South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-17
APRIL II, 1921
COMMISSION MANAGER CAMPAIGN
WILL BE AMERICANIZATION AND
AN EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT.

The frst line trench IN the battle for Commits
Rion-Manager government for South Bend has been
made Monday petitions with sufficient number of
signatures Of bona nde voters of the city will be
fled with the city clerk 20 demand election
whether or not that shall be their system Of gov
eminent after the expiration Of the present mayor
atty term. From the clerk the petitions go to the
council after five days. in the absence of any
chicane. which viii constitute the taking OF the
scond trench. and the council having acted, the
Jaw requires. with or without politico-legal or
other hlndrances. the third trench will
captured.
Sometime viii the battle for the
fourth trench; the election. the referendum, the
'pleblscite" the day OF self-determinaHon We OBJ
that Robert Lansing says that term "self-de-
termination" an unfortunate discovery. but fits
in very nicely wherever democracy representa-
tive government is the vogue. and so we use {.
The people. after some 30 to 60 days OF careful
study of this subject. are going determine for
themselves the rlan OF government under which
they shau henceforth live. for a while. 1t
IS the largest measure Of home rule" that has
come to the cities of Indiana for many year.
The campaign of education that Will precede this
election viii be Of the best things that has
happened here a long time. Thanks to sys-
tenn OF government. Of orderly progress, the bat
ties will be OF brains Of bayonets: not Of swords
but OF principles The people are going to learn
more about their present system of government.
and how it works than they before dreamed
Of and II the form changes to the Commission
Manager plan. it will be ushered in with pretty
good popular understanding Of what it is like and
now it works 1t viii be worth South Bend all
that it costs regardless OF the outcome.
Government 10y consent OF the governed" pre-
sImes an intelligent consent Those who signed the
petition for the election have done the community
distinct service in paving the way for this larger
measure Of intelligence People will know least
as much about their city government when It IS
over. as they now about the federal govern
ilent how it is constructed, and its methods of
procedure. It viii be bad If the schools do not
interest the children in the campaign a course
in civil government-and perhaps. the processes
Ct American politics as we'll
But this is not all. 1t will be a great American
ization campaign is going to teach a lot OF peo-
Pc more than they ever before knew OF the pos
sfbiliues of changing a system OF government by
orderly processes: a quite distinctly American way
The legislature OF Indiana at It's recent session
recognizing the right of the people expressed in
both the federal and state constitutions petition
their government for redress Of gri lances." saw
IN the partisan NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Indiana cities
great source OF grievance TO the citizens and
consequent waste and extravaganza. even mOreso.
II seems 10 have recognized in the commission and
commission manager systems the most progressive
and effective Of remedies. Accordingly an enabling
oct was passed affordlng them the legal right TO
sdcpt either OF those systems. outlined a mode OF
procedure the petition and then the election being
conditions precedent to effectiveness
That IS the that is being pursued; the dis
tnctly American way. The petitioners may
sratulate themselves on IN addition 70 their direct
purpose having inaugurated. though quite
sciously IN most cases so 0enehcent Amercanza-
ton program. Furthermore instead Of being
hindrance to the state election on constitutional
amendments next fall opponents Of the
mission manager plan have sought maintain. It
-pil be a help People viii have become accustomed
TO thinking more OF their fundamental laws Their
minds will broaden from the city 10 thinking in
terms OF state OF course the objection advanced
WIS mere sophistry. The politicians hack OF Il want
Oh 10 head Off any intensive study OF this
mission manager rlan which has often spelt
their doom in municipal affairs. but the refuta-
ton IS worth while in view OF the probable reverse
effects
II remains 70 he seen how much farther the
politicians viii go TO head of such a campaign OF
Americanization and popular learni,:s That they
have sought inveise the city clerk into delaying
the progress OF the movement. by taking his time
at examining the petltions-which happily the law
limits five days.-is evident from the misrepre-
sensations that have been handed out regarding
him on that subject. All manner OF misrepresen-
tstions OF the law, and dlsoouragements TO sgners
Of petitions. have been from the multiple
Try OF opposition hcadquarters-more or less BIZ
pertisan-ever since the movement started. The
women voters were told they had no right 10 sign.
sharne-facedly too. largely the work OF feminine
politicians who regard themselves high IN the
councils OF their parties Now they have that the
council Is going TO try 10 sdetrack the thing some
where Perhaps it Will Partisan government the
menace at which tire commission manager plan =
aimed has been guilty OF thwarting or trying 10
thvart the viii OF the people IN that way before.
However. the assurance IS current from the
friends the new Elan. that the campaign viii