Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-21

Municipal Court.
Item Ali. Line 65. Probat tior
officer, one at $500" This item is elm
mated.
1t appears that this $500 per annun
probation officer was created by the
.,IunIcipal Court, which designated the
present superintendent Of the House o
Detention, who receives q salary ol
$2500 per anDum as superintendent
and whose wife, as assistant superin
tendent, receives a salary OF $500
both plus bonus.
No Double Jobholding
There Is no question about the Ell
cheney Of the superintendent or OF the
u a.hant superintendent, both Of whom
appear to be admirably adapted for the
work they have to do but the law as tc
the holding Of more than one office IL
specific. quote Section 3, Article Nv
of the new city charter: mo person
shall hold more than one Office or posi-
ton Of profit under the city govern
ment, and no person shall hold an,
Office or position Of pcotit under che
city, or any department thereof, while
holding any other Office or position oi
profit in or under the government ol
the United States, Of this common =
wealth, or any county, city or other
political subdivision thereof"
Line 88. Stenozrapner. at $15OC'
reduced to 8 at $500.
Lime 81. stenographer, 62 al
$1,000" reduced to 40 at $1,000.
Included with the other stenogra
piers in the Municipal Court budget,
these two groups Of stenographers br .nS
tka fatal nnt,nkar ~ cto phara for
the Municipal Court alone up to eighty
,SO), which Is believed to be In excess
Of the courts actual needs. The amount
asked for these stenographers In the Mu
nicipal Court budget, as separated from
other items where extra stenographic
help is provided, ts $12S,9 800. IL shoul'
also be noted that the stenographers
fees allowed by the Mun.cipal Cour
on mandamus in 1919 -(Controller &
Report, pnge 42) amounted to $24,
OBJ ~. During the same period the
probation officers were awarded $40,
$50. on mandamus by the Municipal
Court, in addition to $S325.S8 coming
under the head Of personal services"
AIS. Personal services; at the
dispensary, Gynecesn Hospital and
Misdencansnts Court, $4,000; re-
duced TO $40. 200.
The Gynecean Hospital. during the
year 1919 (Philadelphis Municipal
Court Report, 1919) Page 381, admitted
312 patients. In addition, q large num-
Der Of treatments and tests were given.
1t is believed, however upon the court 6
$40, 900 allotted to IL, for at no time,
apparently, does the population of the
Gynecean Hospital, even temporarily,
exceed sixty (60). For this work seven
(7) physicians, at ga aries ranging from
$1,000 to $25OO, are asked, in add. .tion
to one physician assistant, three
nurses, one superintendent and one
matron.
Mayor Draws Contrasts
In contrast, the medical staff Of the
Department of Pub ic Welfare, having
charge Of the House Of Correction. the
Home for the INDECENT and the children
at Browns Farm, consists only of fvt
physicians and six nurses; two nurses
only at the House of Correction; two
only at the Home for the INDECENT,
where the aged male and female are
cared for. and two at Browns Farm,
where there is large children's colony.
At the House Of Correction there are
475 male and 100 female inmates, a
total Of 685, requiring constant medi.
digent there are 800 male and 375
femae inmates. total Of 975, mostly
infirm and needing medical assistance /;
and at Browns Farm there are twenty
nine children, twelve suffering from
paralysis, and ten in braces, all needing
constant medical oversight. But not.
withstanding, in addition to two phv-
sicians, one at $4,000 and one at S250O
for the Municipal Court proper, allow
ance IL also made in the budget-Item
Alb, for personal services; medica'
attendance. Municipal Court $4,000"
nnd these items are apart from the ply.
sicians allowed for the Gynecean Hos
2ital, Misdemcanants Court and the
A-1S line 6. physician at not ex
ceedinx IS per day" is evidently in
tended to permit the employment
other physician Tor the Gynecean Hos
pital and Misdemeanants Court, in ad-
dition to those already referred to.
Hence thn "o.''.,.I~., ~ tho Gynecenn
Hospital item from $50, 600 to 5000
II the Ct " e cire Of the WORTH
moor at the Home for the INDECENT and,
Browns Farm and the treatment Of
those who are diseased in it's correc.
ti0nal institutions, can perform the
work for so large number with 10
small staff of physicians and nurses,
II seems not unreasonable that the Mu-
nicipal Court should get along with
smaller staff Of medical employees than
the budget allows to this institution
where small group of wayward women
are cared for:
Without rejecting upon such work
as is done at the Gynecean Hospital, an
inspection Of that institution. which
MI al.
raises the question whether the tax
payers should be put to the expense OF
this separate establishment
for the special treatment of few un.
fortunate women, who, if it were not
for the taking over of this hospital By
the Municipal Court, would 20 to the
ordinary correctional institutions under
the Department Of Public Welfare.
Slices Travelling Expenses
Item A, travelling and other er-
penses Of probation officers and inspec-
tors, juvenile division Of Municipal
Court, $4,000" Is reduced to $4,000,
which is believed to be sufficient.
Item 40, travelling and other ex.
pcnses, officers of Domestic Relations
nd criminal branches, Municipal Court,
SSO00," Is reduced to $4,000, which is
believed to be sufficient.
Item As, furniture and other fur.
nishings, Municipal Court, $4,000"
IS reduced to $500.
"Item 40, printing and stationery,
Court, $4,000" is reduced
10 $1,000.
Item 80, printing annual report,
Court, $1,000, r,duceu 10
$500.
Item 81, municipal supplies, etc.,
lot otherwise ploviued for, SouJo," re.
reduced to S2500.
"Item 81, alterations. repairs, ETC.,
Court, 5000" reduced to
c7SnD