
 a "dry town" perhaps the next greatest step that can be taken 
 toward abolishing poverty is in that democratization of the 
 industries under which their owners will not only come to 
 appreciate the character and extent of society's interest in 
 their conduct but will see in this interest a force making both 
 for efficiency and stability. Fortunate indeed are cities blessed 
 with leaders of both capital and labour who wiU press toward 
 such an accompUshment with the maximum of sympathy 
 and respect for each other's difficulties and point of view. 
 
 In forging the weapons with which to protect the freedom 
 of the individual, we Americans, in coromon with all liberty- 
 loving people, have made full use of those mechanisms of 
 government variously called Bills of Rights, Declarations of 
 Independence, Constitutions and Charters. Periodically we 
 gather our representatives together to reframe these instru- 
 ments so that they shall, on the one hand, more and more 
 comprehensively state what we take to be the power of the 
 people, and on the other more and more efficiently make such 
 delegations of this power as under varying conditions may seem 
 to be advisable. After all, such documents concern themselves 
 for the most part in staking down progress already made and 
 guarding it against counter-attacks whether from those who 
 in the process have lost power or from those who never having 
 had power seek to cut more corners in securing it than the 
 experience of the race suggests to be good tactics. 
 
 But with the growing recognition of the right and power of 
 the people to rule perhaps we can look forward to the time 
 when less stress will be placed upon its enunciation ia charters 
 
332 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 and constitutions and more on a statement of what it is pro- 
 posed to do under such instnmients. This is but another 
 phase of the broad principle that we are not interested in the 
 form, structure, or fabric of government except as it leads to 
 and influences action. 
 
 One measure of both culture and efficiency Kes in our ability 
 to foresee the future and within certain limits to control it; 
 to minimize in its tendencies what seems harmful and to ac- 
 centuate every factor that mates for benefit. In our political 
 platforms, outlining as they do public policies which should 
 be advanced or deprecated and public activities which should 
 be avoided, do we not find the suggestion of a mechanism 
 capable of considerable development in this municipal field? 
 I believe we can confidently look forward to the time when 
 we shall periodically bring together men representing every 
 phase of civic activity, who, commissioned for that purpose 
 by the voters, will outline in broad fashion plans for the future 
 as to education, health, recreation, finance, taxation, indust^r, 
 and the general public welfare. Obviously such a gathering 
 of civic notables — each presumably a leader in his chosen 
 line of activity — should confine its attention to the discussion 
 of projects and policies requiring years, even a generation 
 or two for their execution. Of course it is not altogether a 
 question of the time required for a given project but of its 
 relative size. Perhaps before we can avail ourselves of this 
 type of prevision and comprehensive thinking we shall have 
 to wait imtil Mr. Average Citizen cares less about the location 
 of a particular gas lamp with respect to his own front door and 
 the appointment of minor dty officials and more about an 
 adequate fiscal system, a low death rate — or rather a high 
 health rate — and a "home city" commanding respect wherever 
 decency and fine living are esteemed. 
 
 Let us take the one question of public health with which to 
 illustrate this suggestion. If a body of competent and vari- 
 
iVuditorium 
 
 Lounge 
 THE BOSTON CITY CLUB 
 
BLOOMS IN FAR-AWAY JAPAN 
 Tj'pical \-iews in cities wliere the cherry, the iris, and the wisteria grow in profusion 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 333 
 
 ously qualified citizens of the City of Newark, New Jersey, 
 should be brought together under conunission from the citizens 
 to report as to a ten-year programme their findings naight easily 
 lead to a cut of one half in the death rate at the end of that 
 period. This result would be obtained through a course of 
 action almost impossible under our present system of annual 
 appropriations and short-term planning. After all growth 
 and accomplishment come to those having some vision of what 
 is possible. 
 
 "Whosoever may discern true ends here shall grow pure enough 
 To love them, brave enough to strive for them 
 And strong enough to reach them, though the roads be rough." 
 
 It certainly would be interesting to see some above-the- 
 average community like Independence, Kansas, Rochester, 
 New York, or Newton, Massachusetts, work out the ejq)eri- 
 ment of formulating a 10 to 20 year programme of municipal 
 activity and progress. 
 
 Fortimate indeed is a city which has a tradition! Some 
 record of noble living or brave dying for deathless causes 
 through which the enthusiasms of youth are more easily 
 enlisted on the side of civic ideals. Whether we recognize 
 such a tradition or not everything possible should be done 
 to cultivate atmosphere and personality about our city. "My 
 City — ^is there anything more beautiful than that to speak of? 
 You speak of 'my father' and 'my mother' in terms of 
 endearment. Do the same in speaking of the city. If you 
 do, Philadelphia is assured of being the greatest city in the 
 country," said Rudolph Blankenburg, Philadelphia's great 
 mayor. 
 
 Graduates of the College of the City of New York are pre- 
 sented on their Commencement Day with the Arms of the City 
 and at the same time the following oath is administered: — 
 "We will never bring disgrace to these Arms by any act of 
 
334 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 dishonesty or cowardice. We will never desert our suffering 
 comrades in the ranks. We will fight for the ideals and sacred 
 things of the City, both alone and with many. We will revere 
 and obey the City's laws and do our best to incite a like respect 
 and reverence in those about us who are prone to set them at 
 naught. We will strive ever to do our whole duty as citizens; 
 and thus in aU these ways to transmit this City not only not 
 less but greater, better, and more beautiful than it was trans- 
 mitted to us." 
 
 We make at times almost too much of a fetish of our 
 loyalty to other human institutions. We cannot direct too 
 much interest toward "My City" if here on this continent 
 we are to develop municipalities which wiU mean to our day 
 and generation what Florence meant to Dante and what Athens 
 symbolized to all Greece. 
 
 Do you hear the call of the city, 
 
 Do you mark how the men reply? 
 Thousands and hundreds of thousands, 
 
 The throngs are hurrying by. 
 And those who have failed are many, ' ^ 
 
 And many are those who have won; 
 But the most of all the thousands 
 
 Are the men who have just begun. 
 
