Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-12
CITY BLOOD MONEY
MAY PAY WARE CLAIM
Politicians Ask if Purpose OF
Decapitation Is to Close
"Moral" Obligation
KEY TO SMITH ECONOMY
Knowing Ones Along Rialto Smile
Over Municipal Payroll
Cutting

Is senator Edwin II. Ware going to
have his S21O. 900 moral claim" against
the city paid out OF money that Mayor
Smith hopes to save by his economy
plan Of cutting off little fellows VINO
oppose the Wares or are not poiiticaiiy
valuable? This question, accompanied py
knowing smiles and nudges. was asked
about City Hall today. Time alone
Z was answered will give the true an
swer.
The facts leading up TO the question
are no simple as to form an A. u, {.
problem in jolitics and mathematics
Some years ago Senator Ware. in MS
capacity of municipal contractor diu
some work at League Island on n sup
Elemental contract. on this he claims
about 100000 from the city. The
claim has been characterized by former
Director Of Public Works. Morris L.
Cooke, as n "bareface steal ana tue
same official invited Senator ware to
sue the city IL he thought he had a
valid claim To this challenge Senator
Ware replied by going into Councils
Finance Committee and making claim
for the money.
This happened two years ago and met
with failure. Two months ago @the old
claim was again introduced In Common
Councils. but apparently the leaders
dared not force il through when the
money would have deprived the police
and firemen OF any possible chance they
may have for a living wage this year
II died with the old Council with the
expressed understanding that 1t would
be again introduced as moral obliga-
tion" early this year
The Surplus" that Controller Walton
will show when he opens his books
t.,~ n. L.. "a. al for ma
important purposes and upon 1t flremen
and policemen are b9sing their hopes OF
some small salary increase. With the
surplus from funds appropriated for
1918 and the surplus of the Controller
both needed. apparently the one CHARGE
left to get money FOR Senator Ware is
through making effective the Mayors
economy scheme, which he promises to
make very widespread among the less
important place holders
Political wiseacres and persons famil-
lar with municipal finance claim 10 see
not only political reprisals in the dis
missals already announced, but the one
method by which Senator Elre. can
collect his old-time moral obligation"
that several councilmsnic bodies have
already ignored. How the moral
claim will be put through Councils In
troll remains TO be seen, the first requi-
site being to have the money available
in the event of success.
BY failing TO carry out the two
platoon Inv for the Bureau of Fire. Di-
rector Wilson, Of the Department of
Public Safety, is saving in his salary
items the pay of at least 4I0 men for
one or two months. With this estimated
saving of from $4,000 to $4,000 as a
nestegg. the money saved from dismiss
sails announced this week that will total
approximately $4,000 each month, II the
places are left vacant. will help to build
up. Il tidy reserve.
II Mayor Smithtkeeps his promise and
dismisses more little fellows from other
departments the Savings" will. before
many months. mount to "a point a. far
removed from possible comp mise
figure that might be suggested for the
Ware claim.
The real reason that the political rank
and file refuse to take seriously Mayor
Smiths economy" talk is that nothing
was said about dismissals when Councils
made up all the annual salary bills and
that no action was taken until the
departments were sure Of all the salary
money that now can be transferred for
any purpose that Councils see fit. Had
the Administration seriously contem-
plated economy. they point out. the saw
ing would have been effected when other
Dig corporations were making war re-
trenchments and before II wis neces-
sary to Increase the tax rate to meet
payrolls which are now being reduced