The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-09

before the meeting broke up.
 It happened in this wise:
 Dr. Barrett, the last speaker or the programme of the Gate City Civic club, was discussing secret conferences by members of the com mission. Dr. Barrett had stated that every member of the board at some time or other had asked for secret conferences. He declared a well de. fined policy of not crying aloud the been formed.
 Commissioner Burruss, who had spoken immediately preceding the present head of the commission whose place he is seeking, interrupted.
 Just a minute, please, Dr. Bar rett," he said. T want to correct the statement you just made. l have never since l became commissioner asked for a single secret confer ence.'
 Secret Conferences
  he meant to say was that no commis- sioner had ever said that a secre conference was distasteful to hin and that the matter had been brought out only in the last few months
 pr. Barrett then referred to the time when the policy of open meet ings was in vogue. The chief of po' lice had to sit in the council cham Der to maintain order then, he said. Referring to Mir. Burruss' state ment that he had been choked of with 8 small appropriation for un' paved streets in the city Dr. Barrett said the city statistics showed . 2S1k per cent increase in operating funds for the department of public improvements for the first three years of the present administration over the last three years of the pre- ceding administration and an in crease of Ill per cent in equipment appropriations for the same periot over the last three years of the former administration.
 Voted For Budget Dr. Barrett stated that all five com missioners voted for budget and thai they are equally responsible. He saic that no materials could be obtained during 1918 for street work and thai labor was scarce. affording no oppor- tunity for work. He expressed hi astonishment that the street depart ment had financed the city and freed it from debt. He referred to a state ment made by MT. Burruss that hi street appropriation, based on tha for the present year, was $236,o0 under what it should have been fo the four years. The city's debt wa $207. .000.
 Dr. Barrett declared he had al ready put into practice the plan O equal pay of women with men fo equal work. He shower how the ex penses of his department were in creased only 16 per cent over thos of the preceding administration.
 Thexiegal department, he said witt from two to seven lawyers, ha shown an increased cost of 7l2 pc cent over the last three years of tn former administration, while the rev enue from fines and forfeitures Il appeal cases has increased S2a pc cent
 Saved S5O.OOO
 People of Birmingham were save $50, 0,O00 through the government TOO sales, he said, at prices fixed by tn government allowing 10>per cent a margin for handling. The cit. made $7o in handling s24o,00o wort of government food, Dr. Barrett as serted. He explained that operation of q certain professional man wer under government regulation as t price and as a private individual, witl the city having no connection wit him after November, 1920.
 Commissioner Burruss, in his talk declared he had never received a frs choice since his election to the crm mission four years ago. He said pr Barrett told him 10 months ago tha he had never had a chance. Fl stated he was giving up his plac voluntarily and seeking a higher of flee as just promotion.
 Streets the Sufferer He attacked the small appropria lions for streets, stating the depre citation which now exists is due t lack of money in the three years pas to repair them with. He said tn debt of the city had been paid wit l the streets the sufferers.
 He referred to the praise of tn party of Atlanta officials recently Il the city. who declared streets her were unsurpassed in the south. H told of having wanted the departmen of public utilities whom he went int