 For "youth" is the call of the city 
 
 And the strong young men come forth 
 From the cheer of the Southern plantations, 
 
 From the desolate farms of the North. 
 From the old New England homestead, 
 
 From the lonely ranch in the West, 
 They bring their strength to the struggle, , 
 
 They offer the city their best. 
 
 They give their youth and vigour 
 
 In eager sacrifice; 
 And out of the stress of their toiling 
 
 Shall the City of Beauty arise. 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 335 
 
 They are worn and spent with labour; 
 
 They are tossed aside again; 
 And the city is calling, calling, 
 
 For the lives of other men. 
 
 A dty is not simply an aggregation of bricks and mortar. 
 If our cities are to be worth having and if they are to inspire 
 future generations to nobler modes of life, they must more 
 and more be places of ideas, ideals, and of dreams; places of 
 association with all the past ; and places of struggle and achieve- 
 ment through which the weaker are made strong and the strong 
 are made generous and serviceful. 
 
 Fortunately it is not necessary to await future developments 
 in order to visualize a beautiful city filled with prosperous folk, 
 leading happy and inspiring lives — a "Singing City." While 
 we cannot find this all at any one place or at any one time we 
 can glimpse what is easily possible simply by piecing together 
 such bits as are of recognized value in the whole history of 
 municipal development. It must be borne in mind that a 
 result once attained can usually be duplicated by any com- 
 munity desirous of similar achievement. 
 
 The bed rock of consistent and continuous civic growth and 
 development is beauty— a truly great city must necessarily be 
 a beautiful city. The recognition of this fact is slowly evi- 
 dencing itself in legislation regulating bill boards and the 
 height and character of buildings, in the appointment of Art 
 Commissions, in much of the work of civic improvement so- 
 cieties and in the architecture of our buildings, even of those 
 devoted to industry. Ugliness is always a handicap. Beauty 
 is a controlling factor in efficient living. Great results may be 
 obtained in spite of a slovenly laboratory and a littered office. 
 But this does not disprove the fact that genuine efficiency is as 
 difficult of attainment in an unkempt factory as fime living 
 and high thinking in a disorderly and ugly city. 
 
 Perhaps the most widespread effort toward beauty in our 
 
2,2,^ OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 urban life is represented in the movement to clean up, plant, 
 and otherwise improve our backyards. In Dayton, Ohio, 
 John H. Patterson secured splendid results by offering prizes 
 for the greatest improvement in backyards as shown by photo- 
 graphs taken "before and after." The League of Good Citi- 
 zenship of Bellefonte, Pa., has issued an interesting illustrated 
 pamphlet showing improvements made in the backyards of 
 that beautiful town. 
 
 ' Most American cities suffer from the blight imposed by 
 street structures of various kinds, such as trolley poles, wires 
 for various purposes, fire akrm and letter boxes and fire plugs. 
 Almost no effort has been made either to minimize the number, 
 to consolidate those which are necessary, or to bring beauty 
 to their design. This offers an inviting field for American art. 
 As a boy I frequently passed the Five Points corner in South 
 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and an exceptionally drab and unin- 
 viting spot it was. Now this corner thrills the passerby with the 
 following inscription on a drinking fountain of pleasing design: 
 — "Drink, Pilgrim, here; and if thy heart be innocent, here too 
 shalt thou refresh thy spirit." 
 
 The public park movement has made wonderful progress 
 during the past 30 years in nearly aU of our larger cities. 
 Almost without exception a very great price has been entailed 
 by the delay in providing such public breathing spaces. Our 
 smaller towns should take notice and secure the needed ground 
 before it becomes covered with improvements or for other 
 reasons the price of the land makes its purchase for park pur- 
 poses impossible. Among the smaller cities the public park 
 system of Bridgeton, New Jersey, stands out as having made 
 full use of existing features including an especially beautiful 
 mill race. Among the parks of the larger cities the wildness 
 of the Wissahickon Creek ravine miming through the built- 
 up section of Philadelphia is unique. 
 
 What represents perhaps an even more interesting develop- 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 337 
 
 ment is the public attitude toward the use of the parks. 
 Going hand in hand with the programme for the acquisition 
 of park areas we find provision being made for their use. 
 They have become something more than mere show places and 
 places simply through which to drive. A good illustration of this 
 tendency is found in the fact that Tom Johnson while Mayor 
 of Cleveland ordered all "keep off the grass" signs removed 
 from the parks. 
 
 The development of our city park systems is simply one 
 evidence of a more general recognition of the factor of recrea- 
 tion in efficient living. Up-to-date manufacturers in addition 
 to securing to their employees more opportunity for daily 
 recreation through the eight-hour day are making provision 
 for annual outings "on company time." In some instances 
 the outings themselves are organized on a cooperative basis 
 so that the employees can get the maximum of rest and diver- 
 sion with the least financial outlay. The climate and the 
 mountain park lands near Los Angeles, California, afford the 
 residents of that city wonderful opportunities for developing 
 the romance of out-of-door hving. 
 
 In this matter of the development of "The City Beautiful" 
 half the battle is in assimiing beauty to be inevitable. Under 
 this system we challenge ugliness wherever encountered. For 
 years we had acquiesced in a distressingly unattractive cinder 
 patch as a part of the City Hall courtyard in Philadelphia. 
 Then someone with a more enlightened vision came along and 
 asked "Why?" The result was that in two weeks beautiful 
 greensward had taken the place of the cinders and 100,000 
 people who pass that spot every day are refreshed and in- 
 spired by the result. 
 
 This questioning attitude as to the possibility of bring- 
 ing beauty into all our activities led to marked imprqvements 
 in the design of our bridges. We employed one artist in our 
 bridge department whose sole duty was to seek to incorporate 
 
338 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 lines of beauty into these structures. He took the contours of 
 the land on either side of the place to be bridged and first work- 
 ed out the treatment from a piurely aesthetic point of view in 
 broadest outline. These studies were then turned over to the 
 engineers for the detailed drawings. 
 
