The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-03-17
THE MODERN CITY
BY Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crane)

IL newspapers writer's, magazine con-
tributors, reformers. and agitators gen.
orally would get Frederic c. Howe's re-
cent book ON "The Modern City and
It's Problems" and read. mark. learn and
inwardly digest" the same, we should be
spared a lot of half-baked theories.
Howe may do other things well--they
say he does-but he ought TO devote
himself to writing books. He knows how.
His mind is clear; he knows what he
knows and owns up that he does not
know what he does not know.
His thought is orderly. His style is
lucid. His sentences are short.
His mind is judicial He has no pet
ism. He states fairly both sides Of a
question. You are convinced that the
only thing he wants to get At is the
truth.
Every city official ought to sleep with
this book under his pillow. There are
thousands of new men in city politics
all over the United States; they are
earnest, clean, and anxious really to
serve the public. In this book they get
the perspective they need, the informa-
ton essential and the ideals indispen-
sable.
hC ihOdCAh City 10 - ICW RIVbiCiu. ~
is wholly different from the ancient or
medieval city; and the American is also
radically different affair from the
European city.
The usual book on the city Is pessi-.
mistic. We are told over and over that
American city government Is the worst
in the world; further, that il always will
be, owing to the neglect Of the citizens.
Howe shows Us that the trouble is not
with the nature of the people, but with
the faultiness of our organization. This
organization is rapidly being amended.
Improvement is in the air. Therefore
there is hope.
In the heat Of the battle now going on
about municipal ownership you are In
great danger of getting partisan and
lop-sided notions. Here you find the sub
ject clarified, the principles underlying
the relation between the city and the
public service corporation are made
plain. municipal ownership in Germany
and England is examined, American ex-
periments are shown, and you are given
reliable material-not hearsay-upOn
which TO form just opinion.
The chapters devoted to city planning
are illuminative. 1t is TO be hoped that
impetus will be given TO the endeavors
to make beautiful home places out Of
cities that began in a wild scramble for
money making.
The problem Of the city is the prob
lem of civilization. The city is the adj
vance guard Of progress. in business, in
art, in education, in social life. Its i'm
mense significance ought TO draw to il
the best men, the most disinterested and
patriotic public service.
The American city, New York for ex-
ample, is leviathan the like. OF which
the world never saw. It's problems are
new. 1t is "a city with more Jews than
ever were in Palestine; more Germans
/ than in any city in. Germany except
Hamburg and Berlin; more Bohemians
than there are In Prague; and more
| Italians than there are in Rome. "A
birth every four minutes; death every
seven minutes; marriage every IL
minutes" (MacGregor in the National
Municipal Review
Verify a condition that calls for the
best thought and the highest devotion
and courage Of the American people.