The Detroit times., 1913-06-18
CAR men OPPOSE
CIVIL SERVICE
UNDER N. O.PLAN
Charter Board Will Give Them
Hearing Before Deciding
on Section
VERDIER LAW MAKES
SYSTEM MANDATORY
Burton Again Voices His OPP
position to Whole Public
Ownership Program

The necessity of having "a civil ser
vice provision in the street railway
section OF the charter was debated
by the members OF the municipa. own
ership committee, tuesday morning
but the matter was finally lett open
Ii Is understood that some OF lne
representatives of the street car
mems union are opposed TO this pro-
vision, and they will be given hear.
ing
The Verdier law makes II manda.
tory that some sort OF system OF civil
service be instituted in connection
with the municipal operation Of street
railways. the language CT the bill be
ing as follows
The operation and management OF
all franchises and property acquired
by the street railway system shall be-
conducted under the system of civil
service adopted by the electors al the
time OF the acquisition OF the iran
chises and properties belonging 10 the
street railway system"
Attorney George William Moore
who appeared before the committee
on the invitation OF Commissioner In
gram. insisted that this language
must be closely followed in the char.
Ter provision. because II the city
should acquire the railway system by
condemnation proceedings. the people
would not have another chance 10 vote
on the proposition ana the whole sec
ton or the charter might be- invah-
dated
TO conform TO the rather cumber-
some language of the Nerdier act the
civil service provision has got 10 90
in with the vote authorizing the ac-
QUESTION OF the railway system said
Mr. Moore.
Mr. Burton suggested that the
municipal ownership commission
could adopt the civil service system
now in force In other city depart
ments. but Mr.. Moore insisted that
should be specific and in conformity
with the language in the bill
There are SO many loopholes in
this chapter that We want 10 stay
just as close TO the language OF the
act as We can. said Mr. Moore, ex-
planning that the Trainer of the act
probably contemplated that the peo-
pie would vote again at the time OF
acquisition OF street railway proper
ties.
You can do anything you care 70
with that provision, because | feel
very confident that the whole NUM-
cipal ownership chapter will never go
any farther than this ROOM" said
Commissioner Burton
This Is not matter OF levity, Com.
missioner Burton snapped Commits
sioner Ingram This is very seri.
Gus proposition and many people are
interested in IT,"
The representatives OF the street
car mems union were 10 have ap-
peared before the committee. but
none was present, and Mr. Moore
offered TO confer with the legal ad.
visers OF the union, and then report
to the commission. He intimated
that he could convince the union rep
resentatives that some sort OF system
of civil service must be included In
the municipal ownership provision to
insure it's legality.
Chairman Ahern, OF the public
lighting committee, has prepared his
proposed change In the charter pro-
viding for department OF public
safety. which shall have charge OF all
electrical work done In Detroit. The
commissioner OF public safety must
be a competent electrical engineer
and will draw a salary OF $4,000 a
year.
Commissioner Ingram would create
another new office. that OF city stat
istician, whose chief duty II would be
to act as information bureau to all
who want data on city AFFAIRS. The
city statistician. II Is proposed. shall
be an expert accountant. and be at
tached 10 the city clerks stan.