Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-19
Job HOLDERS
MAKE FARCE OF
MAYORS EDICT
shern Law Being Openly
Violated in Various Wards
Throughout City
READERS DODGE ISSUE

-atnahOlderS
anmittees or taking part in politics?
~ or Is not the Shern law-which theo-
.isaIlv eliminates a powerful means of
.n,roliing votes-being laughed at in spite
~ MAYOR Smiths warning" to his depart
s.ont heads TO see TO II that no employees OF
~ citv are members of political commit
~ or otherwise engaging in politics?
II Is common talk that II is being violated
a., scores Of city employees
The Republican City Committee head of
az organization" denies that II is The
ard committees, branches Of the organ
,,stor." deny that it is.
But they WIN not cohie acrosS anu pioNe
4 4hat II ~ not go
Tbe committee Of Seventy. which has
..asec,ted violators Of election laws in the
pas, is ready to take steps to have the law
paforced-if it Is backed by the citizens
~ philadelphia 1t is up to the people to
y, Nayor Smiths sincerity, II says.
Tho Repubcan city committee will not
.novg us ward committee lists to be scan
"a although complaints are numerous that
tbere are many city employes-ward COM
s,,,,eemen who are actors in the dual role
~ servants of the people and servants
ef political organization
tvnical case is that of the Forty-sixth
ward Here are the names of seven men
Who are alleged to be members or the
rorty-sixtb Ward Republican committee,
although they are municipal employees:
V,i,
n Robert A. Pitts, Chief of Bureau Of Elevator
Samuel n ". sbley. clerk in Department of
Charles semple, assistant inspector in Ru-
Richard W. Choate. clerk in Bureau Of
y, william Welsh, inspector in Bureau of High
/. Charles L. Boyle clerk in Bureau of Sur
!, Robert l. MacFarland. inspector in Bureau
~ Of Surveys.
Mayor Smiths warning to the directors
NJ the city departments was as follows:
Again | want to call your attention to
,be fact that employees under you must
not hold membership in city and ward
committees Under the law, oily en-
pioyes must not participate in politics.
il is your duty and mine to see that the
laws whether we like them or not, are
upheld. You will please notify every man
under you that he is not to interfere in
any way in political factional squabbles.
violation Of these instructions will result
IN separation from the service Of the city.
II was this warning that gave rise to the
Il complaint that the Forty-siXth Ward COM
-nlttee was packed" with officeholders. The
kompaint named Slbley, Semple, Choate,
Welsh Boyle. Macfarand and Pitts and. in
addition j. NJ. Ferguson, John Young and
william Smons-ten in all.
William L. Finley, executive director Of
the Republican City Committee, was visited
committee headquarters, at Eleventh and
r Chestnut Streets to verify the complaint. He
was told that the EVENING LEDGER would
like to see a complete list of ward COM
mltteemen.
y mo" he shook his head. "why do you
want it,
IA There is complaint that the Shern act
is being violated by ward committeeman
holding city positions" he was told.
eYes we can't let you have the lists that
took us months to make up replied Mr..
Finley "They are private property"
"But the charge is made that the law is
being violated. If it isn't true, why not
4 prove it by showing the llsts?"
IA ann not saying whether it's true or not "
Mr. Finley rejoined. Il won't show you
The lists. Give me something definite"
'Will you show me the list for the Forty
sixth Ward?"
What are the names of the men? Give
me the names and I'll tell you whether they
are right or not"
Mr.. Finley was shown the list of ten
names. He read the names and then
thought a moment
Wait and I'll find out" he said He took
the list into an adjoining room and called
up some one on the telephone. In a few
minutes he called the reporter to his desk
These six" said Mr.. Finley. including
The names of Sibley. Srmple, Choate, Welsh
Boyle and MacFarla.d in a bracket thai
h. made with his pencil, "are not members
Of the ward committee They resigned
when they received their city positions.
pitts has not been a member of the
commttee for two years Ferguson and
Simon are i'm private work and, therefore
~ have right to be members of the com.
mlttee. Young is in the Recorder of Deeds
ohce under the county, and not the city
90 that he has a right to be a member
Of the committee"
The names. and the answers he CAV,
. We're repeated to Mr. Finley, who affirmed
them
inquiry then was made at the office Of
marry A, Mackey, chairman of the Work
mems Compensation Board. Mr.. Mackey
the ware leader of the Forty-sXth Ware
sno chairman of the executive committee
an EVENING LEDGER reporter, withou
EVihg that he was an EVENING LEDGE
The telephone
Bob Pitts still a member of tn,
ouy-slNth Ward committee?' was tn,
"ssuon he asked, giving fictitious name
ies' was the answer.
Wen then, this is the list, isn't it.?
~ the reporter read off the ten names
les' mats the list" came the reply.
Later another EVENING LEDGER reporte
su up Mr., Mackey's office and aske
~ lne list Of the Forty-sixth Wards com
fu%Senen ys He said he was a reporter
A Mhat do you want with it?" asked NJ
secretary.
= want the list of the committeeman,
'aiu the reporter
are you getting lists from other ward
or Just from the Forty-sxth?' aske
We secretary.
awered '
well said the secretary. 81 can't Civ
lhe ilst You might want to use it a
sin -.
ASl later the same reporter met Nj
aekey on the street He asked IL he coul
ssae ne ward committee membership lis
aiaa,o, you can't see the list" replied NJ
M, ne offered to clear up any troubl,
~ reporter showed him the list. Nj
Vg,1aay SAID that not one of the ten wa
,isns the Shern law, as all city employe
s," s,on On The list had resigned their pos
V' as ward committeeman.
,sSor mayor Smiths ringing warning brougf
Thlr,,, another complaint, involving tn
My-snth Ward. 1t went direct
1ssor smith. II was specific 1t CAV
NJ anes and addresses of men alleged I
the illegal dual service. II name
Wiisssehser Of Director of Public Safet
as a ward committeeman
N,li complaint sent also TO DirectC
cah,n. ana other members Of the Mayor
lI1,sd contains the names of ten me
ma as ward committeeman and give
iollOws 'O'S' iney are gwen
.N Name .ss y