The Detroit times., 1917-01-13
efficient
DEMOCRATS
KEEP JOBS
Merit System To BE
Adopted In Food
Department
RY ~. \. cALNON.

LANSING, Mich, Jan. IL ne 81
\ fort OF the administration OF Gov.
Albert r. Sleeper 20 get efficiency
frst In state affairs. Is 20 be given a
s real tryout In tho state dairy and
food department
Fred WOODWORK. OF Huron ooun-
~. former state senator from Gov.
Sleepers home district. has taken
over the food department as com.
z missioner. succeeding Jim" Helme.
Adrian Democrat. With Commits
sioner Woodwork there goes into
ofice new deputy COMMISSIONS.
But that Il all, for the present a.
least. Better than 80 employees OF
the food department scattered
\ about the state. will remain on the
Job. undisturbed al this time.
What we want Is efficiency IN
the food department said the com.
missioner, discussing HIS plans AT
this time. beyond my deputy. have
not single man in mind for any
certain place in the department.
ALSO. understand that there are
employed in the department IN Ger
tain places men who have made nDe
records and given the state most u
! ficient service want 10 retsin such
men and viii look them all up be
fore any employees are displaced any
where"
Commissioner Woodwork said he
had not paid any attention as get 70
the Detroit ONCE Of the commission.
but understood that some excellent
work had been done here Eugene
p. Berry. department attorney. and
three inspectors arc attached 10 the
Detroit once OF the commission To-
Gated In the Majestic building.
"heIIc" Troubles
Something like 400 complaints are
On 6le with the state railroad com.
mission, charging that physical con
neetion has not been made between
telephone companies, so that calls
starting on lines OF one company
can be connected ur on the lines OF
another.
There is a Law demanding such
connection for long distance service
and most Of the small mutual com
pauies thru the state. many operated
on . cooperative basis by farmers
organisations and not for proft. are
anxious 10 get their lines connected
With the big companies lines, 50
hey can get IN touch with the out.
side world.
The law was dragged into the
courts TO have its constitutionzliiy
S tested and complaints made under II
had 70 wait until decision vas rem
dered. The state supreme court said
the law was all right and In line
with real public service. More com
plants piled up quickly. unfit the
present 400 mark was reached.
The commission was waiting un-
I'll NEXT week, when Addison A. Kei-
ger. OF Ludington. the new member
Of the commission appointed by GOV
Sleeper, would be able 10 60 over
the complaints with his fellow mem
bers and the intention was 20 issue
cali for sort OF mass hearing Of
the petitioners some time early next
month.
But now another delay presents H.
self The telephone companies have
decided TO appeal the constitutional
ny OF the law TO the United States
supreme court Pending this appeal
4 positive action by the commission
will have 20 be- withheld but the
commission says that il will take up
some OF the complaining petitions
and look into them 80 that s. win BE-
prepared when the highest curt
gives It's decision.
Supervise Private Banks
What may prove 10 be an import
ant and much-debsted measure IN
the house has been introduced By
Rep. Wells OF Cassopolis. n aims
TO place all private banks under the
direct supervision fihe state bank
Inc department Win bonds -Itpd I'd
insure the depositors and regular
reports submitted While Michigan
has had no private bank troubles IN
recent years. a series OF sensational
failures OF private banks In Chicago.
mainly conducted by foreigners and
handling deposits OF foreign.speak-
IND people. caused much talk last
fall In western Michigan. where Chi.
cago news circulates freely.
Oxford Man Warned"
Rep. A. n. Glaspie. OF oxford. Oak
land county. has filed one OF the odd.
est petitions" ever seen in the
house of representatives
The mails brought him a letter
from hts home town that was type
written on a sheet Of paper headed
~Sportsmen's club and very evi.
IDENTIFY was inspired by reading In
the newspapers oy The amounts OF
wet goods that the Anti-Saioon
league has suggested as It's idea OF
dryness.
we. the undersigned" the letter
read, will stand for nothing less
than four cases and two quarts a
month.
Remember the recall"
Nine Scrswly signatures. done In
lead pencil. were appended. out
skulls and cross bones that FORMED
the principal signatures. were done
neatly IN ink.
Haviug read II. Rep. Glaspie for