Lecture by Dr. Allen Last Night

Dr. William H. Allen, Secretary of the Bureau of Municipal Research of New York, spoke in the Living Room of the Union last evening on "The Next Man in Municipal Politics." Professor W. B. Munro '99 presided.

Although municipal government in America has not been so drastic a failure as some would have us believe, our cities have been badly managed, and the out grafter has held the ascendency with ineffectual reformers combating against him. In politics there has been an element of respectable men, who have been but machine tools. Reformers have failed principally because they have held the power without knowing how to give the community what it needed.

The next man in municipal politics must be one who is well versed in the facts of government. Under the present system is it easier for a man to be dishonest than honest; thus a new system is needed by which instead of making it difficult to be honest, a stimulus is added to act honestly.

In conclusion, Dr. Allen said that although under the present system few but the dishonest have a chance, there is a wide field of work for the honest man, who will eliminate the consideration of personalities, and will be interested in governmental facts.