 Of course we must not minitnize the place which painting 
 and the more classic expressions of art have in mimicipal 
 development. Without art instruction and all the facilities 
 which the development of drawing and painting technique 
 require no city can hope to secure a genmnely artistic expres- 
 sion in the manifold activities constituting its life. Art is 
 not something which can be grafted on. We must more or 
 less intuitively give expression to it. Hence it is that ample 
 provision must be made for an art gallery filled with good 
 pictures, for instruction and training in art and above all for 
 full recognition on the part of the public of those who bring 
 glory and distinction to life through producing things of 
 beauty whether they be paintings, bridges, signs, books, or 
 buildings. But we have almost outgrown the old idea that 
 a fine art gallery is in any large way significant of the 
 artistic sense and appreciation of a people just as we have 
 outgrown the idea that a white-tiled operating room is nec- 
 essarily any index to the real worth of a hospital, or that a 
 park through which those with carriages and automobiles can 
 drive is on that account alone of any large value to the people 
 as a whole. 
 
 The history of music at home and abroad is a sufficient index 
 of the great part music is to have in the city of the future. 
 Music even more than pictorial art has always been a 
 possession of the people. With the spread of education, and 
 especially of musical education, greater possibilities for the 
 participation of the general public in musical enterprizes 
 will present themselves. Elsewhere reference has been made 
 to public mass singing. The war has given a great impetus 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 339 
 
 to this movement. Secretary Baker has been given credit for 
 sending a "singing army" to France. It is a great accom- 
 pKshment and one requiring real imagination. A "singing 
 army" is necessarily an invincible army. The singing of 
 patriotic and other songs by great assemblies of our citizens 
 gathered for that purpose has been one of the inspiring and 
 unifying forces growing out of our participation in the 
 war. 
 
 If the so-called leisure class has been one of our problems 
 its solution seems to be approaching with the march of events. 
 Now apparently we have a master problem to take its place 
 in the matter of the disposition of the leisure time of the great 
 mass of the people which grows of course with the shortening 
 of the working day. The development of our musical tastes 
 and interests seems to offer a most promising feature in the 
 whole answer. As an excellent example of what a large place 
 music can assume in the life — ^not of a restricted class — ^but 
 of all the people, the Bach music as sung by a great chorus 
 recruited from the townspeople of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 
 may be cited. Dr. J. Fred Wolle, who for over twenty years 
 has fostered this splendid effort, is not only a distinguished 
 musician but an inspiring leader. An annual two-day Bach 
 festival has been held in Bethlehem for a number of years 
 past and to it music lovers from all over the country have 
 been attracted in increasing niunbers. The feature that is sig- 
 nificant in this connection, however, is of the local interest and 
 pride which have been engendered. Formerly the festivals 
 where held in the Moravian church in old Bethlehem. In 
 recent years, in order to accommodate the larger attendance, 
 the singing has been transferred to the chapel of Lehigh 
 University situated in a beautiful park on the wooded slope of 
 Lehigh Mountain. There is much to warrant the statement 
 that life in this new land rarely rises to higher levels than are 
 symbolized and visualized by this rarely beautiful rendering 
 
340 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 of the people's effort to express the work of a master artist like 
 the immortal Bach. 
 
 Thirty years ago the average manufacturer felt that there 
 was very little inducement to curtail hours of employment 
 because as he expressed it " the more idle time the men have 
 the more they spend on drink." Whether this was ever true or 
 not it is no longer true. Under the influence of education and 
 of shorter hours of labour as a people we are giving increasingly 
 intelligent thought to the way we spend our time when we 
 are neither working nor sleeping. To assist in this effort 
 all sorts of organizations, clubs, and other activities have 
 sprung up wherewith we can profitably and pleasantly fill our 
 recreation hours. And those opportimities are becoming 
 available not alone for the wealthy and exceptionally well-to- 
 do. We are coming to realize that it is just and usually profit- 
 able to provide a variety of recreation even for those among 
 us least able to pay in dollars and cents. 
 
 The Boy Scout and Camp Fire Girl movements are activities 
 in behalf of the young people typical of this general tendency. 
 It would be difficult to overestimate the advantages to muni- 
 cipal progress which might easily restdt from the guidance 
 given to the youth of the land, and during the most impression- 
 able years, through these two organizations. Valuable as 
 may be the training which they afford in ethical conduct and 
 responsibility to the public I consider the development of 
 the capacity for healthful recreation even more so. People 
 of all classes and all ages in this country need to know more 
 about how to play. 
 
 The growth of such organizations as the Y. M. C. A., the 
 Knights of Coltunbus, the Y. W. C. A., and others of a similar 
 character is significant. It is likely that as a result of the war 
 the non-rehgious aspects of their work will be better under- 
 stood. No city can afford to be without these agencies provid- 
 ing as they do so much that is absolutely needful and altogether 
 
The Band 
 
 Night School 
 SAUK CITY, WIS., COMMUNITY CENTRE 
 
Dance 
 
 Pageant 
 SAUK CITY, WIS., COMMUNITY CENTRE 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 341 
 
 desirable for the full development of young men and young 
 women. The manufacturers in any commimity where there 
 is no Y. M. C. A. should not lose a day in organizing a branch. 
 We are entering upon an industrial regime where such omis- 
 sions in the mechanism of fine living will not be overlooked by 
 , the industrial classes. 
 
