The Detroit tribune., 1942-06-13
Bar Assn.


against the will OF the majority.
4. That any office or board now
existing may be eliminated, thus
abolishing non essential and use
less offices.
8. That this charter will be
drawn up by q group OF 10 per-
sons. again containing the proviso
that IL shall be elected at large
by the City Of Detroit.
REASONS FOR OPPOSING
/. The City OF Detroit since 1918
has operated under charter pro-
yiding for a streamline council OF
men elected from the city at
large in non-partisan elections.
The "One-Man Grand Jury men,
toned above, indicted three men,
bers OF this Common Council. all
three OF whom have been found
guilty and sentenced 10 prison. II
also indicted the former Mayor OF
the town, the superintendent OF
Police and about one hundred mem
bers OF the Police Department for
conspiring with common gamblers.
which indictment resulted in con-
viction OF the former Mayor and
Superintendent OF Police and a
large number OF police officers.
Obviously those In favor OF the
amendment cannot be serious in
arguing that streamline form OF
government prevents corruption IN
public office.
2. The election at large at q non
partisan election is almost a sure
guarantee that the will OF the peo-
pie will be thwarted. Under that
system all OF the members OF the
Common Council OF the City OF
Detroit or the proposed legislative
body OF the county may live in the
Book Cadillac Hotel or the Alden !
Park Manor. II has been found
from painful experience that this
type OF man does not even know
the problems OF his social inti-
mates, much less the problems OF
the various groups and interests 10
a cosmopolitan city like Detroit. |
Any honest person comparing the |
operation OF the public utilities In
sections where the members elect
ed at large In partisan cleo
tons live with their operation in
sections where they do not live.
will be convinced that this form OF
IS clearly detrimental
TO the people OF the community AZ
large. Under the same system OF
reasoning. those in favor OF the I
amendment should be fighting for
the election OF members OF Con-
gress from the state at large or
members OF the United States |
Senate from the United States at |
large. This would be just as SEN
able as the presen. proposal. tThe
members ot the Wolverine Bar AS \
Eoclat!on have no objection 10 n I
small legislative body as such, pro-
ylded that each member represents
a distinct district of the county OF t
. strictly population hasis)
3. Certain groups IL Wayne I
County have long conteIded that
there was danger from certain
minority groups 10 the majority |
OF the people unless elections were !
non-partisan and at large. We as
sumo that they re,e- 10 racial MI I
norities since there - no other (
logical basis. Perhaps sufficien; !
answer 70 this would be that there
IS no racial majority group in The
City % Detroit or the County Of
Wayne. We understand that tAe
members of the Polish race constl- I
tnte the largest minority group in
the county with a population o;
approximately 100000. that the
Negroes constitute the next largest
with approximately 10000; with
other groups such rs Jews. Italians I,
Germans, British. etc. falling in
smaller categor!es. AZ present
a small but socially and financially !
powerful minority is misruling aud !
misgoverning the majority by just
such devices as proposed in this
amendment. The only truly demo-
cratic means OF election would be