The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-03
PETTUS WOULD GIVE. VOTE ON. CITY GOVERNMENT.
Thinks Commission Form Is Disappointment For Several Vital
 Reasons

That the city commission issue promises to become 6 live feature in tho legislative campaign was indl- cated yesterday when Erie Pettus. candidate for tho Senate. said the people should vote on tho form of city government before expiration of present terms of city commission CTS.
 The people of this city are vital ly concerned about the form of their government" said Mir. Pettus. T favor giving voters of Birmingham an opportunity, as soon as prac- ticable. to determine whether there shall be change from the commits sion form. The majority of tho voters should select the form of gov ernment under which the city is to operate.
 "As general proposition 1t does not seem fair to leEislate officers out of office. but in this instance 1t Is provided In section 13 of the original three commissioner act that the com missioners may be recalled by tho electorate. The samo provision Is carried forward in tho act of 1915 In section 19.
 "We have not forgotten that in tho vigorous campaign put forward to popularize the commission form of government and secured It's adoption In tho first instance, one of the chief arguments urged in It's favor was the recall feature. Those sec- tions of tho law, however. have be- como nuBatory. But tho fact that .he recall was one of tho principal fea- ii fn of the commission form of govern ment. and that tho attempt was made to carry out tho idea in both cona- mission laws, would be sufficient mo- tico to incumbonts in office that they are supposed to hold the same at the pleasure of tho majority of tho voters, and for that reason a change of government which might shorten their term could not be considered in tho light of violation of the contract between the incumbents and the people.
 "Of course. as legal proposition. tho office could be changed or abol- ished by the legislature at any time without regard to the rights of the incumbents, as 1t has been held that the office holder has no vested inc terost in the office.
 That the commission form of gov ernment has proved great disap- pointment to many goes without say ing. It Is not representative; it Is too far removed from tho people; 1t lacks the protecting power of public ity. and lends itself too readily to work, In effect. like that of a secret caucus or committee. It has wholly failed to fix direct responsibility, or to eliminate politics.
 ITO have a political turnover of the police and fire department at every election would be a calamity that would banish efficiency. In so far as is practical both the police and the fire departments should be or ganized under civil service scheme with tho rights of the individual and of the public well defined and pro- | tected. At the end of the proper | period of service there should be some plan by which the city could retire on some reasonable pension l superannuated firemen or policemen, 1 or those who have been incapaciated | in the line of their duty.
 rho next legislature will have no moro important function than to determine what tho citizens of Bir- mingham may do in regard to their own local self-government. and to provide the plan by which the desired result may be achieved" (