Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-05
WOMEN CRITICIZE
TALK IN COUNCIL
Mr.. 8urch Put on Grill by Men,
bers Of Good Government
League
SHOW KEEN KNOWLEDGE

waste S1i. .26 Of the taxpayers money
every minute they talk in meeting. &c,
cording to members of the Women,
League for Good Government.
The league had its first meeting sine,
their attendance at the College Club
today The keynote Of the occasion
wa9 First Impressions of City Coun
Gil" Councilman Francis Bnrch ad
dressed the women and consented L
az s'7cr any questions they might ask
Queries on all kinds Of subjects poured
In on him.
Miss Edith Fales, chairman Of the
league. who presided at the meeting
presented figures on the time wasted in
Council Referring 20 the squabblc in
last Thursdays meeting she said
There are two or three members o!
Council who waste $ll 20 Of our money
as taxpayers for every minute they
talk" She based the calculations, she
said, On her impression that Couuci
met every Thursday for three hours
and receive $4,000 a year salary.
Found City Hall Courteous
s0id, with the courtesy at City Hall.
other place, Miss Fales advanced a
novel objection. when she said
The very brilliant light in our eyes
were annoying. and we wondered If the
interior decorator thought OF the spec
tators when he arranged the lighting. y
Why could not matters have been
threshG dout in committee meetings, y
asked Miss Fales as she criticized the
time wasted by certain counCilmen in
talk.
Miss Fa,rs said she regretted the re-
fections mnde on the city's chief eX
cCutive, and ended her talk by assert
Ing members Of the League for Good
Government did not 60 to Council in
hostile mood, but simply to get a
first hand view, since the men there
were. after all, their employees.
After several other women had e1-
pressed their views briefly. Councilman
Burch was introduced In the course
OF his remarks he conceded that much
talk could be eliminated, hat said he
did not want to criticize anybody along
this line.
II think that Miss Falos was a little
harsh. ." he said. in measuring the pay
of counciimen. | wish we only mad to
work three hours. bHt as matter Of
fact, in committee meeting and special
meetings we work much more than that.
and often at night, too.
Questions Display Interest
lie said his ain desire was TO make
Council free from the dictatiop of any
one 30 that the men could think for
themselves. At the close Of Mr..
Rurch's speech many Of the women
present wrote out questions. which were
inspected by Miss Fulcs and handed 10
the councilman. One OF the most per
tincnt Of these questions was:
rs il true that the position of
Marcus elected last December as q
state representative. and does he re.
Ceivp two Salar.esf
Mr. Burrh said he had heard that Mr..
Marcus resigned his clerkship during the
term of the Legislature. but he was not
sure.
Another question was
"Loes q councilman feel bound 10
vote in Council as he promised 10 be-
fore the mccting?'
Mr.. Burch said this was an old ma
chine question. and expressed the opin
ion a councilman had right 20 change
his mind bPc2Es" Of some new phase
which might come up. In connection
with this answer, he said h" thought
that every councilman should be sym
pathetic towards the Mayor.
Ash About County Gr1Cr>
Asked to explain the growth Of coun
" Offices. lie replied It was rather a
big question, but that ne would try to
corply After telling something OF the
or gin and history Of thos' Offices. he
said;
"Many Offices mus, remain separate.
They cannot all be under one chief eX E
ecut!yc. Philadelphia ia . very highly
ceNtraiiz7I government now.
In -cDly to the question, "What are
the principal points of advantage 70
co4nclmen resulting from the new char
ter. Mr.. BurCh replied
'Thc fact that 1t has compelled men
bors 70 taniliArize themselves with city
and state governments. Under the old
nouncilnanic system, TWO or three NOM
bors oloue kept in touch with these mat
:prs, and accordingly dictated what the
others were 20 do.
In answer to the query as 10 whether
a councilman shonld keep up with his
profession. he said:
1T is not prohibited. One could
not expect man 70 give UP al. hi
other interests for 5000 Il year.
The final question was: Has Gown
I'll blocked the question oi underIyin2
companies oi 'hc p. II. T. involving
millions Of dollars:'
Mr.. Burcl said Conn,i! had been tod
BY City Solicitor Sinyr& that il had
no jurisdiction. the question being uE
70 the Public Service Commission.
Every coVuo.lmapin district in The
city was represented. Among those
7, g.