Newark Leader, 1917-12-08

The four important matters con connected - nected connected with election methods and machinery upon which there is as yet no uniformity either of practice or opinion are: a) the date of munic municipal - ipal municipal election, which is in some places also the date of state elections, while in others it is not b) the polling places, which are sometimes school rooms, sometimes other public buil buildings, - dings, buildings, sometimes barber shops, and in some places portable booths (popular sovereignty on wheels!) c) the form and contents of the ballot in early American municipal history every voter furnished his own ballot, later on they were made upon a uniform plan and were printed at some pe periods - riods periods ballots were provided by the party organizations which, by their color or form, would reveal, even when folded, the manner in which the voter had used his franchise in the latter eighties the so-called Au Australian - stralian Australian ballot was adopted in our country (used in England since 1872), whose distinguishing characteristic is not its size or form or arrange arrangement, - ment, arrangement, but merely the fact that it is printed officially at the public ex expense, - pense, expense, while the older styles of bal ballots - lots ballots were printed by or on behalf of the candidates at their own cost. Our present official ballot has grown to be quite different from its. old English prototype. On our ballots, unlike the earlier English custom, the names of candidates are arranged in long columns according to parties later came the custom of putting at the head of each column a party sym symbol, - bol, symbol, below this a circle. The original Australian ballot had none of these features. They have been engrafted on the Australian ballot by the “in “influence - fluence “influence of party organizations which desired to hold their grip upon the voters and to place deterrents in the way of political independence.” The very appearance of the party symbol over the list of all the party’s can candidates - didates candidates was an appeal to the voter to vote a straight ticket, scratching and selection of candidates from sev several - eral several parties is irksome and many ab abstained - stained abstained from it frorrf- fear to invali invalidate - date invalidate their vote by errors in the mark markings. - ings. markings. In order to obviate this party partyism - ism partyism on the ballot, Massachusetts, as early as 1888 adopted a ballot with without - out without a party column, all candidates being grouped under the particular offices to which they aspired. How However, - ever, However, even on this ballot the partisan designation followed each name on the ballot. The amended Boston charter of 1909 marks the first ap application - plication application of the new principle of drop dropping - ping dropping of partisan designations alto altogether. - gether. altogether. The precedent established by Boston has been followed by many other cities in the United States till date. But even this reform is not yet

fully satisfactory. The ballots are still too long for the average voter. He has no means nor time for a fair scrutiny of every candidate, and, as a rule, will only use his judgment in reference to candidates for the most important offices.” If it be made the duty of the voter to constitute him himself - self himself a committee of investigation at every election, he will not perform that duty, nor will any amount of political sermonizing induce him to do it. This being the case, it becomes the part of wisdom not to put any such burden upon him. To this end, the number of elective offices should be reduced to a minimum the out outstanding - standing outstanding offices, those which from their nature carry large powers and attract wide attention, must of course be filled by popular action, but there the task of the voter ought to cease.” e) Finally, there ought to be more security against corruption and un unfair - fair unfair practices at the voting booth. Personation, intimidation, bribery, tampering with ballots, falsifying re returns - turns returns have been offences punishable by law from the beginnings of our municipal history. Minor offenses not involving moral turpitude have only of recent years been prohibited by statute, to wit, acts which con contribute - tribute contribute to make an election unfair, undignified or unnecessarily ex expensive. - pensive. expensive. The provisions of these pro prohibitory - hibitory prohibitory statutes vary in the several states, but in the main include severe penalties for bribery, illegal voting, and they limit the sources from which campaign contributions may be received, and the purposes for which they may be spent. In many in instances - stances instances they forbid the taking of contributions from corporations, place restrictions on political advertise advertisements, - ments, advertisements, which in some states must be signed by the advertising voter. —Exch.

He says, that only in “unforeseen emergency” shall appropriations be made for “contingent appropria appropriations”. - tions”. appropriations”. He finds that the rule was not rigidly adhered to. In no case shall ordinary expenses of the city be paid from “contingent appropria appropriations”. - tions”. appropriations”. It is noted that certain sup supplemental - plemental supplemental appropriations made do not measure up to the legal defini definition. - tion. definition. If the regular appropriation falls short a supplemental appropria appropriation - tion appropriation may be made, unless it was re refused - fused refused in the regular ordinance. He advises great care by the body in passing appropriation ordinances. Every six months a council should re receive - ceive receive a “budget” made up by the heads of departments. It should show the expense of the department, in each case for the last six months and ask for a definite sum to run the department the next six months. In that- way, he says, only, may we have an economical administration. It should also be dominated, inspected and passed on by a finance committee. The committee should know the exact financial condition of the city, ap appropriations - propriations appropriations sought and the ability to pay the same. The finance com committee - mittee committee should take a definite stand against incuring bills against an appropriation which is exhausted. The sum total of all bills in a depart department - ment department must come within the appropri appropriation - ation appropriation made for the six months. The finance committee should insist on that.

