Evening star., 1926-05-18
CINCINNATI THRIVING AND HAPPY
UNDER RULE OF COL. SHERRILL
Fears of Army Dictator
Soon Allayed by His
Rare Tact.
Former ID. C.. Official Has
Biggest Job of Career
On His Hands.
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.

CINCINNATI, May IS. This
Queen city, of the Ohio valley,
once considered the hotbed OF ring
politics and boss rule. Is beginning 10
like it's unique experience OF being
under the non-political rule of city
manager. When Cincinnati started
out to get a non-political fuler' II
went the whole distance. 1t engaged
an officer Of the United States Army,
figuring that a West Pointer VINO nad
been in uniform virtually from boy
hood ought not to have any entaheihs
political alliances.
Cincinnati. so far as any one seems
to know, is the only American city
today which is under the complete
sway of an Army officer. However,
Col. Clarence 0. Sheriff. really is an
"eX," for he resigned his commission
in the military establishment Janu-
ary l. when he came here to take up
his duties as city manager at a sal
AIRY of $25 900. or something like hVe
times as much as he was receiving
| in the service of Uncle Sam.
Has Bigger Job on Hands.
For quite few years Col. Sher
rill had been chief military aide at
the White House, and officer In
|
| In the latter post, and through his
| training in the Engineer Corps OF
| the Army. the colonel became &C
uuainted with some details of munici
pal government, but since coming tC
| Cincinnati he has found that running
! a big, throbbing industrial as well as
, residential city Is a far more difficult
and complicated problem than ever
came to his hands in the Capital
| Several cities have had the services
| of military officers of the Unltec
States in various capacities. There was
| for instance, the recent case of Brig
Gen Smedley -. Butler in Philadel
| phia. And more than a decade age
there was the case of Gen. III. II. Bing
| ham. who became police commissions
of the city of New York. Gen. Bing
| ham had at one time held the same
duties in Washington as recently wer'
held by Col. Sheriff.. Washington
under its Federal commission form o
! government, has an active officer O.
| the Engineer Corps on its board o
three Commissioners.
| Conservative Cincinnatians will tel
| YOU frankly that they looked some
what askance at Col. Sheriff. when ht
| first came here: they anticipated
| something of a military dictatorship
in municipal affairs, or. at least, ar
attempt in that direction: but nothing
of that sort has transpired. BY hi:
cool Judgment and common-senst
practices the colonel has completely
| disarmed prospective critics, and il
generally is admitted that he is
good" for at least two years of com
plete authority at the city hall, if moi
a longer tenure.
Test Comes in 1927 Elections.
| The test of the new experiment
will come in the Fall elections of 1927
| when a new council will be chose n
| Col. Sheriff. was chosen by the sitting
council. which was elected on a city
manager platform.
SO completely has Cincinnati gone
| in for a strictly business administra
tion that only one city officer. thu
auditor, is elected by the people. Al
others are appointed by the city man
ager. Even the auditor is to come
under that system soon.
The mayor. Murray Seasongood, i!
really just the ceremonial head of th'
city-occupying a position somewha
like that Of the King of England. Hi.
salary is $4,000 a year
Col Sheriff. has made something o.
! a hit by his direct methods of doins
| things Instead of being an exponent
of the red tape which is supposed Il
enshroud the War Department a
| Washington, he has been cutting the
tape of the older methods and making
city life much simpler for all whose
business brings them in contact will
the city government The engineer
ing features of municipal rule nat
urally have appealed strongly to Col
Sheriff.: but he has shown his apti
tude in other directions. He has beer
found to be extremely broadminde'
and liberal in his views, recognizing
the fact that 1t takes all sorts of peo
pie to make a city, as well as to max
world. He has retained the chic
of police and has not disturbed tn
administration of the Fire Depart
ment.
When Col. Sheriff.. fresh from tn
side of President Coolidge, came I
Cincinnati, Az months ago. he foun
the city badly run down at the heels
This had been the deliberate wor
of the administration under the oil
charter The Republican organize
ton had become peeved at the pee
pie because they refused to vote fo
an added tax assessment. There
upon there was a declaration of a
economy war. If Cincinnati wante