Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-06
BATTLE IN COUNCIL
JUGGLE FOR PLACE
Row Over Jobs "Disgraceful
Fight for Political Suprem-
acy and Office"
ECONOMY PLEA "SPECI0US"
BY GEORGE NoX MCCAIN

The cleverest bit of political juggling
for place, and performed in the oper
at that, was exhibited by James 4
Develin and Francis f. Burch in Coun
Gil yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Develiu objected to the number
of offices and the payroll list Of Council
His objection was on the score of econ
omy. There were too many offices auC
the payroll was too large.
After Mr.. Develin had performed his
part, Councilman Burch, chairman OF
the finance committee which fixed ur
the list of Council attaches ard theii
salaries, arose and with becoming hu
mility agreed with Mr.. Develin. He
thought perhaps the payroll was Il triiC
topheavy.
The Ware organization members were
ready to Join hands with Mr.. Develiu
and would have knocked the admins
tratiou program into a cooked heat hat
it not been that one of their members
Mr.. Frankeniield. was absent. Both
sides. therefore. were deadlocked. aut
on motion of Mr.. Develin, seconded By
Mr.. Burch, the bill with Amendments
went over until the next meeting OF
Council.
What will strike the average citizen
as peculiar is that the majority clever
could not compose their differences in
private. instead of dragging them into
the OPEN What is still more strange Is
that Mr.. Burch. another of the eleven
Joined hands with Mr.. Deyeliu in his
attack on the bill.
Scheme Prearranged
Councilman Hall. like Messrs. Dove-
lin and Burcb. as the mouthpieCe of the
IL Il ntt D.l
on the bill and offered an amendment
to reduce both the number of employees
and their salaries.
The Develn BurCh scheme was evl'
IDENTIFY prearranged.
Under the guise of reform and econ
omy, these gentlemen gave notice IN
their attack on the administration pro-
gram that they must be reCkoned with.
It was public notice of protest. Mr..
Burch also gave public information OF
the fact that he is unable to control his
own committee. With majority in
the finance committee he should be able
with its assistance to direct its affairs.
Evidently he isn't
1t is either a confession that he is
in a combination to defeat Mayor
Moore's plans, or confession of weak
ness as chairman of the powerful finance
committee. 1t should have not been
necessary for Chairman Burch to make
an announcement affecting his standing
with his own committee.
Mr.. Develin has taken the lead in the
breakaway. The plea that he is fight
ing for economy is a specious one; par
ticularly as something like S54 900 is
appropriated in the budget for this year
and the new schedule does not ap
proach that figure by $4,000.
One of these days the whole story will
be told.
There is no real reason to withdraw
my statement of Wednesday that the
whole thing is a disgraceful fight for
political supremacy and for Office. While
it may be conceded that the new sched =
ule of offices attached to Council is un =
necessarily large and should be pruned
here and there. yet with perfect harmony
and clever teamwork the changes could
have been made in committee or in eau
Gus of the eleven.
To the average citizen the calculated
action of Councilman Develin cannot
be masked behind the plea of reform
and economy. There is not a politician
not perfectly transparent. 1t is an old
dodge and it has been worn threadbare
through excessive use.
Mayor Won't Yield
Mayor Moore, I do not doubt, can
settle the whole controversy today if
he so desires. All that will be neces
sary will be for him to send for certain
gentlemen and effect compromise in
which baskets of loaves and fishes
meaning, of course. city jobs, will be
placed at the disposal Of two gentle
men. That will end the difficulty.
s &c y ,trin Sos nf
pletion. The Mayor will continue on
the even tenor of his way without yield.
ing TO the ambitions of anybody. Coun-
Gilman Develin ard Chairman Burch
will not be interrupted, fancy. by the
Mayor in any performance which they
wish to stage.
Mr.. Develin declined to become a
member of the caucus which met yes
terday afternoon prior to the meeting OF
Council, He served notice on the ma
jority eleven by this action that he nro-
posed to become the stormy petrol of the
new Council, Later, by his attitude. he
seemingly indicated that whenever it
suited his convenience or inciinations in
matters Of administrative policy, he
would join hands with the Wares.
The latter, as demonstrated in COun-
Gilman Hall 5 amendment cutting down
the Councils payroll, have suddenly
turned reformers also. They are cIamar-
ing for retrenchmeut Mr.. Deveiu
therefore, can be assured Of opposition
support any time he desires it Oh all his
measures.
He demonstrated. however. hi. good
sense by declining the extended hand
of the minority and moved the post
ponement OF the bill himself.
For this he deserves credit.