The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-11
DROP FIGHT 70
INSERT PR IN
MANAGER BILL
Fear Doubtful Legality of
Proposed System Might
Crash Whole Scheme.

Efforts to amend the city man
ager law to provide the proper
tional representation system of
electing city commissioner were to
be abandoned in the Indiana house
of representatives this afternoon.
Doubtful constitutionality of the
'P. r." system, described as the
nemises of machine control" o.
city manager government, caused
the Indianapolis City Manager
League and members of the Indian
apolis delegation in the house to
recede from their advocacy of pro-
portional representation, it was
learned.
This switch in plan was the lat
est development in the city man
ager controversy that was to be
opened formally on the floor OF
the house at 2:30 p. m. AT that
hour the Noll bill, clarifying an6
Strengthening the 1921 city man
ager act was to be placed on second
reading and opened to debate and
amendment.
Report FaVOrs Bill!
The bill was drafted by the In
dianapolis City Manager League and
introduced in the house by Repre-
sentative Frank j. Noll Jr. of Indi-
annapolis.
1t came unamended from the
cities and towns committee with a
report favoring passage. The re-
port was adopted more than a week
ago.
Political factions, seeing the hope
of controlling city government under
the manager form slipping away
under the "P. r." system of elect
ing commissioners, at first were out
spoken against the voting innova-
ton.
Their opposition, however, was
Soft-pedaled when it appeared that
because of "P. RS" doubtful legal
ity, under the Indiana constitution,
its inclusion in the city manager
statute might offer a vulnerable spot
for attacks on the whole city man.
ager law in the state supreme court.
Sensing this, and informed by
high legal authority that proper
tioral representation might prove a
boomerang, the city manager forces
agreed, it was learned, to withdraw
this feature of the NolI bill
An amendment was expected from
Representative j. Glenn Harris Of
Gary to remove "P. r." anad permit
election of city commissioners under
the federal system of elections.
Better to Wait"
Friends of the city manager gov
eminent feared that if they sue
ceeded in their fight for "P. r. and
the city manager form of govern
ment were established in Indian
apolis in 1880 with commissioners SO
elected, the whole governmental
structure of the city might crum-
pie under an adverse decision by the
state supreme court.
IF proportional representation
would open the city manager form
of government to danger of invaIi-
dation by the supreme court, 1t is
better to wait two years and then
seek an amendment to the conStitu-
ton so that EP. r. can adopted
one Marion county representative
explained.
Evansville representatives. had in
tended to offer an amendment to
extend proportional representation
to that city, as well as Indianapolis.
Today's developments, however,
made this improbable.
Contemplated amendments in
clude:
Several Amendments Proposed
1. One by indianapolis forces
friendly to the manager form, de-
signed TO protect inc present set
up of the indianapolis board OF
health which directs management
of the city hospital.
2. One by Representative John
w. Chamberlain of Terre Haute,
regarded detrimental to the man
ager plan, proposing to make the
city clerk and city judge elective
instead of appointive. The city
Judge reference would not apply to
Indianapolis.
8. Another by Chamberlain to in
crease the salaries of commissioners
from $500 to $4,000 a year.
4. One or more by Indianapolis
opponents of the city manager form
of government, intended, presum-
ably, to remedy parts of the law
regarded of doubtful constitution
atty.
Friends of the city manager law
and the Noll amendments were an
ticipating the strongest attack to
come from Representative Lloyd D.
Claycombe of Indianapolis. avowed
enemy of the manager government.
Claycombe said he had made no
decision on introduction of a bill
he has prepared for a form of city
government Incorporating principles
of the present federal system and
city manager plan. Wen wait and
see what happens" he said. IF the
present law is amended so as to
make it reasonable, may not in
troduce my bill"
A bill resting in the cities and
towns committee of the senate calls
for outright repeal of the 1921 city
manager act.