The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-24
BURRUSS IS SEVERE
Links Up Dr. Barrett With Taylor In
 Alleged Lack of Enforcement

Alleged Lack of Enforcement
 Last vestiges of cohesion between other members of the city adminls- tration and II. P. Burruss d!sap- peared at North Birmingham last night when MT. Burruss declared that pr. N A. Barrett, president of the commission, as head of the law en- forcement department, should be held equally responsible with John Fl. Taylor, commissioner of public safe- ty, for whatever there has been lack ing in law enforcement.
 Bitter criticism of Dr. Barrett's &C., ton in regard to law enforcement was voiced Mir Burruss, who declared that if Dr. Barrett had done his duty, Commissioner Taylor would not now be attacked because of alleged conditions
 President N. A. Barrett and John H. Taylor are bound together by hoops of steel that 1t takes courage to break" asserted Mir Burruss. Had Dr. Barrett done his duty as head of the law enforcement depart- ment, the enforcement of the law would have been so complete and sat isfactory that we would not hear the criticism of law enforcement now be- ing voiced from one end of the city to the other.
 Cnn Demand Enforcement
 "The president of the commi ssion Is head of the law enforcement de- paftment and has the power to de- mand that the law be enforced, if he per6eives any laxness in the en- forcement. This takes a president of backbone determination and resolu ( tts .In nJ,- lacking in the composition of the present president of the commission. His fondest friend would not claim these qualities as features of his makeup.
 For whatever deficiencies of law enforcement there have been Dr. Bar rett Is fully as responsible as is John Taylor, He should at least be held equally responsible for whatever lacking there has been in law en- forcement in Birmingham.
 "Of all men in public life, when it comes to standing up for their con vIctions, there is none more spine less and cowardly in the face of opposition than Dr, N. A. Barrett. Sometimes l think he is really more to blame than Taylor. We need a man as president of the commission
 
 do his duty"
 MT. Burruss made an appeal to his hearers to elect man to the presi- dency of the comm ssion with back bone. He declared that the present head of the board has no backbone and has had none since birth. He asked that a man of determination be elected if the people saw fit not to place him in office.
 Taking up the subject of equal pay for women with men for equal work, MT. Burruss launched into an att tack against conditions in Dr. Bar rett's own office, where, he said, woman does twice as much work as a man and receives half as much pay for it. He charged that Dr. Bar rett has not the courage to check up on this man.
 He told of his decision to make the race for the presidency. sayifis that he did not feel that he could stay four more years with presi~ dent who was spineless and on whom he could not count for the courage to go forward.
 Says Barrett Stole Idea
 He declared for fair and equi- table reduction of the license sched- ule when it is next revised, with graduated proportioning made. He declared that the reduction at the first of the present year. although 20 per cent, seemed as nothing because of the high rates. He said Dr. Bar rett was stealing his idea of drain- ing Village creek and constructing a huge storm and sanitary sewer sys- tenn.
 MT Burnuss took the present com mission severely to task for failure to give him what he termed suffi- cient funds for street repairs during the first three years of his adminis- tration. He stated that one. of the presidents self-constituted advisors made a gross mistake when he said the appropriation for streets could be cut to $15,000 for the first year. Mr. BurrussN declared that his depart ment paid the deficit cleared up by the present administration at the ex- pense of the street system.
 Declaring flat-footedly for lime light being thrown on public affairs, MT. Burruss said that publicity belped place responsibility and made for better government Motives which inspire decisions can thus be seen, he said. He asserted that many things have been hidden in the present campaign.
 MT. Burruss dwelt briefly on the auditorium and the show w-down" which he occasioned last Tuesday morning at a meeting of the com mission. He declared the jcommis- sion was floundering around in inde- clsion until John Taylor, more quick witted than any of the other four. made a motion requesting the archi- tects to submit plans for larger structure.
 Frank Address, campaign manager for MT. Burruss. made a short talk predatory to MT. Burruss' address. The meeting was held in the Wood mems hall.
 MT Burruss will hold a meeting tonight at Woodrow Wilson park, when several other speakers will be on the programme Administration acts will be gone into at further