Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-26

an American, which should have con
siderable interest in this community
on account of the unsatisfactory re-
suits of city and county government
here The article plainly shows the
modern trend of municipal develop
ment and the gradual socialiZing OF
municipal government in Europe.
The writer compares American condf
tons with German institutions pri-
marily, but this does not impair the
value of his work. The foundations
of efficiency in municipal government
everywhere, are based on the appli-
cation Of concentrated human expert
ence commonly callel science" and
experiences, tasks and problems have
been very much alike. in all civilized
countries.
A translation of parts Of the article
follows:
The modern city is result of the
mighty development of industry.
This is trne for all civilized countries.
The more noticeable the development
OF a country from an agricultural
state to an industrial one, the more
rapid has been the growth OF its
cities, the more difficult also is the
solution of the many problems which
the administration of the cities offers.
No other country in the world has
completed the change in as short a
time as Germany II is remarkable,
too, that no other country has ap-
preached the resulting problems VITA
greater sincerity OF purpose and bet.
ter practical results.
What is the reason?
DR.. Frederic C.. Howe's latest work
on municipal administration in Eu-
rope discusses this question in detail
and answers 1t by continued COM
parison with corresponding Ameri
can conditions. His work is prod
uct OF frequen. studies in Europe, ono
of his VOYAGES was made for the
as a member of the Boston Chamber
of Commerce; 1t is at the same time
written in defense and a continuation
of one of his former works entitled.
"The City: the Hope of Democracy.
In the closing chapter of the first
above mentioned book, giving a re-
capitulation of the comparison be-
tween the American and European
city, the writer says:
"The German city is an expert
mental station for all of us. 1t Is
free state" a small republic" with
powers 10 do almost everything for
the welfare of its people The city
is sovereign and uses its sovereignty
for its own upbuilding In purpose
full and intelligent manner. 1t can
control its own fate as much as the
cities OF ancient Greece once could.
It controls property as well as men,
Further on he relates parts of AN
address made by DR.. Sudskum, a MEM
Der of the German Reichstag.
Municipal administration in Ger
many has grown into the science OF
communal life We are not satisfied
with the idea of diligence and homes
ty in the administration of our cities,
we conduct it as business man would
his business. But we have already
outgrown that idea The city is much
more than a business venture. 1t Is
far more than a political agency 1t
has become an agency for social well
fare with unrestricted possibilities.
Our cities strive to place art and sci
ence, steam and electricity into the
peoples service We want to socialize
industry and knowledge for the COM
mon benefit. That is the new motive
of our municipal administration. We
have learned that this can only be &C
If the community owns
and controls property for the benefit
Of the people"
Another German, an official Of the
city of Berlin, addressed the same
American commission as follows:
II have often heard of American
men that they .~anted bus
mess administration like that in Ger
many Bnt strangely enough these
business men consent to giving away
through franchises all profitable en-
terpriees and retain only those which
are improbable. You retain your
sewers which cost money. but give
give away your street railroads. which
are profitable. You own your streets
and parks, which are Improbable, but
not your gas and electric works, which
bring in money. The city of New York
took over the ferries when the private
owners began to lose money but it
gave away its subways. which earned
fortunes. We Germans think that this
is poor business. We would say that
this is not business administration.
We retain the profitable with the
ventures. | believe that
your business men would go into
bankruptcy if they conducted their
own affairs in a similar manner. At
the same time, have never heard an
: -merican business man protest
against these "unbusinesslike poll.
lies"
The German town is governed by
business men, the common council or
he municipal assembly are in the
majority of business man and this
body elects the mayor and the magis.
trate or municipal council. The BUSH
ness men governing German cities
are not small tradesmen or shopkeep-
ers as in Great Britain, nor ward poll
ticians as in America They are men
of affairs, bankers, manufacturers,
large merchants, property owners.
H. = - ..