Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-22
Council Must Insist
on City Cleaning

Continued from Page One
opportunity has arrived for the people
to speak up and indicate just what they
desire should be done with the directors
! plan of 1871.
Council Should Investigate
"Thc charter provisions are so wordcd
that municipal work must be fully ini.
tiated on January 1, 1921, unless eX-
pressly set aside by a vote Of eleven
Councilmcn with the approval OF the
Mayor. Council. by declining TO au.
thOriZe contract performance. can re-
quire a full program of municipal street
cleaning to be initiated.
''As a direct representative of the
| people, each councilman should be
deeply interested in knowing why Cn
the language of the directors mcssagc)
| it is manifestly impossible for the city
! to assume all these functions for the
entire city on January l, 1921. because
of the financial, organization and equip
mcnt problems involved
Each councilman should be equally
| interested In knowing whether the
Mayor does or does not support munich
! pal street cleaning as a superior method
! to contract performance. The mere
! fact that municipal work is recon-
mendci for two of the thirteen districts
in 1921 does not of itself imply that
municipal work will be extended in a
short time over the entire city, nor
/ does the directors report actually rec
ommend such a program.
at. therefore. becomes the duty of
| Council TO inquire further into the prac-
| ticnhi'itv of municipal work next year
and if it consents TO a program of par
tlal munlrinal performance IN iHSl, 10
lndirate 70 thc people when tull pro-
"Tf We m assume that tho odministro.
tion in recommending municipal work
! in two districts does support municipal
street cleaning because It believes that
! a better grade of service will be per-
, formed. and is recommending only n
very minor initiation of municipal work
in 1921 in order to proceed slowly, and
not simply to apDcase public oninion,
then wo can discuss the proposed plan
for 1921 strictly on its merits and from
the viewnoints of practicability and
public policy.
I'VE have no desire that the city
should undertake greater load than
it can proDCrlv handle. We can heartily
agree with the reported statement of
the director Of public works that in
proceeding slowly he was following the
principle that the city should not bite
off more than it can chew.
"Our issue of Citizens business OF
June 3. 1920. which was published at
the time that the committee of en-
ginocrs were making their trip of in
SDcCtiOn, sets forth clearly our opinion
thnt tn" city should dehnit"IN determine
that II can conduct each OF me city
cleansing tunctlons oF muhlClnal FORCES
IN l'-l before II ShouId Heclue 10 lol-
low out the charter proFlsloh'
.JmnoSSihiIity Not "NIanifeStn
.r. ,.., A.. t. .l,i
/, ~ Iu,S m"' ut"I 'i.Ie tNerL s"ou,u wv
y" W. Urt.'Gn VII VIZ din t.'
pu''l.uH ~ trL ps ,.ata,.'| - Gnue' -
w. En'I,on "''"G,"t ;seibIo W s,,o H ~
III ,s .Lnla f,'Io.; Co.. tho on+iro citv
an oi theSG iuirtlohS I9r tae ehtire CITY
,t'Ni Sr"I @ u,'Ius, y, tmc nunii hia, 'u,, ~ ~
h"n"1 ''o" az" equipment P''o''' ~
'o'''l'
I'VE do not believe that the inapoSSi'
/ bility OF full or OF greater compliance
with the charter provisions Is maniiest
10 the Council or to the people ana thc
director Will doubtless be called upon
/ to explain and support tins contention
I'VE are fully aware OF the masnl'
tudC OF the task OF organizing a street
! cleaning labor force to cover thc entlre
city. We do know, however that there
was no hesitation during the war period
to tackle tasks OF labor organization ten
times as great and with no nucleus 70
work upon Such az exists IN the iorces OF
the street cleaning contractors that now
cover the entire city.
1--WE believe that the financial prob
lom is n simple one. The city Council,
! ir n suDuorts nuniciDal street clean