Evening journal., 1921-01-21
CHARTER BILL
IS READY FOR
LEGISLATURE
CONTINUED from page onel

Nided. These i've are 10 CHOOSE ohc
Of their own number as mayor. hach
commissioner may receive maximum
OF salary of $1,000 year, Win COW
addition for the mayor.
The commission is to be chosen on
a non-partisan ticket. Al the nIsi
election three commissioners VIII
be elected for terms Of one year, anu
. two for terms OF three years, ulus
providing for rotation in the future.
While the charter provides lot a
five man commission, way Is lcls
open 20 the commissioners TO employ
a city manager If they SO desire. M
Although only 20 out Of the 55
members Of the Citizens COmmiltee
were present at last nights meetlnB'
there was a decided atmosphere or op-
timism and quiet determination 10
obtain as good a charter measure as
Is possible. then 90 rally the city 70
its suppOrt. and finally, TO get IL
through the State Legislature.
The meeting was held in Parlors
A and Of the Hotel dupont. Leon
Walker presided. In the absence OF
]. L. Krauss, secretary OF the COM
mitiee n. n. Reed served i'm his stead.
Former United states District At
torney Charles +. Curley and former
City Solicitor Thomas +. Bayard took
turns in reading and explaining the
charter bill as drawn by the Bi-Par-
tisan Committee, Of which tney are
members. The act covers q type
written pages, OF which the first four
are devoted TO describing the boun-,
darles OF the city, purely technical
procedure
Bipartisan Body Divided.
Mr.. Curley laid emphasis on the
fact that the Bipartisan Committee
was divided on the system Of govern
ment. II members favOrlng the i've
man commission form and four fav-
oring election Of a mayor with COM
plete power 10 name his own COM
missioners. While the bill providing
Tor a fve-man commission had re-
received the unanimous vote OF the
Bipartisan Committee, nevertheless,
said Mr. Curloy, the four dissenting
members reserved the right TO flle a
report OF their own at any time and
10 act Independently Of the other
members.
As the reading progressed there
was running fire Of questions and
comment from members OF the Citi-
zens Committee Mr. Curley explain
ed at length that while the life OF
the Board or HarbOr Commissioners
was extended for ten years, its per-
sonnel was not, and the commission
ers whose terms OF Office would ex-
pire as now scheduled. Appointments
would be made by the Mayor and
Commission. The Board 0f Education.
he pointed out, also was left entirely
Independent OF the new Commission.
When Mr.. Bayard took up the read
ing OF tie Charter Bill, he was quiz
zed for several minutes by his sister
Mrs. Florence Bayard Hilles. repre-
senting the Business and Professional
WOmcn's Club as 90 why there was
no initiative provided when there was
a referendum and "A recall. Mr.. Bay
ard responded the committee had
come 90 the conclusion it was better
TO let an legislation for the city be
Initiated by the commission itself
which could II it desired. refer II Ia
the voters for approval or disap-
proval.
Mrs. Hilles defended the city man
ager form Of government, and Mr.
Bayard explained a city manager was
merely pcrmlssivo and not manda-
tory
why is that?" asked Mrs. Hilles.
We'll" responded Mr.. Bayard
there are two reasons: First. we fel
a city manager form rep0ses too
much power in one man; and second
a city manager form OF government
Is not sufficiently responsive 90 th'
people. also believe there woulC
be perfect howl" added Mr. Bay
ard, If a city manager form were &
be pressed Just now"
There is considerable OF a howl II
the city already without a commits
sion or city manager form of govern
ment," responded Mrs. Hilles, a-ni'
smiles
Senator Robertson Tart.
Slate senator James W. Robertson
who repre- cnted the Kiwanis Club
also iniecicd considerable pep" int
the proceedings when he was askel
for his views by Chairman Walker.
"1hc very men who stand by Wi
mlngton In the Legislature find them
selves often unaided,' said the Sen
ator. ".Iy line Of gravitation is jus
two years ahead Of yours
Tho Senator then told how he hai
introduced a charter bill similar Il
The present once in the Legislatur
two years ago. 1T got the endorse
ment of Oty Council. even thougl
IL would have put the COuncilmcl
out of business" ne continued, ''ye
not sing.e civic organization helpel
me In the least
Chairman Walker remarked n
'didnt expect the millennium TO dawl
either this year or next year or il
TWO years
II hope not" duly commented Sen
ator Robertson, for I'm afraid no
many would be ready for it"
The Rev. George Henry Dole prais
ell The charter as the best that cOul
be had 0t present THE one thing .
do now, ue said, "is 20 secure 10
enactment lie then moved an eX
preston OF appreciation by the Citizen
Committee for the work Of the Bi
Partisan Committee, and the adoptO
of It's report. Ayes and nays Wer
ordered and the call was begun.
Senator Robertson asked 10 be ca
oused from voting because he wOul
have 30 pass on the measure in On
Legislature. The Rev. 4. w. Well
also representing the kiwanis Clul
explained that his organization ha
gone on record for "a city manage
but he would vote for the propose
charter as nearest to such a plai
Mrs. llilles echoed this sentimen
The vote was announced as 10 aye
h will 3 reservations" Applause gree
ID the result.
Those present and the organization
they represented We're: Rotary Clul
Leon Walker. Albert Bird, Josep
Wilson: kiwanis Club, Slate Senate
James w Robertson. the Rev. L. v
Wells, w. Shcdd Holton; Service Cit
zcns John s. BOssell; Business an
Professional WOmen's Club, Mi'
Helen : Garrett, Mrs. William
Hlles, Miss Dorothy Hawkins; Wasi
ingt0n Heights Century Club, Mr.
Helen G.. Megaw, Mrs Harvey Booker
New Century Club, Mrs. A. ID. Wa
ner. Sr; Chamber Of Commerce, A.
Warner, Jr.: Social Service Club,