South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-07
SEEBIRT ELECTED
HEAD OF INDIANA
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
Convention Honors South
Bend MayOr-Next Annual
Meeting In Gary.

Mayor Eli F. Seebirt was upani-
, mously elected president OF the
Municipal league Friday morning at
the third session Of the convention
which the league has been holding
al the Chamber OF Commerce, TAX
ing the place OF william r. Hodges
former mayor OF Cary. II was de-
cided that the next convention. which
Will be the sand, will be held at
/ Gary.
John ". McCardle. president of
the Indiana public service commits
sion. who was 10 speak on the pub
lie service law o. Indiana and
whether IL should be repealed. was
unable 20 be present at the meeting
yesterday and his place on the
program was taken by ]. NJ. Nc
Shane OF Chicago. who was employed
by the public service commission In
1919.
The utilities are operated by
trained men," he said. such as
chemical and electrical engineers. In
order 70 ascertain the efficiency and
costs OF the utilities, II is necessary
for the city 10 have trained men also
TO investigate them. The trouble is
with the public service commission
that they have not the money and
cannot afford 20 employ the experts
who are or vital Importance in fix
ing such things as telephone and
railroad rates, for instance
1T is the contention Of many
that the commission has worked In
efficiently so that IL is no longer the
servant OF the people and that the
people now need experts 10 cope with
the experts hired by the commits
sion"
There was sorne discussion as to
whether the league should pass a
resolution favoring or opposing the
public service commission. but by
the wish OF the majority, IT was de-
cided 20 let the matter rest. neither
declaring the league for or against
it.
Much interest was taken in the.
talk by Ora D. Davis. mayor of
Terre Haute as 10 the difficulties of
enforcing the law.
I'VE have had no influence nor
help from the bosses since I have
been in office" he said
Il promised when I went into Of
fee that the red light district would
be cleaned up in two years. 1t was
cleaned out in a year. Statistics
show that the work done by the pub
lie clinic for persons suffering with
social diseases had fallen off so per-
cent in n4ne months.
I'm spite of the fact that there
are now 1000 coal miners and many
thousands Of railroad men out on
strike. there is only half the trouble
that we had last year at this time"
B0otlegging Problem.
Our greatest trouble when I went
TO office was with the bootleggers. -
said Mayor Brown OF Noblesville.
There were IS bootleggers when
was running for office and I told
them not TO vote for me, and what
7 would do TO them II got into Of
fee. Now there are only two. The
first case I had and I tried all the
bootlegging cases myself. I fined the
bootlegger $500 and gave him 90
days. 7 had only six cases giving
sentences of this kind, and now there.
are no bootleggers"
Chief OF Police Laurence Lane
gave a short talk on his problems in.
law enforcement. The only way
We can cope with crime is by having
all the agencies which are interest
ed in law enforcement working to-
gether In harmony
From the standpoint of the police
officers, the petty violators give
them the most trouble The petty
criminals and the great criminals
are easily and sUmmarily dealt with.
II IS the small offender who doesn't
trouble TO acquaint himself with the
city ordinances who give us the most
work TO do"
The delegates OF the Municipal
league were the guests at luncheon
OF the Studebaker corporation.
tour Of the plant followed the lunch
con. and at $50 o'clock the session
adjourned until next year.