 The Boston City Club is typical of a number of such organ- 
 izations which can now be found in all the larger cities of the 
 country. The dues charged are usually much smaller than 
 apply in most social clubs. In building up the menibership 
 the effort is consciously made to recruit from different walks 
 in life and from different kinds of business and with little or 
 no regard for the usual social distinctions. These organiza- 
 tions have been very useful in developing a new kind of social 
 contacts and in bringing together mercantile, professional, and 
 industrial groups. In one City Club one of the qualifications 
 for membership is that the applicant must in some way have 
 served the city. Even to have held a "window book" on 
 election day is considered such service. The Boston City Club 
 is unique in having a membership of about 5,000 and a very 
 commodious home, in which the dining facilities permit the seat- 
 ing of over 2,200 people at one time. This club has made a great 
 feature of lectures on civics, travel, and other general topics. 
 In Cleveland the City Club has quarters in one of the promi- 
 nent hotels. This gives them a central and favourable location 
 and avoids the necessity of building up an extensive cuisine 
 only to have it used during restricted hours. The Club uses 
 the hotel dining rooms and assembly halls for its larger 
 meetings. 
 
 Labour organizations are now frequently provided with 
 headquarters with club features which include practically 
 everything which " old line" clubs had to offer in the way of 
 recreation and amusements. The fine building of the Bar- 
 tender & Waiters Union on isth Street in Philadelphia and 
 
342 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 the commodious office bviilding of the Brotherhood of Locomo- 
 tive Engineers in Cleveland are t3T)ical examples. 
 
 The Forum movement started some years ago through the 
 Sunday night meetings at Ford HaU in Boston and a,bly 
 led by Mr. George C. Coleman of that city has come to provide 
 education and recreation for thousands. Their meetings 
 are usually held on Sunday afternoon or evening and are largely 
 attended. The programme consists of a little preliminary 
 music, a talk of about 40 minutes on some subject of general 
 interest by an authority on the subject followed by a general 
 discussion. These Forums have spread all over this country 
 and Canada, and are potent forces making for a better under- 
 standing between conflicting classes and interests. 
 
 One of the signs of the times is a tendency toward coopera- 
 tive play. Street dancing is a regular feature during the 
 summer months in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other cities. 
 One of oiu: correspondents writes: — "Fresno, California, has 
 held many dances in the public streets, and they have been 
 overwhelming successes. The Fire Department usually 
 cleans one or two blocks, according to the size of the celebra- 
 tion. Just before evening, we close these streets for public 
 use, and keep them closed until the time of the dance, when 
 we wax the streets, or put dust on them, placing our band 
 in the centre of the block. We have experienced no trouble 
 whatsoever, with our immense crowds, in the way of keeping 
 excellent conduct. The people of our city thoroughly enjoy 
 this form of entertainment, and cooperate in the proper spirit 
 to make it very high class. We encounter no rowdyism or 
 misbehaviour of any description." 
 
 Every foreign country has developed people's ffetes of local 
 and national interest. In Japan different cities are celebrated 
 for the beauty and luxuriance of certain flowering trees, vines, 
 and shrubs as for instance the plum, the iris, and the wis- 
 teria. As the season for such trees to bloom arrives the 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 343 
 
 Japanese travel in crowds and great distances to enjoy them 
 and the accompanying celebration. 
 
 As an illustration of the spirit of play in a small city there 
 is given herewith a photograph of the Sauk City, Wisconsin, 
 pageant — a series of entertainments in which a goodly part 
 of the population participated under the influence of a well- 
 organized Community Centre. 
 
 At the Christmas season some of our most beautiful 
 festivals are centred around the Christmas legend. Almost 
 every American city has some unique feature in its Christmas 
 celebration. In the last chapter was shown a photograph of the 
 decoration of the street lamp posts with Christmas trees at 
 Fresno, California. These trees are put up several weeks before 
 Christmas and the aroma of the fir everywhere throughout 
 the shopping district acts as a suggestion for early buying. On 
 Christmas Eve the trees themselves are distributed, under the 
 direction of the police department, to those who otherwise 
 would not have had them. 
 
 Perhaps the most unique Christmas celebration is that given 
 annually in Union Square, New York City, where for a number 
 of years past a committee acting incognito has carried on this 
 work under the title "Tree of Light." The idea has been 
 copied in over 1,000 American cities, many of which have 
 added interesting features. The Tree of Light Conmiittee 
 (Address P. O. Station G, New York, N. Y.) has issued the 
 following " Suggestions for a Community Christmas Tree and 
 Celebration" : — 
 
 Organization — Form a small Executive Committee, the fewer 
 the better. Call it Conummity Tree and Celebration rather 
 than municipal. 
 
 Try to avoid giving publicity to workers and subscribers 
 and try to maintain the spirit of Christmas mystery. 
 
 Press — Take the newspapers in your city into your confi- 
 dence at once, and they will aid by giving impetus and pub- 
 
344 . OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 lidty to the idea. They will do more if there are no suggestions 
 of patronage or advertisement, and no names. 
 
 Finance — Funds needed are for tree, erection, lighting, 
 bands, singers, and should be voluntary. Expenses can be 
 minimized by donations. Subscriptions to be obtained from 
 any source provided that no social, commercial, or political 
 advertisement be attached to donation. Expenses depend on 
 size of town and tree. 
 
 Tree — ^Try to obtain as large a tree as you can — ^if possible, 
 from your neighbourhood, even a poor tree can be made to serve 
 by inserting branches. 
 
 Erection — Place tree in most central open space in town. 
 Nurserymen or builder can erect it. In a small town a per- 
 manent tree about 25 feet high can be planted. A temporary 
 tree should be cut up after the celebration and the wood given 
 to the poor. 
 
 ' Lighting and Decoration — ^Have nothing but lights of various 
 colours on the tree with a star of white light on the top. This 
 is most effective, less expensive, and stands rain or snow better 
 than tinsel and other deicorations. Where no electric current 
 is available, storage batteries are obtainable at ahnost any 
 electrical shop in your town or the nearest large town. Have 
 the tree lighted every night during Christmas week ending 
 with a New Year's celebration. 
 
 Music — ^Have as much singing a* possible. 
 
