The Detroit times., 1911-03-02
|lD TO Probe
|BIJT OFFICES
IS PLANNED
~ Thompson WIN AK Councils
Anthority 10 Name Municipal
1sssareh' Commission" To In
vsstigats Various Departments.
yenld Be Expected To Make Recon-.
nsndations Looking To Greater
Efficiency in Service.

Detroit is TO have municipal re-
oearch commission. for the purpose OF
scrutinixing the various departments
& ~ the city government and making
, Recommendation as to methods OF i'm
psoving their efficiency. II Mayor
Thompson's present plans meet the
opproval OF the common council The
mayor has enlisted the support Of the
& Board OF Commerce to the extent that
ne board has agreed to provide the
funds for the experiment, which has
. been tried with success in other
>lt1es.
s In pursuance OF his plan. Mayor
0nyB, ask Corporation Counsel Hally
% draw up an ordinance, for submis-
MON TO the council, providing for an
honorary commission of eight men,
appointed by the mayor. to investi-
rate every city department.
They can start with the mayors
once" says his honor. ''If they find,
kor instance. that there are more en-
pIoXes here than are needed, I shall
10 glad TO get along with less num-
kor. Let them go through every
other department In the same way.
and wherever they find an opportun-
>Ity for retrenchment, let them make
their recommendations to the council.
\ an not saying that there Is any.
Thing wrong In any OF the depart.
ments, but an Investigation OF this
! Kind can do no harm and might re-
oult In much good. AS said In my
m6nsage 10 the council in January,
the taxpayers are entitled to dol
lnr's worth OF service for every dollar
they are getting It."
Mayor Thompson has been quietly
NJ work on this plan for some little
time. About a month ago, Secretary
YIlson, Of the Board OF Commerce.
6n1red him to name 10 things Detroit
needed most. The mayor did so. and
'1ho municipal research commission
|&ooded the list. The idea appealed
orcibly to the oficers of the board
Ind President Abner K. Larned has
|nst assured the mayor that the board
Will stand back of him in the under
1nking. He has already received a
number Of pointers on the subject
nom Aid. @. K. Merriam, OF Chicago,
|uho was nominated for mayor of Chi
nxo ON the Republican ticket, Tues
Nv. largely on the strength of his
1oDutation as the promulgator and a
11omber Of the Chicago commission Of
MY expenditures
+ Aid. Merriam has forwarded to
Mayor Thompson number Of reports
made BY the Chicago commission on
various city contracts and they con-
@nin some most enlightening informa-
HON. He also sent Detroit's executive
n latter, which follows in part:
have been actively engaged
Tor the past two years, while act
Ing as alderman, I'm investigating
the expenditures of the city Of
Chicago. On my motion. made in
the city council, the mayor. APP
pointed q commission, known as
the committee on city expend-
lures. to investigate the expend-
ifuree Of this city. At the time,
] was given $4,000 with which
y ~ proceed, and, later on. an addi-
tionai $4,000 was had. / hired
E the best experts in all lines OF
work from various parts OF the
country to assist me in this In
vootigation. We went into prac-
ideally every department and
bureau In the city government,
and made q detailed examination
of the methods used In those Of
ices IN the conducting Of their
business.
A to what the work has accom-
plished Is more or less OF con-
lecture. The recommendations, to
. certain extent, have been adopt
"a, and, 1 think, you will see for
yourself that II all the recommen-
Nations are adopted It would mean
= better systematizing OF the
n various departments and a saw
ING 70 the city.
It II Mayor Thompson's idea that
Detroit should proceed along substan-
|<lnlly the same lines as were pursued
- Chicago.