The San Francisco call., 1910-04-09
THE BOY MAYOR TELLS OF NEEDED REFORMS in CITY

met or any one fortunate enough to
have come into direct contact with this
governing body during its brief but
important public life.
Most guardians OF the ctys welfare
have made their promises before elec-
tion and then we have waited and
waited The boy officers, however,
promised nothing, but after election
how they have worked. Each boy had
his plans ready, even before nominal
tion, in case he we're elected. once
in Office all his energies went to car
rying them out
AS every one of you knows, there
are dozens OF things that are all wrong.
The grownups at the head OF things
are dreadfully slow in understanding
exactly what is needed, and slower
still in getting things started. In
the old days, when children were chill
dren, it may have been all very well to
go to school and study, then home and
play Now children are only younger
grownups. with very fixed ideas on
what is coming to them and how it
ought to come
II 1 had any doubt on this subject,
it was taken away forever on the
morning Mayor Katz granted me an in
terview and stayed on afterward for
the cabinet meeting.
Although the meeting was not to
begin until % "a. m, a go the mayor
and a few of the commissioners were
already busy at work, seated at
very official table in the mayor's-the
real mayor s-oftice in the Crockcr
building. No shrking for the boy off,
GERS. Leaning back in his chair the
mayor Chatted pleasantly, not a bit
disturbed at being interviewed, nor a
bit conceted over his election, although
he would have had good ground to be,
for he represented the final choice
made by a committee of prominent men
unnterested in him personally, and not
to be directly affected by the reforms
that he intended making
When asked if he were not glad that
the strain Of election. was over and If
it had not made him rather nervous
Mayor Katz replied:
mo, / wasn't nervous. I had a good
chance, and that's all any OF the boys
had--a chance. OF course, I'm glad I
was elected. and 1 want to do every
thing in my power to make my term
success"
How's that for the proper spirit?
According to the mayor and his cabi-
net, boy world is in need of thorough
and speedy reform The great trouble
with the present state of affairs is the
lack of enthusiasm along some i'm
portant lines and the impossibility of
getting funds after the proper interest
has been worked UP.
The mayor talked quite freely OF
what should be done. but was very
careful not to criticise those now in
power or to give his personal ideas
on why these badly needed reforms
haven't been started before. From
time to time he referred to his COM
missioners asking their opinions in
their special fields. He evidently had
the full confidence of his cabinet, for,
although they answered with the re-
spect due his office, they weren't the
least bit afraid to differ with him.
The one great trouble with public
affairs now is the lack OF enthusiasm
among some of the boys and girls
themselves in regard to athletics and
organized play, the two great inter-
ests outside of actual school. In the
opinion of the commissioner this isn't
because the young people don't real
ize the Importance of these things, but
it's no good working up a great inter
est when there's no outlet for 1t.
What's the good of organizing teams
when there's no place to play? That's
the trouble. Big as our city is, the
boys and girls haven't enough room.
Tuesday the mayor and his officers
visited the public Fairgrounds and
came to the decision that the one at
North beach was just about right. If
the new administration can get a few
more like that their term will have
been q success. OF course, each COM
missioner puts in a strong plea for his
part OF town. The Mission commis-
sioner would like to persuade the city
to buy In Noe valley, while the COM
missioner from the Western addition
is more than eager to get a place so
that his neighbors won't have to go all
the way to the stadium and then
"freeze when they get there" Really,
a playground isn't of much use when
it takes an hour to reach 1t, another to
Il nd No n ha0in
fore D. IN. Any one can see that
The mayor, however, understands
perfectly that the matter can't be set
tied in a hurry because vacant blocks
aren't exactly waiting for some one to
come around and put them to some
- pha oitV &c unfortunataIV huflt