 Choral — ^A volunteer choir should be fonned from churches 
 of aU denominations, singing societies, glee clubs, etc., to 
 sing a number of the best-known Christmas hymns and carols 
 and ask the public through pulpit and press to join in. Chil- 
 dren's choruses can sing in early part of evening. A special 
 Community Christmas Carol Book has been arranged with the 
 music and words of ten of the best-known Christmas hymns 
 and carols. It can be obtained from the H. W. Gray Com- 
 pany, agents for Novello & Co., Lt., No. 2 West 4Sth Street, 
 
THE TREE OF LIGHT 
 Christmas Eve in Union Square, New York City 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 345 
 
 New York, at 10 cents a single copy, or 5 cents each for a 
 hundred or thousands. 
 
 Music, Bands— A good band, if available, will add greatly. 
 Have band music made up of popular familiar melodies. Have 
 cornet and trumpet calls to the East, West, North, and South 
 herald the lighting of the tree and the beginning of the 
 celebration. Cornets, trumpets, or Diamond Disk Phonograph 
 carol records can be used for accompaniment where bands are 
 not available. 
 
 Let simplicity be the keynote and the real Christmas spirit 
 be the moving power. Press clippings and photographs of 
 your tree and celebration will be greatly appreciated by this 
 committee. 
 
 Success to your tree! 
 
 In Philadelphia the Mummers' Parade on New Year's Day 
 ranks with the Mardi Gras at New Orleans and the Veiled 
 Prophet's f^te in St. Louis in popular interest. The Mayor of 
 Philadelphia holds a public reception in the City Hall during 
 the two hours preceding midnight on the last day of the 
 year. Thousands of people who have no other opportunity 
 for personal contact with their city officials are iritroduced 
 to the City's Chief Executive and Cabinet. 
 
 Perhaps none of our popular f^tes in this country have risen 
 as yet to the level of such celebrations as are found elsewhere 
 throughout the world. They are cited here only as typifjdng 
 an element of great importance and promise in our American 
 urban life. Such diversions warrant all the attention and 
 thought which may be devoted to them. 
 
 This book was begun while our nation was almost too con- 
 tentedly following the arts of peace. It has been carried to 
 completion during the months when in common with millions 
 of my fellow countr3mien practically all my waking hours 
 have been devoted to tasks imposed by the war. It is my 
 earnest hope that it may not be without significance as a war- 
 
346 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 time proposition. Had I not felt somewhat warranted in this 
 hope I could not have justified devoting even occasional leisure 
 hours to its completion at a time when our very existence is at 
 stake. Good government cannot be disassociated from the 
 rights of the majority. Autocracy must mean misrule. 
 
 As a people we were unprepared for war not so much be- 
 cause we lacked guns and ammunition, clothing, adequate 
 storehouses and millions of men trained to arms but rather 
 because we were not prepared even for peace. As a 
 nation of individualists we hardly knew the meaning of co- 
 ordination or the possibilities of cooperation. Our industry 
 was operated virtually as two armed camps — ^labour on the one 
 hand and capital on the other, almost refusing to take the 
 trouble to understand the other's opportunities and difficulties. 
 Perhaps nowhere has this lack of Preparedness been more 
 noticeable than in the management of our cities. Prepared- 
 ness as used here is clothed with all the fullness of meaning 
 which vision and foresight and imagination can read into it. 
 
 For two generations municipal government has been almost 
 a synonym for inefficiency, debauchery, greed, and short- 
 sightedness. But within the last ten years there have fefeen 
 multiplying signs that we were not satisfied with tlfings 
 as they have been. We first noted with concern that t>ord 
 Bryce, a trained and trusted observer, saw in the misrule of our 
 cities the most significant fact in the American Common- 
 wealth. Philadelphia resented being called "corrupt and 
 contented." San Francisco sent Abe Ruef to jail. Prominent 
 figures in the field preceded and followed him. Civil-service 
 propaganda and municipal research gave us some measuring 
 sticks. A Brand Whitlock, a Tom Johnson, and a Rudolph 
 Blankenburg visualized the possibilities of abiUty and integrity 
 in municipal administration. Des Moines, Galveston, and 
 Ashtabula have led the cities of the land in proposals for a more 
 cflfident structure for city government. Everywhere we 
 
A GLIMPSE OF SINGING CITIES 347 
 
 find at least a handful of good citizens pointing the way toward 
 enlightened civic progress. The turn in the long and at times 
 disheartening road has been reached. Notwithstanding all 
 that remains to be done the cities of America are awakening. 
 Even though the final victory is not yet in sight we begin to 
 hear the steady tramp of the cooperating and coordinated 
 civic hosts pressing the forces of civic misrule from one position 
 after another. 
 
 What measure of benefit, it may weU be asked, can this 
 country derive through making the world safe for democracy 
 if our cities, wherein are to be found upward of half of the 
 population, continue in the control of a small minority fattening 
 on the spoils of office, the ill-gotten gains of dishonest business, 
 and the vice of the underworld? Surely our dead on the fields of 
 France will have died in vain unless our cities can be made 
 places where the weak and oppressed are protected and where 
 industry and science and art are held in esteem and developed 
 to the utmost. Only through the most careful safeguarding 
 of its urban population can America continue to be the field 
 of worth-while Adventure, in human life and thought. 
 
 In absolutely the same spirit in which America ca s her 
 sons and daughters by the milKons for military duty overseas 
 so she calls them by the tens of millions for civic duty here at 
 home. The two services require much the same type of de- 
 votion and sacrifice. The goal is absolutely the same — the 
 enfranchisement of the hiunan spirit. To this end this nation 
 has been dedicated through the countless heroisms of the past 
 and through a present-day ideahsm — both passionate and 
 vibrant — of which our part in the Great War is but one 
 evidence. 
 
 Where the wind is without fear and the head is held high; 
 Where knowledge is free; 
 
 Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow 
 domestic walls; 
 
348 OUR CITIES AWAKE 
 
 Where work comes out from the depth of truth, 
 
 Where tireless striving stretches the arms toward perfection; 
 
 Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary 
 
 desert of dead habit; 
 Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought 
 
 and action 
 Into that heaven of freedom, My Father, let thy country awake. 
 
 Tagore. 
 
