Arizona republican., 1914-11-19
The European Conflagration
Having No Serious Effect
on Municipalities, Accord
ing to Survey Of Clinton
Rogers Woodruff
NO ABRIDGMENT
OF THEIR PLANS
Such Improvements as Have
Already Been Authorized
Will Continue Despite DIFF
ficllltv in Placing Loans
as Usual

tAoo'NlfA1 1b ih-'es bl1H aAthI
BALTIMORE, Nov. 1s-The Euro
pean war is having no serious effect on
municipal activities in the United
States according to survey made by
Clinton Rogers Woodruff, secretary of
the National Municipal League, who
delivered his annual address before
that organization here tonight.
With inquiry among many of the
representative cities of the country. Mr..
Woodruff learned that municipalities
We're going ahead without the slightest
abridgement in their plans for such i'm
provements as had already been au-
thorized, and although some cities were
experiencing difficulty in placing loans
through the usual channels municipal
credit did not seem to be jeopardized.
Indeed. he said, the opinion pre-
walls among financial authorities that
the European situation will in a short
time make municipal securities the
most desirable in America
He reported no recession of interest
in the commission or commission
manager forms of city government.
What is aptly called the vanishing
system'-the bicameral form of city
government"-he said, lis to be found
now in only nine of the largest fifty
cities s.-Philadelphia. Baltimore, Kans-
as city, Providence. Louisville, Atlanta.
Worcester Richmond Va, and Cam
! bridge, Mass.
In the light of the events of the past
five years. he continued, "it would not
be hazardous to predict that five years
hence not one of the larger cities will
be risking its business and its future
to the evils of a form which affords
such abundant opportunities for inef
ficiency, and waste and mismanage-
ment."
Hand in hand with this advance he
notes the progress of municipal home
rule which in the course of the com
ing generation is destined to become
the settled policy with regard to the
relations of the states to the cities"
Nine Iowa cities operating under the
commission form of government had,
he noted lived within their income for
the first time in 1913. A federal CEN
sus also showed that out of So COM
mission cities, G1Avere found to be run
ming at less per capita than the aver
age head expense of the 1875 metro
politan centers of all classes consid-
cred.
There was notable Improvement in
, municipal housekeeping accounts, he
found. The happy go lucky way was
being superseded generally by scien-
tific budgets which made both ends
meet. Both the demand for municipal
ownership and that for effective con-
troll of privately operated municipal
utilities continued unabated Wyom-
ing and Utah. he said, were the only
states in the union which had no form
! of control 10 regulate, in some way or
another, the public utilities. There
! was still much discussion throughout
/ the country as to whether such control
| should be by state or local commits
/ sions. with the developments of the
] past year seemingly more in favor of
! state action in these matters.
He concluded with a reference to So
cial problems. The fear that interest
in work along these lines would be
/ abated on account of the great war, he
! believed to be unwarranted. "The
( very greatness of the European cata-
clysm will emphasize the need for
| greater social and civic effort" he said
An increased emigration from Europe
to America was to be expected as a re-
suit of the war and this itself would
require no little attention.