The labor standard., 1922-02-15
WOMEN VOTERS STUDY EFFICIENCY
 IN GOVERNMENT

1
 Pressing Problems at Recen
 Conferences Called by tn,
 Connecticut League
 HARTF ORD-The Connecticut Lea
 que of Women Voters is among tht
 first state leagues to take up the con
 sideration of Efficiency in Government
 Miss Belle Sherwin, Chairman O: the Efficiency in Government Depart
 ment of the National League O. Women Voters, attended two con ferences held in Waterbury, February 1, and in Hartford, February 2, te discuss Connecticut questions relat ing to her department.
 Members of the executive board o1 the Connecticut League, state officials changes looking toward greater eff. ciency in government were present l The special topics of taxation, state police administration, civil service, the reorganization of state departments and the city manager plan were taken up.
 Miss Sherwin outlined briefly what some of the other states are doing to bring the question of efficient govern ment to public attention. r
 "When we were first organized , she said, Sthe need seemed to be for citizenship schools such as you had at Yale. It took only short time to see that we needed more specific information. Our department asked the states to proceedsto take measures directing the minds of the new voters to the specific changes. It was sug- gested that subcommittee be formed, leading up to schools for study, out of which would come the presentation of the program before at least one meet ing of each local league.
 "In Virginia, conference was called by the Governor, which ended with the passage of important resolutions. In other states committees have been appointed to work out what appeared to be the most pressing problem. In Ohio, for instance, we inaugurated a campaign to popularize knowledge of the election laws. Women can offer in every state support for whatever it seems important to have accom- plished."
 MT. William H. Blodgett, Tax Com missioner, was present>to outline the situation in Connecticut. He gave figures showing that real estate bears from 80 to 90 per cent of the tax bur- den, the tax on intangible property constituting only a fraction of 1 per cent of the states income. He pointed out that in asking for welfare meas ures the proponents must face the fact that we are placing the burden on the owner of homes. He said that Connecticut is in need of trained stat isticlans to point out where we are going in taxation.
 Civil Service Question Discussed
 :. Professor Henry W. Farnam, MT. Horace Taft and others spoke briefly on the civil service question, showing the trend not only in state and local government, but in business establish ments, to be in the direction of choos- ing employees by means of tests for ability and qualification.
 MT. c. M. Gallup described the ap- plication of the City Manager plan to West Hartford, where the election of the Council last year was by propor- tional representation. The elimination of the party label for candidates was thus accomplished, and the method of election, with nomination by peti- ton, saved the expense and trouble of holding caucuses. New London and Stratford are the other Connecticut towns which adopted the City Manager plan last year.
 MT. Thomas Russell, member of the General Assembly and of the Commission appointed by Governor Lake ito study and recommend re- organization of the state departme ents, told of the drawbacks to the present hap-hazard growth of the departments and bureaus which now number about forty. The expenditure of the state in the last fifty years has increased in proportion to the population well over ten-fold. The system of spend ing that money is practically the same as fifty years ago. Whatever short comings there may be in state admin istration he laid to the system, not to the personnel. of the administration: He outlined the terms of the bill brought before the last session of the legislature for the reorganization of this system, which was enacted only in certain details. He advocated es- pecially coordination of the con- struction work undertaken by the state, which he said would save more money than any other single project.
 Major Hurley, ,Supt. of State. Police, told of the various duties of his department, including licensing of moving picture houses, duties of the Fire Marshall's office, supervision of billboard advertising, and far-reach- ing responsibilities concerning the commission of crime. He urged that law report this either to the local citizens observing any violation of authorities or to the state police.
 RnCT0N W0MEN'S