 " Friends, that sweet town, that wonder-town, shall rise. 
 Naught can delay it. Though it may not be 
 Just as I dream, it comes at last I know 
 With streets like channels of an incense-sea." 
 
 Vachel Lindsay. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Because the movement for the introduction of city- 
 managers into the administrative leadership of American 
 municipalities is by all odds the most important present day 
 tendency in this field the last oflicial list of dty-manager 
 municipalities corrected to May 15, 1918, as furnished by 
 the City Managers' Association is given herewith: 
 
 CITY-MANAGER MUNICIPALITIES 
 
 Note: Bj^ "Manager" is meant: "Any person who is the administrative head 
 of a municipality, appointed by its legislative body." (By-laws, City Man- 
 agers' Association, Art. i). A^^e endorsing the model commission-manager 
 charter, the Association invites all bona fide managers to become members. 
 Names of members of the Association are indicated by bold-face type. The 
 letter "C" indicates that the position of manager was created by charter; "o," 
 that the position was created by virtue of ordinance; " S," that it was created by 
 ordinance specifically authorized by statute. Population figures are estimates 
 submitted by the managers or obtained from census computations. 
 
 xgi3 
 
 •MOlJICIPAITrY POPUIATIOM 
 
 Auburn, Me 17,000 
 
 Norwood, Mass 13.000 
 
 Waltham, Mass 53,000 
 
 Newbuigh, N. Y. 30.000 
 
 Niagara Falls, N. Y. SS.ooo 
 
 SherriU, N. Y i,Soo 
 
 Watertown, N. Y 30,000 
 
 Altoona, Pa 60,000 
 
 Bethlehem, Pa iS,ooo 
 
 Edgeworth, Pa i,Soo 
 
 Grove City, Pa 4,a40 
 
 Towanda, Pa S,6to 
 
 Chartottesville, Va 12,000 
 
 Faimville, Va S.ooo 
 
 Fredericksburg, Va 7>ooo 
 
 Norfolk, Va 90,000 
 
 Petersburg, Va aS,6oo 
 
 Portsmouth, Va 40,000 
 
 Roanoke.Va 4S,ooo 
 
 Staunton, Va 13,000 
 
 Winchester, Va 7.000 
 
 Charleston, W. Va 30,000 
 
 PLAN EFFECT 
 
 C Jan., '18 
 Jan., 'is 
 Jan., 18 
 Jan., '16 
 Jan., '16 
 May, '16 
 Jan., '30 
 Jan., 'iS 
 May, '18 
 Jan., '14 
 Apr., '16 
 Feb., '18 
 Aug., '13 
 Sept., 'is 
 Sept., 'la 
 Sept., '18 
 Sept., '20 
 Jan., '17 
 Sept., '18 
 
 Jan., 'oS 
 lay, '16 
 May, 'IS 
 
 349 
 
 IfANAGEK 
 
 H. G. Otis 
 Wm. F. HammerBley 
 C. A. Bineham 
 Henry Wilson 
 O. E. Carr 
 C. A. Brown 
 
 H. G. Hinkle 
 
 W. M. Cotton 
 Edward Thomas 
 Wm. T. Howie 
 H. A. Stecker 
 Leslie Fogus 
 R: Stuart Royer 
 
 W. B. Bates 
 
 S. D. Holsinger 
 
 A. M. Field 
 
 M. J. McChesney 
 
 APPOniTED SALASY 
 
 Feb. '18 $ 3,600 
 
 Mar., '18 3,000 
 
 Mar., '18 5,000 
 
 June, '16 5,000 
 
 Jan., '16 S,ooo 
 
 May, '16 
 
 Jan., 'iS 
 
 Oct., '17 
 
 Jan., '18 
 
 Feb., '18 
 
 Jan., '17 
 
 Sept., 'is 
 
 Sept, 'la 
 
 S,ooo 
 2,40a 
 
 I,020 
 
 2,000 
 1,200 
 4,000 
 
 Ang., '17 4,000 
 
 July, '11 i,8oa 
 
 May, 'ifi a,ooo 
 
 Sept., '17 3,300 
 
35° 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 igiS IN 
 
 umnciFALm ^ofitlatioh flan effect manages 
 
 Wheeling, W. Va 44,000 C July, '17 G. O. Nagle 
 
 Elizabeth Cy., N. C 10,000 C Apr., '15 J. C. Commander 
 
 Durham, N. C 25,000 o May, '17 W. M. Wilkes 
 
 Goldsboro, N. C 11,000 C July, '17 E. A. Beck 
 
 Hickory, N. C 5,200 C May, '13 J. W. Ballew 
 
 High Point, N. C 14,000 C May, '15 T. J. Murphy 
 
 Morehead Cy^ N. C 2,650 o June, '17 W. B, AUred 
 
 Morganton, N. C 4,240 C May, '13 W. R. Patton 
 
 Tarboro, N. C S,ioo o Apr., *i5 J. H Jacocks 
 
 Thomasville, N. C S,ooo C May, '15 N. S. Mullican* 
 
 Beaufort, S. C ^,700 C May, '15 J. R. Kneebone* 
 
 Rock Hill, S. C 10,000 C Jan., 'is J. G. Barnwell 
 
 Sumter, gf C 10,000 C Jan., '13 £. S. Shuler 
 
 Griffin, Ga 10,300 C Dec, '18 
 
 Largo, Fla 500 o June, '13 G. J. Perkins 
 
 Ocala, Fla S,6io C Feb., '18 J. N. Johnston! 
 
