Show TO STUDY MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP new york oct 5 melville C ingalls of cincinnati president of the board of directors of ho cleveland cincinnati chicago st louis railroad was today chosen to head the commission of tho national civic federation which has undertaken a study of the municipal problem as it appears both in this country and abroad the commission met in this city today the first session being presided over by samuel gompers president of the american federation of labor and first vice president of the national civic federation august president of the federation ft as unable to be present having undergone an operation today near the close of the days session today a telegram was read from mr belmont saying he had come safely from under the surgeons knife and vas on the road to recovery mr ingalls presided over the afternoon session and arter formally ac hepting his place as nead of the commission sard A tremendous pressure for municipal ownership Is abroad and it Is our duty to the public tj them all the facts we can get together you read both sides in the public press one showing that it is a success while the other records a failure what Is good for one country 3 not good for another the great fault we are liable to fall into Is to try to do too much we want to study gas plants electric lighting plants and especially water plants I 1 consider investigation a public duty and if we put the facts before the american public ie will give them a history of today and wo do a greater work for our country than ever as performed by any statesman in addition to mr ingalls as president the other officers of tho commission chosen today are first vice president john mitchell indianapolis president of tho united alno workers second vice president john C agar new york president of the reform club secretary edward A Mot tatt new york city editor of the bricklayer and mason an executive committee and a committee on investigation wag also named among tho members being walter mcarthur san francisco I 1 the commission will meet again tomorrow the investigating committee will first take up the municipal ownership of plants of this country and will not begin its european inquiry until next year |