Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-02


and must be approved after tie No
vember election decides the personnel
of the body.
Charles II. Hall. chief clerk Of
Select Council, and Mr.. Gaffuey arc
two men. who, by virtue of their pres
ent positions. will be expected to ar
range the preliminaries-Mr. Hall, be-
cause he is the chief executive officer
of the smaller branch of the present
bicameral body, and Mr.. Goffney. whose
| committee will conclude the financial ar
rangements prior to the organization.
have talked with both gentlemen.
Both expressly stated that whatever
views they entertained concerning ar
rangements for the new Council were
purely personal. and were not to be
considered either as debating or sug-
gesting any particular mode of pro-
cedurc.
Personally. am of the opinion.
said Mr.. Hall. that the new Council
should retain the use of the fourth floor
of City Hall. with the various rooms
and Offices which are now given over to
Councils. All of these rooms have been
arranged and fitted up for the use OF
councilmanic bodies, and they can be
rearranged. I think, in a manner that
will answer every purpose and to the
satisfaction of the members of the in
coming administration.
Select Chamber for Assembly Room
Select Council chamber should be
the assembly room of the Council OF
twenty one. Common Council chamber
should be utilized for general Office pur =
poses, where members could have their
individual desks for the transaction OF
business and for meeting their con
stituents and citizens generally. There
should be doorkecpcrs, messengers and
two or three stcnographcrs whose bust
uess it would be to attend to the cor
respondeuce of the members.
'The room now occupied by the
finance committee could be public
! meeting place-.a sort of forum where
citizens and delegations can gather to
discuss affairs with Councils committees
as occasion arises There are three large
rooms in the fifth floor of City Hall,
500 90 2-94. that would serve as com
mittee rooms. for it will be necessary
to provide offices for the principal ones.
Committees being smaller under the new
system will not require as much space
as Mt present.
There has been a suggestion that
each councilman have an Office in his
district. something after the manner OF
magistrates Office where he could be
found every day by persons desiring to
consult him on city affairs:' l ven
turcd.
District Officers Unnecessary"
Il think it is unnecessary" was the
reply. Besides. the new charter makes
no provision for any such expense. I
do not think that members of Council,
even though they arc in receipt of a
salary of $4,000, will care to maintain
such an office at their own expense.
City Hall, where all municipal interests
are conferred. is the logical place for a
councilman to have his Office. He is
then in touch with every department
with which he is likely to have any
business
DO YOU think it probable that the
city will permit each councilman to
have personal secretary or stenog-
raphcr?"'I asked. There have been in :
definite rumors of such a thing"
Il do not believe it either possible or
probable because it is unnecessary. Two
or three stenographers will be sufficient,
judging by my own experience, to han
die all the correspondence and official
business of the entire body. If there
should be a rush at any time a few