 St. Augustine, Fla 7,960 C July, *is Eugene Masters 
 
 Ashtabula, Ohio 21,500 C Jan., '16 M. H. Turner 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 150,000 C Jan., '14 J. E. Barlow 
 
 East Cleveland, Ohio 23,000 C Jan., '18 CM. Osbom 
 
 Gallipolis, Ohio 6,490 C Jan., '18 Edw. E.Myers 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 21,000 C Jan., '16 Geo, M. Zimmerman 
 
 So. Charleston, Ohio 1,400 C Jan., '18 P. H. Cheney 
 
 Springlield, Omo 60,000 C Jan., '14 C. E. Ashfaumer 
 
 Westerville, Ohio 3,000 C Jan., '16 R. W. Orebaugh 
 
 Xenia, Ohio 9,000 C Jan., 'iS Kenyon Riddle 
 
 Cyntmana, Ky 4,000 C Dec, '13 Daniel Durbin 
 
 Johnson City, Tenn. ...... 10,925 o July, '09 W. O. Dyer 
 
 Kingsport, Tenn 8,500 C Mar., '17 W. R. Pouder 
 
 Albion, Mich 10,000 C Jan., '16 A. L. Sloman 
 
 Alpena, Mich 13,300 C Apr., 'iS Chas. T. Park 
 
 Big Rapids, Mich S,ioo C Apr., '14 Walter Willlts 
 
 Birmingham, Mich 1,500 C Apr., '18 G. A. Abbott 
 
 Cadillac, Mich 10,000 C Mar., '14 Geo. Johnston 
 
 Crystal Falls, Mich 4>340 C May, '18 J.H. Sanders 
 
 Eaton Rapids, Mich a,40o o Apr., '13 O. S. Yager 
 
 Grand Haven, Mich 7,280 C Apr., '15 I. R. Ellison 
 
 Grand Rapids, Mich 150,006 C Mar., '17 F.T.Locke 
 
 Grosse Pte. Sh. Mich.. .... 1,200 o June, '16 H> N. Kennedy 
 
 Jackson, Mich 45,000 C Jan., 'is A. W. D. Hall 
 
 Kalamazoo, Mich 50,000 C June, 'iS 
 
 Manistee, Mich 13,000 C May, '14 P. H: Beauvais 
 
 Otsego, Mich 3,180 C May, 'i8 H. A. McKee 
 
 Petoskey, Mich 6,000 C Apr., '16 R. D. Tripp 
 
 RoyalOak,Mich 1,200 C May, '18 T.F.Older 
 
 Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. . . . 14,000 C Dec, '17 J. H. Moore 
 
 Three Rivers, Mich S,6io C Apr., '18 O. O. Johnson 
 
 Glencoe, HI >. . 3,soo o Jan., '14 H. H. Sherer 
 
 Wihnetka,IIl 3,6100 Jan., 'is H. L. Woolhiser 
 
 Anoka, Minn;^ 4,300 C Apr., '14 Henry Lee 
 
 Morris, Minn. ; 3,300 C Jan., '14 S A. Siverts, Jr. 
 
 Pipestone, Minn 3,000 o May, '17 F. E. Cogswell 
 
 Clarinda, la 4,S7o o Apr., '13 R. A. Wilson 
 
 Iowa Falls, la 4,000 o Apr., '14 J. 0. Gregg 
 
 Manchester, la 3,160 o May, '16 Thos. Wilson 
 
 Mt. Pleasant, la 4,170 o Apr., '16 T. W. McMillan 
 
 Webster City, la 6,000 C Oct., 'is J- G. Long 
 
 Bentonville, Ark 2,650 o Sept., 'is Edgar Masoner 
 
 Hot Springs, Ark 17,240 C Apr., '17 C. H. Weaver 
 
 Carrington, N. D 1,87s o May, '17 F. J. Beier 
 
 Clark, S. D i,33S o May '12 Ji E. Smith 
 
 Sioux Falls, S. D 16,500 C June, '18 
 
 El Dorado, Eans 15,000 C Jidy, '17 B. C.Wells 
 
 Wichita, Eans. 70,750 C June, '17 L. R. Ash 
 
 TJ. B. Resigned, successor not reported. 
 §Plus commission on taxes collected. 
 
 APPOINTED 
 
 SALAEY 
 
 Tulv. 
 
 '17 
 
 $8,000 
 
 Apr., 
 May, 
 
 'is 
 
 1,800 
 
 '17 
 
 3,600 
 
 July, 
 
 17 
 
 3,300 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '16 
 
 1,500 
 
 May, 
 
 '17 
 
 2,70a 
 
 .Tune, 
 
 '17 
 
 1,500 
 
 . an., 
 
 '18 
 
 1,50a 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '17 
 
 1,50a 
 
 Feb., 
 
 '18 
 
 i.Soo 
 
 .Ian, 
 
 'IS 
 
 2,800 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '17 
 
 i.Soo 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '16 
 
 900 
 
 Feb., 
 
 't8 
 
 
 Apr., 
 
 'i8 
 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '18 
 
 2,S0O 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '18 
 
 7.SOO 
 
 Ian., 
 
 '18 
 
 3,600 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '18 
 
 1,500 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '18 
 
 3,6oQ 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '18 
 
 1,400 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '14 
 
 6,000 
 
 Sept. 
 
 17 
 
 1,800 
 
 Jan., 
 Dec, 
 
 '18 
 
 3,000 
 
 'is 
 
 900 
 
 July, 
 
 17 
 
 1,500 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '17 
 
 3,000 
 
 Sept., 
 
 *i6 
 
 2,000 
 
 May, 
 
 '18 
 
 
 May, 
 
 'lb 
 
 1,400 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '18 
 
 2,000 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '18 
 
 2,000 
 
 May, 
 
 '18 
 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '18 
 
 1,500 
 
 Apr., 
 May, 
 
 'lb 
 
 2,500 
 
 '18 
 
 4,000 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '18 
 
 |i,Soo 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '17 
 
 4,000 
 
 May, 
 
 '18 
 
 a,5oo 
 
 May, 
 
 '18 
 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '17 
 
 a,ooo 
 
 May, 
 
 'iS 
 
 
 Dec 
 
 '17 
 
 3,60a 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '18 
 
 1,800 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '14 
 
 a.soo 
 
 Oct., 
 
 17 
 
 3,000 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '14 
 
 1,200 
 
 Jan., 
 May, 
 
 14 
 
 1,800 
 
 " 
 
 1.700 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '13 
 
 3,000 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '17 
 
 1,500 
 
 May, 
 
 ;" 
 
 1,440 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '16 
 
 I,S30 
 
 Apr., 
 
 'l7 
 
 1,800 
 
 Sept., 
 
 'is 
 
 1,500 
 
 ifav. 
 
