The Detroit times., 1910-04-20
SOCIALIST TAKES
OATH As MAYOR
Emil Seidel Outlines Plan To I'M
prove Conditions of Laboring
Glasses and City Affairs.

MILWAUKEE. Wis, April ls.-kmil
Seidel the new Socialist mayor OF MI
waukee. made the following statement
TO the United Press today Just before
he took the oath OF office.
I'VE wont run away with ourselves
In the natural order OF things we WIZ
move quietly until we get our hand IN.
Then we shall SEQ that the people get
some conveniences they need.
sYou VIII see IN the Socialist admin
istration of Milwaukee a curiosity IN
American poIitIos-un Ut1rru'ffoftttf-
bis shirtsleeves working as nara loF
the city as an cmFloye OF private
busir ess does for his employer
The Socialist-Democratic municlpal
ship was launched this afternoon whel
the Democratic administration NJ
Mayor David S. Rose stepped out ana
the cohorts of Socialism, led by Emil
Seidel. took charge.
Al 3 o'clock the new aldermen, Win
five followers, took their seats In the
council chamber Twenty-one seats
were occupied by Socialists, and the
- others were divided between the
Republicans and Democrats.
Amid the cheers OF hundreds of So
cial,sts, Mayor Seidel then assembled
the platform and began his inaugural
message.
Conservation to a task Of making
Milwaukee a safe place for It's men,
women and children was the keynote
Of the address.
Care for the iaboring classes. re-
organization OF municipal finances, a
municipal survey TO make possible the
establishment OF a sound economic
system, placing OF ar expert in charge
o. public works, cleaner street cars.
and shorter hours for its employees,
regulation of saloons. an Adjustment
OF slnecures, establishment of new
Isolation hospital. and a municipal
electric light plant are the special
phases of the message.
Mayor Seidel said in part:
"The workers OF our city are us
most valuable asset. Your attention
should be directed TO the passage or
such measures as will promote the
well-being OF this class OF citizens.
safeguard health. check any tendency
to encroach upon such few rights as
the workers still enjoy and, Wherever
possible. extend tor them the oppor-
tunities OF life.
THE administration should con-
stantly watch over the conditions pre-
yailing i'm factories. workshops and
ylaces of employment, with regard 70
sanitation. There should at all times
be a full and hearty cooperation with
state factory inspectors in the enforce
meut OF measures providing for indus
trial hygiene.
70 1Nn 1nt nv
TO be awarded 70 the lowest bidder.
This does not preclude the right OF
the city, IN contracts with corpora
ton. to demand compliance with specl-
fcations. In contracts TO be let by the
city the specifications should provide
for hours OF labor that are not eX-
kausting, and time for rest and de-
yelopmen. Such specifications should
also provide for sufficiency OF light
and ventilation; they should prohibit
child labor and properly protect wo
men labor and prevent the imposition
Of degrading conditions on workers.
Proper action looking to the estab'
l:shment OF a bureau OF municipal re-
search should Immediately be taken.
The first object OF this bureau should
be to make municipal survey and
&c furnish accurate and adequate
knowledge of social, industrial and
economic conditions looking TO spe-
cifc and practicable plans for city
betterment.
Reliable information is also at
hand indicating ;hat many street car
accidents are caused, not only by in
competen, men because, through lacl;
OF proper pay. the best men cannot
be retained, but also because street
car men are overworked, exhausted
and not in condition to give the best
effort asked of them"