South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-03

south Bend must not stand st.ll'
~ the answer ~ the members a.
toe board OF park comm. oners, in
the presentation Thursday 81 their
side o. the controversy over the
proposed erection OF an 5000 pub
&c natatorium on Chapel lane near
" Washington av, 90 the OPP
ponents ~ the nstatorium project.
In their statement the members
Of the park board review the nata-
toriuu project. They also point 20
the public improvements authorized
IN other Indiana cities. comparing
them with the opposition 20 the
natatorium project here. In their
statement the board members re-
sent any in1putatlon Of possibility
OF a misuse ~ funds in the erection
OF the proposed natatorium.
Final action on the ordinance
authorizing an $4,000 bond issue
for the erection Of the proposed ma
tator.um D. scheduled for the meet
ing o. the city council Monday
night The ordinance .s now up 20
its final reading and passage or re-
lection The statement Of the board
OF park commissioners follows.
1T is not often that the Park
board cares 90 make a statement,
especially ou a subject that has been
threshed out before the public for so
long a time However. such pal
pabIe efforts have been and are be-
Ing made 20 influence public sent-
ment that the hoard desires % say a
few things without fear or favor,
even though dire retributiOn has
been promised the Tribune If the
board dared 10 act differently than
Il prescribed. Some Of the statements
contained IN those articles and in
the article supposed 90 have eman-
ated from ComprOller Swygart show
either a startling independence as
20 the truth, or ignorance Of the
laws and the facts. il is an evident
effort 10 corral that part Of the pub
lie which is easily led because it's
IN the paper" without waiting 20
hear both sides.
'TThe Park board desires the
friendship Of the newspapers and is
glad % make every effort TO cooper
ate with them. or with any progress
sive. forward-looking influences, but
q was not the understanding Of the
Park board. and probably not Of the
members OF the city council either,
that whatever action they took must
first be submitted 20 a self-appointed
censor. II officials should do that.
then why elect a mayor or council az
all? The board will pay respectful
attention 20 any well-meant, con-
structive criticism. but it, and no
doubt the city council also. absO-
lutely refuses 70 be moved by threats
or intinidations. such as were con-
tanned in a recent editorial, especial
~ when such article Is not based on
a fair and truthful premise. The
specious plea OF putting off all i'm
provements for economy's sake
which. by the way, always proves
a false economy. and the ever-pres-
ent plea OF the demaEOEue 20 cut
down taxes" may get some votes al
election time. but IL is always
weighted down with serious draw
backs. either in ins.ncerity or a drag
on the wheels of progress.
Too Many HOldbacks.
The building of any Improvement
like the Natatorium, is just like lay
ing a pavement. the easiest thing In
the world is 10 find swarms OF re
monstrances beforehand. but after
the improvement is in YOU could
hardly take IL out again with a regi-
ment OF soldiers. What South Bend
IS today. il Is in spite OF such OBJ
structionists and not because OF
them. If we did not have so many
or these holdbacks. those who are