Furthermore, the report concen concentrates - trates concentrates its demands in the following paragraphs: “The menace of militarism arises through isolating the defensive func functions - tions functions of the state from civic activ activities - ities activities and from creating military agen agencies - cies agencies out of touch with masses of the people. Isolation is subversive to democracy—it harbors and nurtures the germs of arbitrary power. “The labor movement demands that a clear differentiation be made be between - tween between military service for the na nation - tion nation and police duty, and that mili military - tary military service should be carefully dis distinguished - tinguished distinguished from service in industrial disputes. “We hold that industrial service shall be deemed equally merito meritorious - rious meritorious as military service. Organiza Organization - tion Organization for industrial and commercial service is upon a different basis from military service—the civic ideals still dominate. This should be recognized in mobilizing for this purpose. The same voluntary institutions that or organized - ganized organized industrial, commercial and transportation workers in times of peace will be oest take care of the same problems in time of war. “It is fundamental, therefore, that the government cooperate with the American organized labor movement for this purpose.”

“The establishment, in American cities, of a system of nominations that will give every citizen a fair chance to offer himself as a candidate for public office and yet not bring an avalanche of names upon the ballot is something yet to be achieved. One is moved to ask”, says Prof. Munro of Harvard, “why this should be so se serious - rious serious a problem in America when it is such in no other country. In Eng England - land England it needs the names of only ten qualified voters to put a candidate before the municipal electorate in France and Germany any voter may become a candidate for municipal of office - fice office upon his own personal announce announcement. - ment. announcement. Even in the cities of Canada, where social and political conditions are not very different form those of American municipalities, any two voters may officially nominate a can candidate. - didate. candidate. In all these countries the road to a place on the ballot is easy enough yet the number of municipal candidates is everywhere smaller than in the United States.” In the opin opinion - ion opinion of the Harvard authority, who is an expert in American city politics, the adoption, in the United States, of the European system here in indicated - dicated indicated would result in the apear apearance - ance apearance of fewer names upon the ballot than under a system demanding the 5000 names.

The American Federation of Labor is not for a “premature peace,” but its Executive Council officially de demands - mands demands a voice in the peace conference. “When nations can send represent representatives - atives representatives to negotiate peace terms in accord with this concept, we main maintain - tain maintain that the basic provisions of the peace treaty should be formulated with regard to the rights and welfare of the men, women and children con constituting - stituting constituting the nations rather than the governments of the nations. The government should be only an in instrumentality - strumentality instrumentality oi the people instead of dominating and actuating their lives. This terrific war must wipe out all vestiges of the old concept, that £he nation belongs to the ruler or government. The future must be construed upon broader lines than the past. We insist, therefore, that the government of the United States pro provide - vide provide adequate and direct represent representatives - atives representatives of wage earners among the plenipotentiaries sent to the peace congress, and urge upon the labor movements of other countries to take like action.”

Firm in its support of the govern government - ment government in the prosecution of the war, the American Federation of Labor makes demands upon the administra administration. - tion. administration. Foremost is its demand that labor be represented in all defense activities “If wage earners did not take a responsible part in deter determining - mining determining our- relations to war work that field would be left undisputed to those not immediately concerned in their welfare,” says the executive council report. Moreover, the report makes demands that the government give equal recognition to industrial war service and military service. Recognition by the government of the eight-hour day, with provisions for longer hours with overtime based on an eight-hour-day, is also asked for. Equal wages for women and men in w’ar industry are sought.

The matter of fuel for the glass plants was brought to the attention of Dr. Garfield by President John A. Voll, of the G. B. B. A. The facts in the case and the request of the manufacturers for relief were for forwarded - warded forwarded by President Voll to Commis Commissioner - sioner Commissioner Garfield, with a strong appeal in behalf of the workers, in which he impressed upon him the fact that the Glass Bottle Blowers’ Association had set aside their summer stop of thirty years standing at Baltimore last summer at the request of the govern government. - ment. government. The setting aside of the sum summer - mer summer stop was for the express pur purpose - pose purpose of allowing members of the G. B. B. A. to continue at work, making medicine bottles for the soldiers and sailors who were at the front and in the field camps.