The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-24
456 Cities Adopt
 City Manager Plan Citizens Good Government Association, Local Sponsor, Present New Series of Articles Outlining System, Describing Success of Movement in U. s.

0yStetns 1esCElplnx 0uC
 The Citizen Good 0overnnien Association, which Is sponsoring tn, campaign for the adoption ofth, City Manager Plan in Waterbur! has prepared a series of articles explaining the plan and the degree of success 1t achieved in many O the 456 cities, which have accept ed 1t.
 The following is the first install, ment of the series as prepared b, Howard P. Jones, executive secret. ary of the National Municipal Lea que.
 ARTICLE
 What Is the City Manager Plan
 Four hundred and seventy-seven cities and six counties are now op. erating under the full-fledged council manager form of govern ment. They range in size from Cincinnati. Ohio, with a popula- tion of 45l 900, to BendiX, N. J.. which is credited with 35 inhablt. ants. The list includes 466 cities in the United States, i6 cities ir Canada. four in Ireland, and one in Puerto Rico.
 Those who live in these cities say that they are home towns to Dc proud of. They say that in cities graft and corruption are usually at a minimum, or practically non- existence. They tell us that their governments costs only as much as 1t must cost, and not as much as a political clique wants 1t to cost. They insist that the man or Wo- man who lives In those cities can be sure of having his govern. ment do all the things for him that need to be done, and that it will do them well. And finally, they say that the citizen in those cities can always be sure Of get- ting a fair hearing for any pro- posal to change what the governs ment is doing. Tn short, they can say that in their home towns gov. ernment not only belongs to tie people, but 1t is run entirely in their interest.
 Not Magic. But Logic
 Sounds like a miracle? But poli- tical scientists and experts in gov. ernment don't call 1t a miracle. Instead they consider the city manager plan accepted political doctrine and It's principles are taught as such in all American universities. In the thirty years which have passed since the city council of Staunton. Va, passed an ordinance hiring a general municipal manager" the city man. ager plan has grown until 1t B referred to throughout the world as "The American Plan"
 What is this American Plan" of city government which has been adopted by almost one in every five cities of over 10000 popula- ton in the United States? What is the plan which has caused fl percent of the urban population of the United States (the Bureau of the Census calls cities over 2500 "urbanc to call their home towns "best eoverned?" Just what s meant by the term manager pian?"
 Briefly. a city is considered as having the manager plan if the people choose a legislative body, called a council which appoints a professional manager who has control over administrative af- fairs. and has board appointive and removal powers over his sub- ordinates.
 A Business Arrangement
 The plan is nothing more nor less than the application to f1lini- cipalities Of the method of organ ization found best in operating q business. Today almost every busl- ness is organized as a company. The company has stockholders and the stockholders elect a board Of directors. The board determines the broad policies to be pursued in the business end hires a manager to carry them out af,d report to the board. If the mana. ger does good work and business thrives. he keeps his job. If he iy no good, he is soon fired. If tie board sets Up poor policies, it is answerabIe to the stockholders who can elect other directors at the next company meeting.
 The city manager plan operates in precisely the same way. The difference is mainly one of names but there is. of course, one vital distinction. Tine object of the company is 10 make dividends but the object of the municipality is to provide service. But both plans. however. are based on the principle of centralizing Tespcnsi- bility.
 If the majority of the people want good government. and they usually do, this plan enables them at once to place the blame if they do not get it. Responsibility is not divided between the council and an executive who can stand on his dignity and say to the council: T was elected by the people: Don't you tell me what to doi" Nor ss administrative res pOnsi b fifty divided among several elected of- ficials as under the commission plan.
 Under the manager plan tire manager cannot pass the buck !, his admini6tratiOn is pOcY. ana