19671 BOOKS IN REVIEW 119

Books m Review . . Jezvel Rellwh, Editor

Metropolitan Areas GOVERNMENT IN METROPOLITAN RE-

GIONS: A ReafifiraisaE of Fractionated Political Organization. By Robert 0. Warren. Institute of Governmental Af- fairs, University of California, Davis, 1966. 327 pp.

This study is useful as an anthology of materials dealing with America’s metropolitan areas. The author organizes the literature into two parts. One he labels the “traditional” approach which condemns the governmental proliferation and fragmentation of the urban com- munity and, in effect, calls for reform -a united, cohesive single unit of gov- ernment. The second approach, more realistic and sensitive to actual develop- ments around cities, suggests that metro- politan areas are serving urban man rather well-garbage is collected, homes are found, water runs through the taps, streets are paved, traffic circulates. Those who have urged some form of metropoli- tan governmental system have never empirically proven that fragmented in- stitutional arrangements have been the cause of the unresolved problems.

The author, by focusing on the Los Angeles experiments, particularly the Lakewood plan, suggests that, somehow, new techniques and accommodations have been designed to fulfill the needs of urbanites. In California, a number of dysfunctional aspects of the mosaic of governmental units were modified by other agencies such as the state legisla- ture, the judiciary, administrative units and federal government actions which have induced the resolution of some con- flicts.

Municipal Government 29 WAYS To GOVERN A CITY. By Iola

0. Hessler. Hamilton County Research ’

Foundation, 309 Vine Street, Cincinnati 45202, 1966. 102 pp. $1.25.

Local discussion of Cincinnati’s council- manager charter led to this undertaking to evaluate the governments of 29 cities of over 375,000 population. The prior work of Edward C. Banfield of Harvard University along similar lines was re- viewed and the relative advantages of the several forms of government are ex- amined with brave appraisals of local performance. The conclusion, buried deeply on page 62, reads : “This compara- tive opinion-study of 29 cities indicates, however, that the council-manager plan more consistently yields unified direction and effective administration in changing conditions than the mayor-council form.’’ The conclusion as to Cincinnati is: “No major charter changes, in either the form or election system of Cincinnati’s govern- ment, appear to be justified at this time, on the basis of experience in others of the 29 large cities covered in this survey.”

R.S.C.

Reapportionment

REAPPORTIONING LEGISLATURES. Edited by Howard D. Hamilton. Charles E. Merrill Books, Columbus, Ohio 43216, 1966. v, 154 pp. $2.25.

Although several of the articles in this collection deal with the state of Ohio, most of them are of value to anyone interested in the various problems of reapportionment.

The product of a conference held at Bowling Green State University during March 1966, the various contributors are : Thomas A. Flinn, Myron Q. Hale, How- ard D. Hamilton, William P. Irwin, Stewart R Jaffy, Malcolm E. Jewell, Byron H. Marlowe, James K. Pollock and William B. Saxbe.