Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-12-11
HEALTH BOARD ON TRIAL

The resolution passed by the Board of Aldermen requesting the
Board of Health to remove the health officer on the ground Of incOm-
potency is practically another way for the aldermen to tell the mem
bers of the health board that they themselves are incompetent. In that
case, perhaps, the whole board had better be removed. 1t stands to
reason that if the men who make up the Board of Health are not able
to tell whether their health officer is competent or not, or if they
know that he is incompetent and still retain him in Office year after
year, then the board as a whole is incompetent. 1t would seem a II
an effort is being made to make Mr.. Wilsey the goat
1t is not to be denied, however, that a more capable man than
Mr.. Winsey can be secured for health officer Of this city provided the
Board of Health is willing to pay a salary that a really competent
man would demand. There is no doubt that the position of health
officer is one of the most important in a community and the very best
talent that can be secured is none too good for such work. Ii this Is
what the aldermen have in mind in passing their resolution it might
well be needed.
But the taxpayers must be shown that a man who is actually more
competent than the present health officer is to be secured to con-
vince them that the desire to GUST Mr.. Wilsey is nothing more Or less
than spite work on the part of one of the aldermen. The public can
not overlook the fact that Alderman Clark who introduced the reso-
luton calling for the dismissal of Mr.. Willsey was himself the victim
of the health officers effort to enforce the sanitary code, the alderman
having been arrested for maintaing a nuisance on his property about
which complaint had been made repeatedly.
But the EVENING NEWS holds no brief for Nh. Willsey. IL
realizes his shortcomings and it has no doubt that a man of greater
ability can be secured to direct health affairs here. But to GUST Mr.
Wilsey only to make a soft berth for some political favorite, a man
who knows no more and possibly knows less about public health ana
sanitation than the present health officer, would be a deliberate waste
of the peoples money. 1t would be using the matter of health Of the
city as a political football. 1t would be tri6ing with a very serious
matter that would undoubtedly be resented by the people. The chF
gems have urged an increase in the health appropriation to get 70
suits and improve the city, not merely to furnish a few more choice
plums to be handed out to politicians.
The EVENING NEWS has no personal favorites in this matter.
1t has no axe to grind; no party to serve. Its only interest is in the
growth and prosperity of Perth Amboy and an efficient management
of its health department. In the words of the spokesman for the
Western Improvement Association at the public meeting recently
when the health appropriation was considered, let the officials hew to
the line, the chips fall where they may. If by securing the reagna-
ton of Mr.. Wilsey as health officer a better and more competent man,
o man of broader experience and wider knowledge of health affairs
and municipal sanitation is to be secured for the position, the EVEN
ING NEWS heartily approves of the move.
The Board of Health is ON trial in more ways than one. The pub
lie will await the naming of a successor to Mr.. Wilsey, should the po-
sition Of health officer become vacant, with a great deal of interest.