Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-14
White Will Oppose
Merit LdW Change
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political puroses, are effectively for
hidden.
"Mayor Moore is always open and ex.
{olicit in his statements ana he has SAID
n frankly that his objection to the system
se n now exists Is that the men at the
L head of the lists may not be his friends.
He desires the power to appoint per-
] SONS friendly to his administration, even
though they may appear lower on the
| list. ,,
iizc that to adopt the plan he suggests
| iect of the civil service law, II the
1 appointing officer. and ] do not refer
| merely to the Mayor but to any ap-
pointing officer has the power to select
spy person on q lengthy list. II is ma
tural that he would select his friends.
THAT would mean that he would appoint
those friendly to him politically. This
would permit political machine to be
built up by the use Of the appointing
power-the very thing the il'service
act is intended to prevent.
NJ "The law must be the same no mat
ter what the character of the appoint.
ing officer may. be. must be enforced
with equal fairness TO all. While we
may Ut "''',
4 kNoore's desire to strengthen his hands
fDoIitically, yet IL we should break down
Sbe law even for laudabe purpose. it
rould omen the way for fragrant abuse
officials who had the will to do it,
~Rut what about the selection of po-
remep and police officials. or any other
ty official. whose affiliations are an
ronistic to the Mayors reform pol
W. | inquired.
Protection for Police
"I dee no danger to discipline in the
solice department by this system, was
H{he reply. "On the contrary it should
..increase the esprit de corps aud
kficiency Of the department. IT protects
folice officers against dismissal for
Z nolitical reasons and protects them
rainst political assessments-the two
eat evils which in the past have pre-
snted the maintenance of disciplined
bd efficient police force.
eff a man is more interested in
rying political leader than he Is in
reserving law and order he cannot be a
bod policeman.
"The further suggestion that this
stem prevents the discharge of police
(ficers for dereliction of duty is wholly
Erroneous. The civil service law never
contemplated keeping inefficient or in
kubordinate men in position.
IF they have been guilty of offenses
of any kind. they may be Immediately
suspended without pay by the head Of
the department. They may be dis
charged so soon as the Civil Service
Commission finds that the charges are
well founded.
There can be no argument in favor
of dismissing an officer when the charges
are not sustained. and do not under
stand that it has been claimed that the
present civil service commission is un-
fair in it's decision"
"What is your opinion OF the sug
3estion that the old police trial boards
be revived|'
II am not in favor Of il. Trials Of
a police officers by such boards in the
1 past were often farcical in character
and the result foregone conclusion. OF
course, it would not be so under Direc
tor Cortelyou and Mayor Moore.
Verdicts Made in Advance
Experience has shown though that
such police boards usually have in =
4 structions in advance and the dismis
sal or demotion through their agency
Is, in fact, the act of the director of
the department and is no protection