 '17 
 
 2,S0O 
 
 17 
 
 1,200 
 
 June, 
 
 '12 
 
 960 
 
 lily. 
 
 June, 
 
 I'^ 
 
 3,660 
 
 '17 
 
 10,000 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 351 
 
 igiS IN 
 
 UOHICIPALITy rOtVLAUOS PLAN EfPECI IIAHAGEE 
 
 CoUinsville, Okla a.Soo C Feb., '14 F. A. Wright 
 
 Madill, Okla 1,760 C '17 A. P. Marsh 
 
 Mangmn, Okla 4,770 C Nov., '14 W. F. Hearne 
 
 Weatheisford, Okla 3,400 o '17 J. C. Resler 
 
 Amaiillo, Tex 19,125 C Dec, '13 A. D. Armstrong 
 
 Brownsville, Tex 13,180 C Jan., '16 W. E. Anderson 
 
 Brownwood, Tex 10 soo o '17 E. P. Low 
 
 Bryan, Tex 5,530 C Aug., 'r? J.W.Greer, 
 
 Denton, Tex 6,830 C Apr., '14 P. J. Beyette 
 
 Lubbock, Tex a,i8o C 'id 
 
 San Angelo, Tex 16,500 C Apr., '16 E. L. Wells 
 
 Sherman, Tex 13,670 C Apr., 'is O. J. S. EUingson 
 
 Taylor, Tex 8,200 C Apr., '14 W. E. Dozier* 
 
 Teague, Tex 3,760 o Jan., 'is E. B. St. Clair 
 
 Tyler, Tex 12,000 C Apr., '15 Clay Hight 
 
 Yoakiun, Tex 7,Soo C Apr., '15 Walter Lander 
 
 Glasgow, Mont. S,ooo o July, * 6 C. H. Blitman 
 
 Boulder, Colo 11,670 C Jan. , '18 E . O. Heinrich 
 
 Durango, Colo 5,300 C Mar., 'is A. F. Hood 
 
 Montrose, Colo 4,000 C Feb., '14 C. C. Smith 
 
 Albuquerque, N. M 14,02s C Jan., '18 P. G. Redington 
 
 Roswell, N. M 7,070 o May, '14 A^ G. Jaffa 
 
 Brigham City, Utah 4,240 o Jan., '18 C. O. Roskelley 
 
 Phoenix, Ariz 30,000 C Apr., '14' V. A. Thompson 
 
 LaGrande, Ore 6,120 C Oct., '13 Fred Currey 
 
 Alameda, Calif 27,750 C May, '17 C. E. Hewes 
 
 Alhambra, Calif 9,000 C July, '15 F. L. Hilton 
 
 Bakersfield, Calif 16,875 C Apr., '15 F. S. Benson 
 
 Glendale, Calif ii,Soo o May, '14 T. W. Watson 
 
 Huntington Beach, Calif. . . 1,460 o July, '16 G. W. Spencer 
 
 San Diego, Calif go,ooo C May, "15 F. M. Lockwood 
 
 San Jose. Calif 40,000 C July, '16 T. H. Reed 
 
 San Rafael, Calif 7,650 o Aug., '15 F. J. Boland* 
 
 Santa Barbara, Calif 10.500 C Jan., '18 R. A. Craig 
 
 Hanford, Calif 6,430 o Oct., '17 Jay Hinman* 
 
 APPOINTED 
 
 SAUUY 
 
 May, 
 
 'i6 
 
 $1,800 
 
 May, 
 
 '18 
 
 
 Feb., 
 
 '17 
 '18 
 
 i,3oo 
 
 Feb., 
 
 3,600 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '18 
 
 2,400 
 
 Aug., 
 
 !'' 
 
 3,400 
 
 Jan., 
 
 'l8 
 
 2,000 
 
 May, 
 
 '16 
 
 2,SOO 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '16 
 
 3,400 
 
 May, 
 
 '16 
 
 2,600 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '16 
 
 1,700 
 
 Apr., 
 
 '16 
 
 3,000 
 
 Apr., 
 
 'i5 
 
 2,100 
 
 Sept., 
 
 '16 
 
 2,100 
 
 Ian., 
 
 '18 
 
 4,000 
 
 May, 
 
 '15 
 
 1,80a 
 
 Mar., 
 
 '18 
 
 i,Soo 
 
 Ian., 
 
 '18 
 
 4,500 
 
 May, 
 
 '16 
 
 2,000 
 
 Jan., 
 Jan., 
 
 'iX 
 
 2,100 
 
 '18 
 
 5,000 
 
 Jan., 
 
 '17 
 
 2,400 
 
 May, 
 
 '17 
 
 4,000 
 
 May, 
 
 17 
 
 2,000 
 
 May, 
 
 •14 
 
 2,400 
 
 lulv, 
 
 'l5 
 
 2.400 
 
 Mav, 
 
 'is 
 
 6,000 
 
 lulv. 
 
 '16 
 
 6,000 
 
 Aug., 
 
 'is 
 
 2,400 
 
 [an., 
 
 '18 
 
 7,500 
 
 Oct., 
 
 '17 
 
 1,800 
 
 The following cities have been reported but the reports not confirmed as we go to press: 
 Spencer, Va., Fremont, O., Columbus, Mont. . . 
 
 Any corrections or additions to the above list will be appreciated by the Association.—' 
 SECRETARY. 
 
 *X. B. Resigned, successor not repoited. 
 
THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS 
 GARDEN CITY, N. Y. 
 
JS 323 C?"""' ""'"""'^ ^'"'"^ 
 
 Ouf cities awake; notes on municipal acti 
 
 3 1924 012 815 985