The Washington herald., 1913-03-26
CAPITAL CITY
AS CIVIC model
President Urged to Have Sur
vey Made to Make 1t
Standard for Others.
WILSON NONCOMMITTAL
Brief Filed Is Antagonis6c Injection
of Partisan Politics in
Government.

President Wilson yesterday listened to
comprehensive argument in emphasis
of the duty of the entire nation toward
its Capital
John Purroy Mitchell, president Of the
board of aldermen of New York: Henry
Bruere, chief of the New York bureau
of municipal research, and Lieut.. Gov
David l. Walsh, of Massachusetts, laid
before the President a prepared brie1
urging a searching survey of administra-
tive conditions here with a view to sc
improving matters as to give the other
cities what they long have needed-an
example of a model municipal govern
ment.
The arguments presented to the Presi.
dent were strongly antagonisttc to such
a change of government for the District
as is desired by certain influence in
Congress. As the principal indictment
found against municipal government In
the United States is that the best in
terests of the people are swept aside by
partisan politics, the brief hardly can
be construed as friendly to plan which
has for its purpose, under the misnomer
of return to popular government OF
the National Capital.
The arguments presented by the visi-
tors emphasized the responsibility which
the whole country must bear for the
cleanliness and well-being of its Capt.
tai 1t was vehemently denied that the
callers intended to lay unusual stress
upon the vice conditions here.
President Wilson displayed marked in
terest in the statements of the visitors
and the brief they filed. Following his
custom he did not commit himself one
way or another.
Cost Would He $4,000.
The general survey of conditions here
which the New York men asked for
would cost. they told the President, about
sl5.cOo The brief. in part. follows:
Government and public business in
America has heretofore been conducted
with complete disregard OF efficiency or
N accordance with improvised or tradi-
tional rules of thumb. One result of this
condition is that there is wasted in the
operation of American cities from Is 10
3 per cent of available funds. Another
result is that there is no special body
of technic developed for the performance
of municipal functions. Thus. in such
cities as New York and Philadelphia.
there is beginning experimentation by
efficiency engineers and others IN the
technic of public business. AS one in
dication of the spreading demand for in
formation of efficient methods and help
the New York bureau of municipal re-
search may be recited.
There is no city in the United States
whose organization programme and meth
DDS may be pointed 70 as a model OF ad-
ministration for others to copy. For
many of the activities of government no
model practices have anywhere been
worked out in the United States. There
is a demand for practical examples Of
method.
I'm view of the spreading demand for
efficient government, it Is proposed that
the President and Congress undertake to
make the government or Washington
serve as a model for every American city
in scope of activity, organization and
method of operation. II is as important
to the people of the United States that
the government help localities in work
ing out unsolved administrative problems
of public cooperation as it is that It aid
commerce or agriculture. The conspicu-
Gus position of Washington will make
practical demonstrations in that city or
especial value in influencing local gov
ernments throughout the country. The
vast technical resources of the Federal
government should provide for the de-
velcpment of administrative practice in
Washington expert service without the
reach of most American communities.
SugErstion. for Capital.
I'm particular it is proposed that in
the District of Columbia a plan of or
ganization and methods of operation sus-
ceptible of definite prescription and pro-
mitigation be formulated and installed In
respect of such activities as the follow
ng: City planning, public works. super
vision of housing and building. financial
methods, health activities, administra-
ton of public charities, systems of cor
rection, school administration. admins
tration OF police, Fire Department
administration. supervision Of weights
and measures, organization of food sup
ply. Including a market system, and civil
service
For each of these divisions it is sug-
gested that there be worked out through
experimentation best practices, and that
there be formulated a series af manuals
describing practices evolved.
Through continuous publicity. bulle-
tins, press stories. and occasional ex-
hibits, through the establishment of a
bureau of expert advice and through
conference with officials, this Federal