The Cordova daily times., 1923-01-31
CITY RAILWAYS ISSUE RACE
 FOR MAYOR

poiAIlSil looIpali, Has D6oH hlCk6t back on the mayoralty gridiron again and promises to be the outstanding issue when Detroiters go to the polls to pick man to succeed Senator James Couzens, who resigned re gently as mayor to take Truman H Newberry's seat in the United States Senate.
 John Lodge, president of the City Council, has taken over Mayor Couz ems job temporaritly Under the city charter Lodge must call special election within six months.
 Detroit has in operation the largest municipally owned street car syst m in the world. Couzens formulated the plan to purchase the old Detroit United Railway lines and finally ''sold" the idea to the people, after one of the bitterest fights in the history of Detroit. The Detroit United Railway Company was willing to sell-but at it's own price. Couzens refused to buy at the D. U. R. figure and appealed to the people.
 A substantial majority was rolled up for an amendment empowering the mayor to oust the D. U. R., and Couzens issued an ultimatum. A com promise was reached, and the lines passed into the hands of the city.
 Left Big Job
 Couzens has left big job for a big man. The municipally owned system is still a youngster and must be nursed along to have fair chance to Give" The street car system has made money under city operations. but the experiment has barely started, and the principle has many enemies.
 With Couzens out of the way, friends of private ownership see a chance to stage a successful "come- back" Under the city charter the mayor names the general manager
 
 is responsible for practically every thing that happens in the city govern ment. It is doubtful whether the lines could he operated prOfitably under city control should enemies of municipal ownership elect a mayor.
 Among those mentioned as likely candidates are: Frank Doremus, for mer United States Congressman; W. Marx, ex-mayor, and Judge Edward J. Jeffries.
 Ford Favored Cut
 Henry Ford created quite a stir when he~ suggested cutting street car fares onehaIf. Detroiters now pay straight fiVe-cent fare. Pros pective candidates will probably be asked during the campaign if they think this is possible. They may also be asked how it can be done and who they are going to place in control of the lines.
 A few months ago the automobile manufacturer reduced the price of his cars below the cost of produc- tion. Increased sales resulted, and he has made more money than ever before. The same principle can be applied to municipally owned street car lines, Ford believes.
 q am in favor of cutting the fares one-half, building extensions and i'm proving the service, even if tax payers have to help out a little on the start" says Ford.
 ''That would treble the business. People would find they could ride the cars so cheaply that tens ot thousands who drive to and from work would ride the cars-the saving would be so considerable they would have to. And that one step alone would go very largely toward solving the congestion in downtown streets. Against Politicians
 "Detroit ought not to elect a pro- fessional politician mayor. Let's get rid of the politicians. Detroit needs a man capable of making municipal ownership a success. The politicians cant do it.
 we are installing lot of addition al power at River Rouge, which we will be glad to sell to the municipal lines-and very cheap" says Ford in pledging aid to the project
 Ford has been keeping in close touch with the municipality owned lines. William B. Mayo, his chief engineer, is also member of the Street Railway Commission. Couz- ems carried many knotty problem to Mayo.
 How far will Ford go to ''get rid of the politicians?" Will there be an out-and-out Ford candidate, who