Book Reviews and Notices : American Municipal Government and Administration. By STUART A. MACCORKLE. (Boston: D. C. Heath and Company. 1948. Pp. viii, 630. $4.25. )
| Author | Troy R. Westmeyer |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591294800100355 |
| Date | 01 September 1948 |
| Published date | 01 September 1948 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
362
istrative
Services&dquo;
and
&dquo;The
States
in
the
War
and
the
Postwar,&dquo;
bring
the
text
up-to-date,
particularly
with
respect
to
recent
developments.
The
chap-
ters
on
financial
problems
have
been
thoroughly
rewritten
and
clearly
present
recent
financial
changes.
The
part
on
Intergovernmental
Relations,
and
especially
the
chapter
on
&dquo;Federalism
in
America
Today,&dquo;
is
excellently
done.
The
thoroughly
revised
bibliography
will
prove
valuable
to
both
student
and
teacher.
As
a
whole,
the
Third
Edition,
like
the
previous
edition,
is
very
read-
able.
The
principal
criticism
of
the
book
is
the
absence
of
more
extensive
treatments
on
the
recent
functions
of
state
government.
Chapters
adequately
treating
such
state
problems
as
administrative
organization
and
state
activi-
ties
concerning
crime,
public
welfare,
highways,
labor,
natural
resources,
health,
education,
etc.,
would
add
greatly
to
the
value
of
the
book
which
is
certain,
however,
to
remain
one
of
the
best
texts
in
the
field.
BOYD
A.
MARTIN.
University
of
Idaho.
American
Municipal
Government
and
Administration.
By
STUART
A.
MACCORKLE.
(Boston:
D.
C.
Heath
and
Company.
1948.
Pp.
viii,
630.
$4.25. )
The
theory
and
development
of
modern
American
city
government
as
well
as
the
tools
and
methods
of
actual
operation
are
ably
presented
by
Professor
MacCorkle.
His
combination
approach
is
desirable,
for
theory
without
practice
seems
incomplete;
yet
current
operation
requires
back-
ground
material
for
clearer
understanding.
From
a
crisp
discussion
of
the
place
of
cities
in
society
the
author
moves
on
to
trace
the
growth
of
city
government
and
its
relation
to
the
state
and
to
the
nation.
The
municipal
electorate
is
considered
not
abstractly
but
in
terms
of
political
parties,
pressure
groups
and
the
monetary
aspects
of
municipal
politics.
Some
readers
may
be
surprised
to
discover
a
good
word
for
the
political
boss.
That
he
often
makes
workable
a
system
of
govern-
ment
based
upon
checks
and
balances
and
separation
of
powers
is
frequently
overlooked.
Graft,
patronage
and
spoils
are
considered
in
a
sober
light
and
with-
out
disproportionate
emphasis.
Realization
of
the
importance
of
public
opinion
and
the
effective
use
to
which
its
accurate
measurement
may
be
put
at
the
municipal
level
is
indicated
in
addition
to
the
usual
discussion
of
pressure
groups.
The
second
part
of
the
book
opens
with
the
general
discussion
of
muni-
cipal
administration
and
organization.
After
this
chapter,
which
properly
presents
the
theory
and
principles
of
public
administartion,
attention
moves
from
personnel,
to
finances,
to
the
protective
functions,
and
on
to
the
con-
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