The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-01
HATTON DENIES h
MORNING PAPER
MANAGER STORY.
Report of Hours Of COnSulta-
tion With Barnette Moses
Declared False With Quali-I
fiCation. ...
BOLTON SMITH CITES
CITY CROWD DECEPTION
Commissioner Miller Has an
AUnprinted Letter From
Wichita Giving Facts on
City Manager Plan.

DR. A. II, Hatton, who, with Newton
d. Baker, now secretary Of war, and
Brand Whitlock, tho American mipister
to Belgium, prepared the municipal
home rule provisions Of the Ohio con-
stitution and who was called into con-
sultation with the Memphis citizenE'
committee 20 assist in preparing the
council manager bill as an amendment
to the city charter. has repndiated a
story appearing In Fridays Commercial
Appeal In which II was intimated that
one Of his advisors while in Memphis
was Barnette Moses,
Tho following telegram was sent to
Dr. Hatton;
Tho following statement was reports
ed to have been made before specially
called meeting OF the City club last
evening" Mr.. Moses stated he spent
several hours going over tho charter
with Or. Hatton and said DR.. Hatton
declared the personnel OF the present
city government OF Memphis was bet
ter as n whole than the city manager
scheme would provide, "
The following is DR.. Hatton's answer;
"ff Mr.. Moses is correctly quoted, his
statement Ia false with qualification.
Did not spend several hours going over
charter with him. / dined with him at
Peabody Sunday, Jan. 96. as his guest.
We discussed tho charter only incidents
ally, Aside from that occasion ] never
had ten minutes conversation with him,
At no time, huye made any declarattpn
remotely resembling the one he attrlb-
uted to me- On the contrary, said many
times that manager plan had improved
persennel Of city government elsewhere
and would do e9flh Memphis
IN ill I'm Tho Aiitlt s'fl JOG tufll
elAtfns I'd have found out IN aonie rushsG
on Madison avenue about a year ago
and Ok whom the paper that acclaiIfA
him the leader In the fight against the
city manager plan printed some things
not so complimentary at that time.
Misquoted Him, Too.
1t Ia understood that the statement
attributed to Mr. Moses Is n deliberate
INSTRUMENTATION for which he IL not
responsible, but was far-fetched ef-
fort OF the corporate interests to shield
their brood OF pledge breakers at the
city hall.
In line with the policy Of suppression.
exaggeration and misrepresentation
letter written TO c. W. Miller, commits
sioner of fire and police by j, b, Doze.
managing editor Of the wichita, Kas.,
Eagle, has not shown up In print, al
though one letter from Wichita ctti-
zen has been exploited to considerable
extent
The News Scimitnr asked the Wichita
Eagle II the city manager plan was
success, and Mr.. Doze replied:
Some time ago l wrote to the COM
missioner OF police OF your city a let
ter setting forth some observations on
the city manager plan, ! am sorry but
| can not furnish you with copy or
that letter. In II set forth arguments
for and against the manager plan, tho
said arguments being taken from
Wichita's two years experience. l win
say the plan has not failed
perhaps Commissioner Miller will fur
nish those desiring it copy OF the
letter
Bolton smith, president OF the Rotary
club, banker, lawyer, philanthropist
and all-round one OF the best citizens
In Memphis. Saturday made a state
ment In support OF the city manager
plan
Mr.. Smith, in common with many
others, EXPRESSED keen disappointment
in the change OF front on the part OF
the mayor and city commissioners who
were pledged to support the city man
ager pan In tho platform upon which
they were elected
Mr.. Smiths statement follows
Bad for Politicians.
"qhere are many clauses In the pro-
posed amendment to the city charter
which are not essential to the city
manager plan, but which were added
10 make tho charter more democrauc
and because we had the advantage OF
having Dr. A. r. Hatton with us. per
hans the most experienced and most
progressive expert on the subject IN
The United states Copies OF the char
ter can be obtained by anyone who viii
anpy in perscn or by letter to r. X