The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-18

gress; of some of the more important issues before Congress; of the tasks and problems of the executive depart ments. and the different views as to the duties of the executive. These are followed by discussion of the ju- diciary and of important recent court decisions. The last month of the first semester is devoted to study and comparison of the powers of state and federal governments.
 The second semester of the first year is devoted entirely to the jun gle of American politics"-the coun- ty, the township, town and city. Two monthssare given to the forms of city government, emphasizing the reasons why Lord Bryce called this the most conspicuous failure of American poli- tics. There is review of the long period of corruption and personal bossism, followed by study of the beginning of the "civic renaissa nce," arising out of the discovery that 1t was not so much a change of men as a change In the machinery of munich pal government that was needed The successes and failures of the two forms of city government apply ing the methods of the business cor poration are discussed--the commits sion form of government. first ap- piled at Galveston after the great flood, and the city manager plan. first tried In Staunton, Va.
 Lnst Months
 The last two months of this semes- ter the functions of municipal gov ernment are studied these functions being largely of business nature; city planning with reference to the future, water supply, sanitat ation, sewerage, streets, lighting, traffic. transportation, location and charac- ter of public buildings, schools, parks, fire and police control. and many other problems. Important projects such as New York city's water sys- tenn, Cincinnatis rapid filtration plant, Chicago's effort to keep it's water supply in Lake Michigan pure by the construction of it's great drain age canal, are discussed. Why does the police department of New York city cost S1S,000, 0,000--much more than that of London, whose police force is nearly twice as large? What is the best form of police organization? {? Why Is it that the buildings burned in the United States in a single year, were they placed side by side, would make an avenue of desolation from New York to Chicago, with four burned bodies for every three miles |? W ny oOCS 4NtW VT h nave d l1Tt lOSS five times that of London. and Chi cago ten times that of Berlin? Ques- tons like these are answered.
 Our schools are studied and our decentralized systems are compared with the highly centralized systems of France and Germany. New fields of education, new functions of the school house. the value of the play ground are discussed. Then come the great problems of municipal finance. taxation. revenues, budgetary plans and accounting. The importance of these is seen when 1t is remembered that New York City raises almost as much money each year as all the southern and western states com bined; more than half dozen Euro pean Kingdoms. more than London, Paris and Berlin combined. This is a democracy and our cities are gov erned by popular vote. but linen can not register their minds at the polls unless they have minds to register, ard voter who makes up his mind without information is not a source of strength or wisdom to any gov errment."
 The importance of the city in mod ern life Is emphasized. and students are urged to continue % study their problems. He who makes the city makes the world. For though men make cities, 1t Is often the cities which make men. Whether our na- tional life is great or mean. whether our social virtues are mature or stunted. whether our sons are vicious or moral. whether religion Is possible or impossible, depends upon the city. To the reformer. the philanthropist, the economist. the politician. the vii oinu n thc citv Is the cla c ic of social literature"
 In the course on European govern ment. American and European gov- ernments are compared the presi- dential form and the parliamentary form of government; the dual party systems of continental countries. It is shown how in continental coun-