Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-22
BAN ON DRINKING
FIXED FOR 10000
IN CITY'S EMPLOY
Bureau Chiefs Determ;rol
That Men Must Stay
Sober
LAPSE MEANS DISCHARnv
Rule Made in Behalf of Fa
cheney and to Protect
City

Ten thousand employees of the c,t,
learned either by direct orders or H.. "aw
nistakable verbal instructions fror, ue
chiefs that they cannot drink un,,n. uel
remain In the city's service. Moro a., anu
two thousand have been directly ins,r,,..la, wan
that the use OF intoXicants. i'm anv dea d,.'I'a
means suspension and repetition ~ ,s
otfense discharge. VI We
The stringent orders against drir,,..
among city employees is due TO s nn,"S.ss
of causes, chief of which is the ds.ir. !.
maintain the high standard set in sor.. ~
of the most important bureaus durIrs ,l'
administration of former Mayor pi,ss Wy
enburg. The last four years mar,as
notable change in the habits of msn =
the various payrolls of the city as den,,.
mental heads and bureau chiefs waeSS
quiet but efficient warfare against lion,s
UNDER FORMER REGIME
Many of the bureau chiefs who in,,.
urated the movement under former Mayo,
Blankenburg have been retained ors
have carried their custom with tho ,S Suu
approval of Mayor Smith and his CaM
net members into the present adminIstra.
tion.
Among the new directors are sevar,,
who are opposed to liquor in any form
Notable in this list are Director Wllso,
who, as head of Public Safety. is cbloi
of the police and fire forces and who bas
direct charge of the thousands of mi.
formed men. and Director Datesman. q,
the Department Of Public Works whoVs
department includes the activities Of m,
Bureau of Highways and others employ.
ing large bodies of working men, sub.
bosses and inspectors.
Director Wilson has so far issued ma
circular letter on liquor TO his bureau
chiefs but has given unmistakable evil
dence Of his opposition to the use of llouor
by men under him. So well known is nj,
opposition to drinking that the "tlp' has
been quietly passed down police and Rre
channels that the man unfortunate enough
to be lacked up for drinking may expect
no mercy If his case reaches trial
Officials of Director Wilson's office fam.
iliar with their heads wishes on the Iiquor
question have lost no time in making them
generally known, and one bureau chief
Mclaughlin. of the electrical forces has
compiled list of rules for certain classes
of men under him, making drinking a
fault that leads directly to suspension and
dismissal These rules have not yet been
published, but when complete will be given
TO each man on the payroll, with instruc.
tions to learn them by heart and to take
them to heart
Director Datesman by approving un.
qualifedly a set of rules prepared and put
into effect yesterday by Chief Carleton E.
Davis. of the Water Bureau, which pro-
vide for suspension and trial Of all men
caught drinking or under the Influence
of liquor, took the first step in his cam
paign to wipe out and keep out liquor as
a problem in the operation of his import.
ant department.
REASONS FOR RULE.
Drinking to excess or in such man
ner as to have it impair the efficiency Of
individuals is indulged in mostly among
outdoor workers, who are more or less
exposed to danger by reason Of their
condition. Naturally, the campaign
against liquor is being directed toward
these different classes of workers.
1t is not denied. however, that the rue
is likely to affect clerks and others In
more important positions in City Hall
and in the various branches Of the serY-
ice.
orders against drinking have been
quietly circulated, as it was feared BY
some of the municipal heads that giving
such action publicity might lead to the
unfounded belief that drinking is gen.
orally INDUCED in among men on the
citys payroll. Not only Is this far from
DelnB tne Case, nut Ille Hu'i'Vt Va ~"
tried for drinking in the last few years
has been unusually small.
All of Mayor Smiths department heads
are in favor of the prohibition or liquor
not only in behalf of efficiency, but De-
cause of the possible effects upon the
men.
Another reason for the battle against
lluuor arises from the fact that the cly
Ia now liable for accidents to employes
under the provisions of the compensation
Act. A drinking man, it is contendeo'
is less able to care for himmself than
sober man and for that reason becomes
greater risk to his employer, the city