6 July 1917 Woodyard Closed for Summer
9 July 1917 City Council Stages Row; New Line-up (see below)
10 July 1917 'Retain Bureau' Will Be Appeal
11 July 1917 Denies Attempt to Recall Mayor
13 July 1917 Offer Petition
16 July 1917 Woman's Protective Bureau, Pastor Opposes "Log Rolling"
17 July 1917 Protective Bureau is Abolished by Council
18 July 1917 Raid On Protective Bureau Is Charged
Oakland Tribune, July 9, 1917
Protective Bureau's Abolition Favored by Vot of Davie, Edwards and Soderberg
Former Assemblyman Threatened With Being "Thrown Out" When He Flays Bills
Tumult marked the session of the city council today when large dlegations of factional supporters of measures pending before that body augmented heated debate with hisses, applause and personalities. Over the first controverted matter that has come before the new administration members, the line-up of the commissioners has apparently been established with Commissioner Frederick Soderberg voting with Mayor Davie and Commissioner W.H. Edwards.
Threats and shoults mingled while demands were made for the abolition of the woman's protective bureau and pleas for its protection from "political avarice." Denunciations were hurled from one side of the council chamber and met from the other side, while the council members passively looked on.
Clark Threatened
During the height of the uproar Mayor Davie threatened former Assemblyman William C. Clark of Berkeley with summary ejection from the chamber when Clark, speaking in behalf of the protective bureau, took occasion to criticize bills incurred in storing and repairing the mayor's automobile before it was placed in the municipal garage. The claims for this work were passed over the rejection of Auditor Clay by the council. One of the mayor's reasons for asking the abolition of the bureau was that Mrs. Whitnah, the secretary, had incurred items of expense that were illegally charged to the city and that the claims had been rejected.
"What has the mayor's automobile to do with this question?" demanded the mayor.
"Sit down, sir, sit down! I demand that you take your seat or I'll put you out."
Hisses and cheers greeted the remarks, emanating from both sides of the house in profusion. Chief of Police Petersen being absent, there was no officer present at the meeting and City Clerk Cummings turned the situation by taking up another communication for reading.
Mrs. Marie O. Lyons of 2134 Easth Thirty-first street suddenly appeared on the floor, stating that she "conducts a charitable organization in her own home," denouncing conditions generally, declaring:
"Cut out all charities, I say; to hell with charity. Take the whisky dealers and make examples of them, but to hell with charity. I am sick and tired of charity. Around tax time I live on spaghetti."
Trouble Starts
Trouble commenced when Clerk Cummings read a lengthy communication from Mayor Davie setting forth his stand on the proposition of closing the municipal woodyard which was ordered closed until October 1 last Friday, and his attitude toward the womans protective bureau.
Regarding the bureau, he said that it is a "step in the right direction" to close it. "We must not become so enthusiastic over those who need charity that we make our taxpayers subjects of charity themselves."
As to the woodyard, the mayor declared that it "is known all over the country as the home of the hobo." Men walk here from miles around to enjoy its advantages, he said.
Mrs. Whitnah stated that she has no desire to make the matter a personal issue, as she is firmly convinced that the bureau is a necessity.
"I am willing to go," she said, "if my personality will affect the work. I believe in the bureau, and I sincerely trust that the council will not abolish it, that the council will feel aside from the question so far as it affects me personally."
A.A. Armstrong took the floor and denounced the methods of the bureau, stating that women needing and had been humiliated there. His characterization of the bureau as a "stench to the nostrils of all good citizens of Oakland" brought forth more hisses and a personal attack from Attorney Henry E. Skinner, speaking in behalf of Mrs. Whitnah. It was declared after the meeting that the ordinance abolishing the bureau will be held up between now and the time on its final passage, possibly eight days hence, with a referendum. It was also threatened that a warrant will be sought by Mrs. Whitnah against Armstrong for alleged criminal libel.
The communication from Mayor Davie, which was the signal for the uproar and knocking of the gavel, follows:
"To the Honorable City Council,
"Oakland, California.
"Gentlement:--
"You have referred to me rejected claims against the Woman's Protective Bureau, which claims are declared by the auditor and city attorney to be improper and illegal charges against the City of Oakland.
"These claims represent only a part of an appropriation of $600 for last fiscal year spent in the manner represented by these rejected claims and out of a fund called 'Assistance in Private Cases,' for which the Woman's Protective Bureau requests an appropriation twice as large for this fiscal year.
"In addition to the rejection of the auditor this department has no place in the city government. In the scheme of our government all charitable functions are placed within the jurisdiction of our States and our counties. To claim, therefore, that the Woman's Protective Bureau is a necessary function of the city is to claim that some other division of government is falling in the performance of its duty.
"The County of Alamed alast fiscal year spent $396,612.80 for charities and corrections, of which sum the taxpayers of the city of Oakland contributed $238,367.68. In addition to this sum the city of Oakland is maintaining separately the Woman's Protective Bureau at an annual cost of approximately $5000, the municpal woodyard at about $12,000 more, the Associated Charities $3600 per year, besides the Baby Hospital, $600 per year, making a total expenditure for charities and corrections for the taxpayers of this city of $259,567.68, or over a quarter million dollars annually.
Charges Inefficiency.
"Bearing in mind this expenditure, the cry for the maintenance of the Woman's Protective Bureau is a cry charging the county of Alameda and the State of California with inefficiency. There should be a centralization in this work and I would recommend a centralization on the part of the city with the Associated Charities, the very name of which implies an association representing various fields. There is either a duplication and overlapping of work or gross inefficiency if it is to be maintained that additional charitable functions must be performed by the city. We must not let the enthusiasm of the heads of these various departments blind this council as to its duty to be a balance wheel and protect the taxpayers of this city as well as the subjects of charity.
"There is a statement from the superintendent of the public woodyard calling attention to the $27,000 that the city has spent in that institution, and telling how it furnished such wonderful accommodations for a bath. The head of the woodyard, in opposing its closing during the summer months, has publicly stated that several husky men have walked from Stockton to Oakland to use Oakland's municipal woodyard bath facilities. It would take a man about four days to walk from Stockton to Oakland. During that time he would cross over mountains and through fertile valleys where, on either side of the road at thist ime of the year, he could secure plenty of work. But, no, he would not work those four days requied in walking to Oakland: he wouldn't care to make $10 or $12 in those four days and buy a bath in some other city. No, it is on to Oakland, over the valleys and the city whose taxpayers furnish such wonderful accommodations for taking a bath.
Time to Act.
"And so, gentleman of the Council, it is time for us to consider for a moment the interest of the taxpayers of this city who have spent $27,000 to erect a building, and then about $10,000 to $12,000 annually to give work-shirkers a bath.
"In conclusion, gentlemen of the Council, I believe that the abolition of the Woman's Protective Bureau and the summer closing of the municipal woodyard is only a first step, but a much-needed step in the right direction. We must not become so enthusiastic over those who need charity that we make our taxpayers subjects of charity themselves. In returning these rejected claims against the Woman's Protective Bureau I recommend as my report the passage of the pending ordinance, which does not make any charge against the head of the Woman's Protective Bureau, or its assistant, who is affected as much as the secretary, but an ordinance which abolishes the department as being unnecessary, illogical and an overlapping function for the city of Oakland to maintain. Yours very truly,
"John L. Davie
"Mayor of the city of Oakland."