The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20
TECHNICALITIES
 TO BE INJECTED
 BY OPPOSITION. Declare Legislative Act Not Adequate To Care
 For Change # WOMEN INTERESTED IN PENDING TITLES Both Sides Holding Daily /, Meetings To Shape Campaign Plans

Details of, plan whereby opponents of the movement for a modified mayor aldermanic form of government hope to block it's establishment on technical grounds, leaked out Saturday.
 The opposition forces have decided to start a fight in the state courts if the aldermanic plan is approved by the voters on Sept. g. They do not concede that the plan will carry but are expect ing a close vote.
 It is the view of pro-commission gov ernment leaders that the act of the last legislature giving Birmingham voters the right to alter their municipal sys- tenn at any time, is faulty. They do not believe the act is legally phrased or that 1t contains adequate machinery for car rying a change into effect.
 Thus, if the new plan wins public approval at the polls, an attack on the constitutionality of the act would be immediately launched and carried all the way to the supreme court, if neces- sary.
 Hunter Armstrong, Judge Horace Wilkinson and other leaders of the al- dermanic drive, take sharp issue with the view of their opponents, who have their strongest following at the city hall.
 Legal Phaze Studied ~s
 "A committee of able lawyers studied the legal aspects of this move for weeks and found that the way is clear for changing the system" Armstrong de clared.
 "There is no doubt in the minds of these lawyers he continued, ''that the supreme court would quickly uphold the validity of the act under which we are moving.
 As see it, the commission govern meRt forces have finally realized they rare facing an inglorious defeat and are now resorting to all sorts of subteHuge.
 "The campaign for representative government will go on unabated. Our forces are growing every day. There will be no compromise with the cham pions of the impossible system under which Birmingham now operates"
 Legal aspects of the reform" cam paign were raised several weeks ago by city hall leaders. City Attorney W. J. Wynn declined to give an opinion unless it were asked for officially. Next, the committee of attorneys began holding meetings. Several days ago, they de cided unanimously that the government can be changed under the present legis- lative act if the voters request change.
 To Meet Monday
 Armstrong announced tLat the alder manic campaign committee would meet Monday and select permanent chair man. The committee was in session for several hours Saturday but issued no statement at adjournment except that "progress was being made"
 In response to a majority opinion ex- pressed at Fridays mass meeting, the committee has increased the salary of the mayor from $7,500 to 5000.
 Mrs. Solon Jacobs and other prom inent women took the lead in asking an increase
 Still further changes may be made in the tentative draft before copies are printed" Judge Wilkinson said. ''We are meeting daily and he@ing from citi- zens from every section, sO as to finally submit a plan that will carry general approval"
 The mayor-aldermanic plan. under which the mayor would be in direct charge of all departments, with the right to ''hire and fire,' will become ef- fective in November, 1925, if the people approve it.