The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-22
DAHM-PETERSEN IS
 OUT WITH REPLY
Rather Caustic in Reference To Commission Situati0,
 in Birmingham

Adolf Damn m-Petersen yesterday gave out copy of his reply to the recent let ter addressed to him by Commissioner Ward. MT. Damn Petersen favors the one commissioner plan and is rather caustic in some of his references to Birmingham s situation. He writes:
 MT. George B. Ward. President Citv
 Commission, Birmingham, Ala.
 Dear Sir: l have your answer to mine of last week and sincerely regret that you should have taken my note as suffi- cient cause for publishing an article, with put also giving the text of my letter, as fyour answer made me appear as a cham pion of five commissioners, which is far from being my idea, as my letter to you surely must have indicated to you
 T am in favor of the one commissioner plan and cannot understand why we are not to be given an opportunity to vote on that suggestion also.
 Even if a majority should favor three as against five commissioners, that would by no means be proof that a majority might not have favored the one comms- sioner plan, had an opportunity been given them to vote on same.
 It would seem to me that the business Of city requires in principle the same kind of management as every business concern in the whole world, large or small, and there never was a concern run which did not have single head to it.
 ''The experience in Birmingham since run by three commissioners seems to be that the citys income does not meet ex- penses, evidently because our commis- sion does not see a way to make both balance. In any other business enterprise .-xt-f under similar circumstances, and there seems no very good reason why this plan should not be followed in our city
 How many cities in the world are run ming 5000 in debt every day? I dare say not many, if any. And one year-after the other
 "A business concern under the same cir cumstances would be declared bankrupt and receiver appointed, and it seems to me about time to have a receiver ap- pointed for our city and let it be run without politics for awhile.
 The main trouble in Birmingham. how ever, I believe. is that the big landowners are dodging their taxes if everybody was made to pay taxes in the same proportion as We small landowners do, Birmingham would probably have plenty of money to pay running expenses
 'As to the board of education I wish to remind you that sometime ago 1 called your attention to the manner In which money Is being wasted Gin my opinion, and that of several other musicians) on the pretended instruction" in music. You referred me to the board of educa- tion, and I wrote to Mr Ben Jacobs ask ing him to present the matter to the board.
 ''My contention Is that there hardly is a teacher teaching music in our schools who can herself do that which she pre- tends to teach the children. from the su- pervisor down. Furthermore, that the children do not a a rule learn that which Is claimed to be taught: Singing from notes at sight. Voices are spoiled be- cause the majority of teachers know nothing about singing and the children do not learn to sing at sight, because the system is in principle wrong. If any pu- pil should want to continue his music studies after leaving school he would not only have to start all over again, but also have to discard false teachings gotten in the school. l am confident that a test of teachers and pupils would demonstrate that I am right
 Several months afterward MT. Jacobs on meeting me on the street gave me the only answer I ever received: Is it not better that they learn something than nothing? Yes, if it benefits a child to learn that three times three is ten. un- doubtedly. Very truly yours.
 ADOLF DAHM-PETERSEN."