Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23
CERNAK BAN|SH|NG.
CH|CAGO'S GLOOM
Many Gangsters and "Pay-
rollers Eliminated Among
Achievements.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, August 22.--After nearly
Sour months of his rule. Chicago rapidly
Is becoming convinced that it finally
has q real functioning Mayor
This conviction on the part of the
Nations second city has grown in direct
ratio to the volume of grumoling
emitted by party politicians. Recently,
with patronage meager and the execll-
Awe increasingly insistent upon job
elimination, the growls approached
erescendo
When Mayor Anton j. Cermak took
ever the reinS held for four years by
william Hale Thompson, he found him
self In the midst of bedlam. The treas
ury was bare, pay rolls heavily laden
with excess names, gangs SILL powerful
and police none too effective.
Since then things have happened.
Among them: A fairly definite improve
ment In the gang situation, with
gradual elimination of emissaries of the
underworld from the public pay roll.
An upset police department, finally
working with knowledge that results
and not pull, win receive attention.
A clearing of over 1000 excess pay
rollers from their city connection at
an annual saving of nearly S5,000,000
Wut O1 y 9UGtOOO,VOO HAA44ddA O0ABSb-
Tax Assessing Reforms.
A definite alignment of the mayor
alongside bankers and business men for
Q reform Of tax assessing machinery
designed to put the city back on its
feet financially.
Each step taken by the mayor has
been In the face of heavy pressure from
politicians of his own party rs well
as from Republican party ranks In
council meeting he stood up and fought
the party's leader, John Clark, chair
man of the Finance Committee, over
cuts In expenditures.
Mayor Cermak this week made a
midnight trip to two police stations on
q personal investigation. AS a result,
two captains found themselves removed
to the inactive list. The mayor learned
that they were not doing as told.
IF that is the way captains are
obeying orders from downtown they
might just as well know now they will
suffer" he said. Later Mayor Csrmak
asked for a list of all police officers
ever IS years of age. and the depart
Ment interpreted this move as the fore
runner Of q general revamping of the
department. Investigators in the past
have found the shortcomings of the
Chicago police TO lie largely among the
higher ofnctalS.
lab Holders Cleaned Out.
On another occasion, investigators
found over 800 jobs at the Municipal
tuberculosis Sanitarium held by resi-
dents Of one ward. from which a for
mer superintendent had come as ward
committeeman.
we fired all except one" Mayor Ger
max said. He was laborer, who
wore q diamond In his tie and was
sitting around the once of the insti-
tuition. we didn't ire him: we gave
him q shovel. and he quit"
The mayors efficiency expert, j. L.
Jacobs, now Is making a complete sur
vey OF the city Offices. He estimates
that q saving Of Is per cent in the cost
Of operating the municipality is possible
without reducing efficiency.
Already moves are under way to con-
eOlidate all city purchasing, and the
mayor had lent his support to plan
for consolidating local governmental
agencies in the interest of efficiency
and economy.
The ba1lyhoo days Of some former
administrations appear to citizens 10
have passed. There now Is more evil
dence Of solid work.
1Copyrixht, -gsl)