The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-03-15

year. You may gather from e your
own deduction whether the preHont
mayor OF Seattle IL making good.
When GIN took office. in Marrh.
1914. the city was IN tho throcs OF
an industrial warfare between the
Transfers union and the Employ
ers' association. which was backing
the team owners
There had been number OF serl.
Gus clashes An addition of IS Pc.
licemen had been made to handle
the situation.
one OF the first things GIN ald
was to dismiss the extra police
\ few days later he appointed a
committee o. citizens men OF
the highest character. AGAINST whom
there could be no suspicion OF bias
OF prejudice. 10 study the strike. and
To make recommendation TO bring
about a settlement
The committee met, the recon.
mendations we're made. aud both
sides accepted the results. The
strike ended
Would you have acted IN tho
same manner during your first ad.
mlnistrations GIN was asked
No, don't think 80. said Gill.
frankly. The thought would not
have occurred TO me. probably.
There was strike OF machinists
when was mayor before, regard.
ed Il as police matter entirely. |
told the employers and the EN-.
ployes | would tolerate no violence.
and let Il 40 AZ that
~ HAVE a DIFFERENT VIEW or
SUCH MATTERS NOW. IT is
MORE THAN A POLICE CUES.
TON. IT SEEMS TO ME. WHAT
SHALL CALL IT. Let ME SAY
THAT THERE is THE HUMAN
ELEMENT THAT OUGHT TO BE
AS IMPORTANT TO THE MAYOR
AS The POLICE QUESTION IT.
SELF.
What | mean Is this--not only
should the mayor be Interested In
preventing violence and bloodshed.
but he should DO actively interested
In bringing about peace
In my former administration.
would not have thought Il any OF my
business TO bring about "a settle.
ment. II would probably have been
my idea that II they wanted TO
strike. II the employers didn't want
20 meet reasonable demands. that
was problem that was strictly
their own private business
There Is another striking differ.
ence 10 be noted In Gin OF today. rs
compared with the former GIL
There isn't an item OF expense.
however routine In character. which
does not receive the personal scrd.
tiny OF the mayor
Il didn't have time for such buai-
ness detail before says the mayor
today.
As result OF the mayors perussl
o, every bill. acquisitions for various
city departments have fallen off con
siderabiy.
Just an Illustration on this point:
For years Z, has been customary for
the city jail and soessde TO furnish
meals TO the police officers station
ed at headquarters.
The former Gill would have laugh
ed at the idea OF cutting out this
free feed. To issue such an order
In 1901 would have appealed TO
Mayor Gill as an "aet OF demasoay."
BUT IN fstAt5. IT MEANS
STRICT BUSINESS. ard the order
was Issued. There is no more free
lunch for the officers.
GIrs recall IN 1911 was largely
due to his police policies.
There is no tenderloin district In
Seattle now. except as II may exist
under cover. and again and again
tenderloin denizens have had TO an.
swer to the law
GIN vas fortunate In securing ns
chief OF police at the beginning oi
his administration Austin r. Grit.
flths
Louis NJ. Lang. former army Off
cial. who had never been mixed up
In politics, succeeded Griffiths. and.
with Lang's cooperation. Prescott
ing Attorney Lundln has succeeded
in convicting Felix Crane. negro 40.
loonkeeper and alleged boss OF a sub
rosa tenderloin. OF a felony for
which he has been sentenced to two
TO five years in the penltentiary.
Also. through the fundamentally
~ Lang two polfce officers are now
awaiting trial for graft.
In his first administration. Mayor
GIN vas generally ciassed as an op.
ponent OF municipal ownership.
His record In the past year. while
It has not been accepted by adyo-
Gates OF municipal ownership az
perfect, has. to put II mildly. not
been unfriendly.
WHEN OPPONENTS or THE
CITY LIGHT PLANT ATTEMPTED
TO DlSCREDlT 1T BY JUGGLING
OF FIGURES. MAYOR GILL IS
SUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT
BRANDING 1T AS A sPEcIAL-IN.
TEREsT CORPORATION PLOT.
On the other hand. when pronfi.
nent advocates OF municipal owner.
ship wanted the service OF the city
light plant extended 70 communities
outside the city limits. Gill emphat.
ically fought the plan, vetoed the
council bill. and announced he
would fire any one who attempted