Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-03
DEPARTMENT PROBE
F0RESHADOWED BY
CITY COUNCIL ACT
Finance Committee Allowed
$500 for Special lnvestiga-
ton of City Affairs.
MOTIVE IS KEPT A SECRET

That there Is in prospect for the
CITY OF Wilmington what may prove
TO be q financial regeneration. was m
d.cated last night at the meeting of
City Council by the several steps in
this direction taken by that body.
Many were heard TO comment on the
radical and even drastic moves made.
snd. Il Is a safe prediction that there
Will be more or less speculation
IN some of the various city depart
ments when some OF the motions
adopted last night become operative.
The move that created the most
SURPRISE was one by James Il. Nc
Manus. chairman OF the finance COM
mittee. who asked that the finance
committee be allowed sum not 10
exceed $500 for the purpose OF max
Ing special investigation Of the city
AFFAIRS In general. no money TO be paid
by Council until the committee had
compiled its report and submitted ii
10 Council and that body had approv-
cd II.
Councilman Hopkins wanted 10
know the reason for all this and Coun-
Gilman McManus replied that TO d.
Nulgc all the reasons might tend to
defeat the objects for which the spec
ial cash allowance WAS intended.
Councilman McNabb declared Il all
smacked OF so much secrecy and mys-
teriousness that he surmised the
money might be wanted to pay for
the services OF a detective or two.
That Is very possible" replied Mr..
Mic cManus. and he asked II Mr.. McNahb
was a good detective.
There was very little further debate
on the motion, ard Il was finally pass
ed by the unanimous vote OF the entire
Council. Later Mr.. McManus woald
have absolutely nothing to say re-
parding HIS reasons for asking for the
800 special fund for investigation pur-
poses. what ne Is going TO investigate
IN particular or what has been devel-
oped that leads 20 the belief that a
special and secret investigation OF
city Affairs Is necessary. All inquiries
were turned aside by the Councilman's
always genial and pleasant smile,
This. however. was not the only
bomb shell Mr.. McManus exploded
during last nights meeting. On his
motion and passed by the unanimous
vote OF the Council. Homer {. Sim
rected TO communicate with al the
city departments and request OF then,
y complets Net OF all the employees IN
each department. the position he or
shs holds, the duties each one per-
forms or ia expected TO perform and
the salary each one Is drawing from
the city treasury. Another motion by
Mr.. McNanus and also passed without
dissent. directed MIR. simmons TO COM
runica,e with the city auiitor and
request him 10 forward to Council
same 10 be IN their hands not later
than April IL. complete and thor.
oueh report OF all OF the city's asset.
and liabilities This is intended Il
show at a glance Just where the cit,
stands financially, and the presump
zion is that the report IS TO be used IL
connection with the evident novernen
on foot 10 bring about a readjustmen
os the city's financial affairs.
However. neither this nor the mo
ton 10 get information about all cit,
employees was explained 10y Mr.. Nc
Manus. To ell inquiries as TO tn
purpose OF the whole thing ne sirnpi,
stated he could not explain now ant
any revelation might defeat the pur
poses Tor which the steps are intend
ed. IL was evident most OF the Coun
cllmen themselves were as much 1,
the dark as the crowd OF citizens VIII
nlled the Council chamber regarding
what IL was al about, but none o
them made any strenuous move Z
force q more definite explanation from
Aiv. McManus.