Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-30
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some very Pertinent auestiOns.
OMAHA. Dec. 2s.-To the Editor OF The
Bee: A couple Of advertisements which
I noticed In The Bee have aroused my
curiosity. One signed, Never Mind
Who" contains inslnuations concerning
a certain Elaine Dodge" and an open
threat against her father. The other.
signed Elaine Dodge" is an appeal to
society for protection against physical
violence and anonymous insinuations. An
examination OF the news items OF the
paper failed to disclose anything bearing
on this case. Now. II possible. L should
like 70 learn more about the case.
First of all. v you are at liberty to do
so, could you tell me who inserted each
Of these ads in your paper7
Second, what was the trouble of Mr.
Dodge's friends, Mr.. Fletcher, Mr.. Hax-
worth and Mr.. Sherburne. and in what
business. social or political enterprise
were they associated with him?
Was Mr.. Dodge ever concerned in a
labor dispute, a sharp commercial rivalry
or a large business failure? Was he
ever concerned i'm any affair by which
he was likely to have raised intense,
powerful antagonism?
or course, l realize that you may not
be able to answer all these questions. but
I should like to get all the details l can
about this case l would prefer that my
letter be not published. If you do pub
fish it, please sign It with my initials
only. J. d.
Note: The Bee hopes soon to be able
to answer some of these questions.
City Manager vs.. CommissIOn Plan.
OMAHA. Dec. 2e.-To the Editor of The
Bee recently read purported inter-
view with J. NJ. Guild. formerly com
missioner OF the Omaha Commercial
club, now executive secretary of the
Greater Dayton association of Dayton.
advocating the idea OF a city manager
for Omaha. because. as he says, his
present home is better governed than
Omaha. because II has the experimental
plan Of a city manager.
In my judgment this statement is not
justified and anyone familiar with COM
parative statistics must inevitably con-
clude that no city the size of Omaha and
so cosmopolitan in it's makeup is more
economically managed and more eff
GENTLY governed than it is under our
present commission form.
He says we elect men to fill certain
offices regardless of whether they are
fitted for the work. This is partly true,
but only in rare instances. 1t is true
relatively OF every human endeavor and
enterprise. Men engage in business and
fail, not because they are untitled, but
because they lack experience. I should like
to know IL Mr.. Guild would be willing to
confess how many times he has held
fall. not because they are untitled, but
he finally became an expert? I do not
think 1t will be urged by his most init
mate friend that he was born with a pc
culiar fitness for his work beyond that
of other men. What fitness he may have
now is acquired by experiences; so It is
with public officials under a commission
or any other form of government
Mr.. Guild intimates that city manager
is an expert in running the entire and
complex business of municipality.
Where can such be found, and where
could he have acquired his experiences,
not having had the necessary experience
Of running a whole city government and
it's various departments singlehanded? No
private business OF any magnitude Is de-
pendent on the 'one-man" efforts for sue
cess and what is true of private business
is also true Of public affairs. To me the
idea Of 'one-man" power is abhorrent. 1
can see nothing commendable in 1t for a
city like Omaha. II tends to remove gov
eminent farther from the people while
they have been fighting to bring it
nearer to themselves,
Under the Dayton plan u Is possible to
build up an unthinkable political machine
with a reprehensible boss to dictate terms
and say who shall be elected commission
ers to continue him in office. This is con-
ceivable when we know the frailties of
human nature and understand that the
city smanager has power 10 hire and dis
charge the thousands OF men needed TO
do the work Of city. This is something
1 do not believe the intelligent people of
Omaha will stand for or submit to-
l can see nothing In the Dayton plan
that compares favorably with our com
mission form or that appeals to intelli-
gent people wishing only for economical
and efficient government devoid of red
tape. c. z. WALSH.
1924 Park Avenue.