Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-03
Il Significant Movement In
Decentralising Government.


w States in recent decades has been
toward Capitalization of power and
responsibility in the Federal Government
i'll Great Britain there has been growing up
a sentiment for a larger measure of local
control. This has been specially manifest in
the more and more clearly defined indie
pendence Of the overseas dominions Cana
da, Australia and the others are today not
only self-governing in matters of internal
concern but even in foreign affairs are
endowed with clearly articulate voices of
their own. Never before was the individual
lty OF the great Empires components so dis
t1nctly recognized, nor was their union Of
neart ever more warmly knit
This process is now at work in the United
Kingdom itself, where plans are being con-
sidered for instituting separate legislatures
in England, Wales and Scotland, in addi-
ton to establishing home rule in Ireland.
A year ago the House of Commons voted
well-nigh unanimously that local law-mak-
ing and administrative bodies were need
full to take from the shoulders of the I'M
perial Parliament a portion of it's over
whelming mass of details. There was ap-
pointed accordingly commission, composed
of members of both houses, which recent
ly submitted two reports which, though diff
fering on particulars, fully agree on essen
tials. The general character of these is
indicated in the powers which it is pro-
posed to vest in the new legislatures. and
which, as summarized by the New York
Times, include:
1. Regulation of internal CONNER
cial undertakings, professions and
cieties advertisements, amusements,
auctioneers, building and loan societies,
licensing markets and fairs.
2. Order and good governmental.
e., betting, charities, police, poor law,
prisons, ETC.
3. Ecclesiastical matters.
4. Agriculture and land.
5. Judiciary and minor legal matters,
coroners county courts, criminal law
procedure and definition punishment
of minor offenses), law of inheritance,
intestates, estates, land eonveyancy and
registration, minor torts, trustees.
6. Education, primary, secondary and
university Except Oxford, Cambridge
and London).
Z. Local government and municipal
undertakings, county council and NUM-
cipal bills, corrupt practices, fire bril-
gades, harbors Except naval harbors),
guardians, local legislation (private
bills, gas, water and electricity under
takings), municipal government Tin
Guiding local franchise), roads and
highways.
8. Public health, preventive meas
ures, contagious diseases, hospitals,
housing, insurance, national health,
lunacy.
The powers here proposed are broadly
similar, it will be observed, to those ex-
ercsed by State legislatures in this coun-
try, though at some points the British pro-
gram would transfer to the local govern
ments authority and duties which in Amer
lea have passed from the States to the
central government. The movement is high
ly interesting illustrative of the reac-
ton which almost inevitably will follow
decentralization In this case it is an al
together sober and practical reaction. The
British have no traditions and theories
about States rights many of us on this
side Of the water have, but they see plain
ly enough that their Imperial system will
not continue to function unless it is re-
lieved Of some Of the responsibilities which
decades and centuries have piled upon it.
There Governmental efficiency calls for de-
volution, just as here it has seemed to de-
mand more and more liberalization. The
question naturally occurs, may not we
likewise find at length that practical ex-
igences demand a barking back to the To-
cal government ideas Of the Republic s
fathers?