The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-26
PASSAGE OF CIVIL SERVICE BILL IS NOW PREDICTED
Will Take Police and Fire De- partmentS From Politics, Says Altman-CIoe's
 Objections

Prediction that the bill providing for civil service for the Birmingham police and fire departments, and in- eidental1y providing for pension and relief fund for policemen, which is now before the legislature would be passed by that body without single word in the bill being changed, was made Thursday night by Attorney John ". Altman, who has figured prominently at the request of the DO liceme1 and firemen, in having the bill framed and presented to the law making body.
 MT. Altman stated he had received the assurance from every member of the Jefferson county delegation, in cludinE State Senator Walter Brow CT, that they would stand back of the bill and predicted that the measure would likewise meet with the appro- val of other members of both houses
 In reference to rumors that modi- fieations would be made in the orig inal bill before action was taken on it by the law-making body, MT. Alt man stated that the bill in it's pres ent form is as it should be, and is not as stringent as those now in ef- feet in Chicago, Seattle, Dallas O. New Orleans.
 Privates in the police rank who were approached for statements Thursday in regard to the proposed bill frankly admitted that for fear of melting the wrath of higher author ities, they refused to even make men, ton Of the bill while in the presence of newspaper representatives.
 Altman's Statement
 When the civil service bill was framed said MT Altman, there was no thought of taking away any DOT tion of the power of the commission CT of public safety, the prime motive being to take police and firemen jobs out of politics.
 'In a discussion of the general merits Of the bill between Mir. Clee and me Wednesday night, MT. Cloe stated that the city was not finan- cially able to take care of the extra burden of approximately $3,000 per annum, representing the salaries to be paid members of the civil service board. I have been otherwise in formed by other members of the city commission in regard to the financial item, besides the salaries Of the board members will not reach that amount, s3,00O being the limit to be paid to all five members. (ProvisiCn Il was made in the bill whereby each member of the commission was to be paid $10 for each meeting attended two meetings being scheduled each month, and others on call. The sal aries for the entire board cannot ex- eeed s3,000 per annum as provided in the bill)
 Dissention Exists
 ''DissentiCn which now exists in the ranks of the police and fire de- partments, due to the uncertainty of jobs will all be gone with the pas sage of the civil service bill and Bir- mingham will have doubly efficient and protective organizations when they are not subject to the 'whim of one man.
 "Mr. Cloe's principal objection to the civil service bill was the clause which took from him the power to employ and discharge members of the department. That clause is that which removes the two departments from the whims of incoming and outgo- ing politicians, but at the same time takes the burden from the shoulders of the commissioner of public safe- ty and saves him from the criticism of the public. which has fallen thick and fast during the present adminis- tration.
 During our discussion Mr. Cloe proposed that, himself, with two po- licemen and two firemen, compose the board to have charge of promot- ing or demoting members of each department. to replace the plan men, tioned in the bill for forming such body. The bill calls for a commit tee for that duty to be composed of the chief of police, two captains, two sergeants, two detectives and two patrolmen. Mir. Altman stated that such plan as put forward by MT Cloe was not in , accordance with other sections of the bill, and was emphatically rejected by him."
 Closing his statement, Altman re- asserted his belief that the bill would pass the legislature without a hitch and declared that the city em- ployes affected by it's passage will be benefited.