Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-21
Bitter Fight On .
for City Control

approval and at the same time make
Director Wilson harmless.
The Woodward charter bill. which in
its present shape puts teeth" in the
Shcrn law. will be amended to carry
the proposed police bill
The bill will provide for the appoint
ment of n police commissioner by the
Governor The commissioner will have
full control over the police in Philudel =
phia. but control of the firemen and
other duties incident to the conduct of
the Department OF Public Safety will be
left in the hands of Director Wilson.
Should the bill be enacted into law,
it will become effective July |. more
than two months prior to the Septem-
ber primary, at which mayor and the
members of the proposed council of
twenty one are to be nominated.
Senator Pcnrose said he did not care
to discuss the provisions of the pro
posed bill, as he had only glanced over
it hastily" He said that Mr.. Roth
and Mr., Coles knew more about the
measure than any one else.
The bill will make provision to take
in the counties adjacent to Philadel q.
phia under the jurisdiction of the city
police system. Their participation will
not be compulsory, but voluntary. 1t
is understood that the authorities in
all of the counties adjacent to the city
have signified their intention of apply
ing for the proposed police protection.
Senator Penrose spent a busy day
in Harrisburg. He arose carly and left
his headquarters in the Penn Harris
Hotel Immediately after breakfast for
an inspection tour of the various de-
partments in the Capitol Max Les
lie. leader of the Pittsburgh dclega
tion. accompanied him.
Politicians are now awaiting with in
tcrest the arrival of Senator Ware from
Philadelphia. His arrival on the scene
is sure to add fuel on the factional
flames already lighted by tho.appearancc
of Senator PcnroSe.
The senior senator's announcement
that he is going back to Harrisburg
next week is considered notice of his
determination to stick to tn" finish un .
til the Woodward bills and other re-
form legislation from Philadelphia are
either put through the Legislature oil
defeated.
Reports were current today that Sen
ator Ware would not call meeting o
the Senate municipal affairs committee
in which the Woodward charter bill
are rcposing until Wednesday or Thurs
day.
Ware Seen Defiant
Such IA plan is considered def OF
( the part of the Philadelphia senator
As the committee has a heavy Penros'
majority in its membership the hrs
move of the Penrose forces may be t.
try and force the bill out over Senator
! Nare's head.
/ When pressed in this city today for {
definite statement on whether the prime
intention of TIE police bill was to force
Director Wilson out of power, Mr.. Cole.
said 1T might provide for the eleva
ton of some one now on the force wht
is capable of handling the job"
He suggested that such a plan n
the police commission will be the onl!
method Of taking police out of politics
"All recent administrations have hat
police in politics more or less h
said. Even in the BlankPnburg ad
ministration. where there was no in
Itention of it and it was not allowed
former Director Porter tells me. he wa
constantly harasscd by politicians an
got grip on the department only il
his last year.
Mr.. Coles said support of the Dai:
bills. which extend the power of tn
district attorney $ Office by adding fou
assistant district attorneys and a de
tective staff, would be given by indc
pendents.
In commenting on the efforts of tn
Wares to introduce measures similar (
those of the charter revision committee
Mr.. Coles said:
Wares Seek Delay
"Thp Ware forces have sent in bill
paralleling those indorsed by the char
ter rcviSiOnists, but their bills leav
the sting out. They seem to thin
we need changes in the city, but nc
now. The changes will be all right tw
years hence, they say. / think we wOul
look like conservatives two years frol
now if they follow out their declare
intentions for two years hence
If the rival factions come to show
down in the Legislature, and all sigr
point that way, John r. X. Scott
counted on to lead the Ware force