The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-02-13
Ex-Congressman Asserts English
Systems Superior to Others.
A. M. Todd of Michigan Discusses
Public Services-Have Wonder
full Method of Bookkeeping
Co-Operation's Part.

London.-F'ormer Congressman A.
M. Todd of Michigan, who early last
spring came to Europe to make an
exhaustive study of the system in
vogue among the public services, with
special reference to municipal owner
ship, has come to the conclusion that
the best managed public service sys-
TENS in the world are those of Great
Britain.
I'm France and Germany" said Mr..
Todd, according to a London CORE
spondent, 81 found much TO admire,
and perhaps even more to condemn.
So far as mere mechanical methods
are concerned both countries show
many important and valuable i'm
provements, but in nearly every case
their organization and management
are loose and lacking in system,
which Of course means a certain in
crease in the cost of operation and
a corresponding decrease in profits.
Politics and the necessity for pro-
viding places for party supporters
may have something to do with this,
As III my own country.
ION the other hand, I have so far
been able to find only one point to
criticise in the equipment and oper-
alton of the various municipality
owned public services of Great Brit
ain, and that is the construction of
the double decked tramcars controlled
by the London county council. They
are not broad enough or heavy enough
at the base for their height, and the
| danger Of capsizing seems to me to
be too great. It seems surprising that
SO few accidents happen, considering
the tremendous congestion of traffic
in most of your streets. Perhaps this
danger is discounted by the superb
way in which the cars are handled"
Mr.. Todd was particularly struck
with the running of the various pub
lie departments in Glasgow. Politics
is eliminated there, and the sole aim
of the authorities seems to be to give
the public the best possible service
at the least possible cost Birming
ham and Manchester are much the
same In many respects, with only mi
nor differences due to changed en-
vironment.
Zone striking phase of these public
service systems of England and Scot
land, which l found we'll worth study
| ing in detail, is the wonderful system
of bookkeeping and auditing of &C
| counts. l don't think ] ever saw q
more perfect method Of classifying &C
| counts cno1n MI
| even the smallest item may be traced
at moments notice, while balance
sheet can be furnished practically on
| demand. In the published report of
my Investigations. which will be sub
mitted to the governing bodies of all
the principal cities in the United
States, shall recommend the adop
ton of this comprehensive system of
bookkeeping in every public depart
ment. This will not be for some
months yet, as the volume of informa-
ton have collected is very large,
and It will probably take me all win
ter to prepare my report.
| AT the same time I shall start an
effective campaign in my own state
for the municipalization of all public
services along the same lines that
have found in operation here, for
believe no better system Of really eff
Gent service could be devised In the
present stage of our civilization"
But Mr.. Todd's enthusiastic eulogy
does not stop here. He has been par
ticularly struck with another peculiar
ity Of English civil life, the big CO.
operative concerns which have begun
to play leading part in the British
world of business. He says:
zone institute whose plant / in
spected with the most absorbing in
terest not only manufactures an i'm
mense output of superior goods for
the markets of the world, but gives
profitable employment to thousands of
men, women and children under the
most wholesome conditions and sani-