East Cleveland leader. [volume] (East Cleveland, Ohio) 1942-1970, 1960-08-18
Developments and Trends in
METROPOLITAN Area Problems"

DlTcCIoT Ol L uDllC A11dALS
Ford Foundation to the
International Municipal
Conference, Chicago, Illinois,
May lila, 1860
Theme: The campaign f o |
metropolitan government is one
of the more fascinating and
confused chapters in recent pol
litical history. About the only
ones who seem to understand II
are the historians taking such
a long range view the problem
all but gets lost, and the prac-
ticing politicians who learned
long ago to live in the short
run, to play it by ear, avoid
getting confused by the words
and above all count the voted.
II one is really interested III
untangling the whole ball OF
yarn (and since it makes such
good political copy and cover
I'm not sure everyone isl. Ia
guess the way to start would be
to define where the idea of me-
tropolitan government leaves
off and when practical ways of
realizing it begin.
It's pleasure to address this
distinguished group, and TO do
so in the convivial company Of
Fred Gardiner. | wish that all
the lessons we in the United
States have to learn from those
beyond our borders were as
kindly given and as easily re-
ceived. In his genial way, he
drops down to remind us every
so often that the water of me-
tropolitan government isn't as
cold as we've feared, and to
ask why it is more of us don t
Quit dabbling and go swimming.
Tn tempted to join the opposi-
tion to the United States
METRO just to make sure there
is continued reason for him to
come lecture us again.
Still wonder, good mission
ary that he is, whether he isn't.
beginning to despair Of his few
converts south Of the border.
And being descendent of mis-
sionaries myself, | thought it
about time one of us gave him
an answer.
So wi it h apologies to our
assembled United States mayors
for presuming that anyone
without the h S h marks of
elective office could pull it off,
let me put foot in mouth and
give it the amateurs try. 7
|. Note on Preachers and Ser
mons, Professors and Lee
lures
2. Note on General Ford Foun-
dation Approach
q. 20 grants. 10 millions,
general in e n t to get
America to work intelli-
gently at urban prob
lens, without pushing a.
remedy,
b. Clinical studies of reor-
ganization IN Syracuse !
Miami, Houston, Sacra-
mento, st. Louis, Cleve-
land, Dayton. Milwaukee,
New York, New Haven. |
z. Personal views not fin
ished.
First MIR. Gardiner. the facts:
admittedly we have been labor
ing and coming up with seem
ing mice. Miami, as you know,
is on the books as one Of our
more impressive products. Here
at least, not only the idea mer-
chants, but also the voters have
bought METRO-and not only
once but number Of times,
against some pretty active po-
litical opposition, But once
we've named Miami, we've
pretty well had tat least as
far as the big idea and the
bold vote are concerned.
Against that, ven have to ad-
nit the ratio Of sermons to
conversions is pretty low. Pm
told there have been nearly 100
major studies and referends to
every major victory at the polls.
Cleveland, Nashville, Knoxville,
Houston, Sacramento, and St.
Louis have all tried recently
and failed. Why can't we do
like Toronto?
l. It's Not That We Don't Get
the Basic Idea of Metro;
a. That we are entering a
new age Of cities. /
b. That our machinery is
inadequate TO h a n d e
either the internal or the
external problems Of the
two kinds of cities we
now have.
e. That constitutional in
vention is necessary.
d. That the job requires as
much attention as any of
our modern p polite c
problems and that ''local
politics as usual" is not
enough.
2. Nor 1t 1t That We're Not
Trying:
a. Successes" may be few,
but the number of tries
is impressive.
G.1-l.. zf