The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-19
CITIZENS HEAR OPENING PLEAS
 FOR NEWcRULE
Small But Enthusiastic Crowd At First Alder
 "a,
 manic Meet v,

Almost every section of Birmingham was represented at meeting in the courthouse Friday afternoon at which the proposed modified plan of mayor aldermanic government was explained by Judge Horace Wilkinson and advo- cated for adoption by a number of speakers.
 The crowd was small. but full of en- thusiasm and applauded the numerous broadsides fired at the prevailing com mission form of government and the manner in which it is being admins tered. . a A delegation from West End and Central park asked additional represen- tation on the proposed aldermanic board for that section, and a committee com posed of S. W. Hawkins, Mrs. Asa P. Hull, Dr. J. G. Hopping, T. o. Smith, M. Fl. McDowell and County Registrar L. K. Bowen was named to investigate and report back to the central campaign committee, which will be formed early next week.
 Mayors Salary $7.5OO
 Tentative draft of the ordinance em- bodying the proposed change in control fixed the salary of the mayor, who would be the official head of the govern ment, at $7 800 year. He would be under $25.000 bond and held strictly accountable for results, with a pro- vision that the city council could at any time, by a two-thirds vote, declare his office vacated ''in the interest of the public welfare
 Likewise, any of the g aldermen could be forced to retire upon the filing of a declaration by 60 per cent of the voters in his district.
 This will give us responsive govern ment," Judge Wilkinson declared.
 A revised ordinance presented to the gathering fixed the salary of the city attorney at $6,50O a year, the city hall recorder at '$3, ,600 'the Ensley recorder at $2,400, and the aldermen at $10 for each meeting attended. with the added provision that no alderman should be paid more than $20 in one month.
 All other salaries would be fixed by the council.
 Proposed Districts Judge Wilkinson said printed copies If the proposed ordinance would be aeady for general distribution the first of next week. The drafting committee, liter weeks of consideration, proposed he division of the city into ten dis ,ricts, with representation on the alder manic board as follows:
 District 1-Wylam, one alderman.
 District 2-Ensley, 8.
 District 3-Pratt City. 1.
 District 4-West End, Eleyton, Graymont and Central park, 3.
 District 5-Old Birmingham (pre- finct 37), 3.
 Disrtict Gold Birmingham least ef Twentieth street,, 3.
 District North Birmingham, 2.
 District S--Avondales; 2:
 District 9-Woodlawn, 2.
 District 1Q4-Bast Lake, Gate City, 2. Mrs. Solon sJatots, one of number "f prominent. women whe attended the leetins, expressed preference for city lanager government and suggested that lis plan be submitted to referendum long with the plan under discussion nd the present type of control.
 "We would like to have this done" id Judge Wilkinson, .ttut after care Il study of the: legal aspect of Sthe sit ltion,. we find that the peculiar Ian lage Qf the. act passed by the last, leg lature prevents the submission of ore than one new plah at time. This ; chnicality, we feel, is extremely ,un- lJrtunate."
 Mrs. Jacobs said her chief criticism /: the modified aldermanic plan lay the inadequate salaries proposed.
 Salaries Inadequate'
 ''The trouble at tine city hall now" :e said, ''or at leastsone of them, plies the fact that the salaries are in- lequate. think the mayor should be lid at least $10,000 a year, and that le alderman should receive a minimum $50 per month.
 ''The only way we can get out of the ;tuation' in which now find our lives will be to command the best off ials possible and pay them enough to lake it worth their while"
 Mrs. Jacobs caused laughter when