Page:The Wisconsin idea (IA cu31924032449252).pdf/216

 Dr. Cleveland tells of thousands of people watching the record of a baseball game as it was reported on the wall of a newspaper office. These people were standing in the street watching what? Simply an efficiency record.

Every move of the men on the baseball field was noted, every error and every score recorded. A record of the year's games was kept by means of which the best men stood forth, men recognized as the most efficient in baseball. The lesson for public service is obvious.

We cannot attempt to regulate railroads or great public utilities unless our public service is in itself so organized that it has a thorough understanding of the intricate systems of cost accounting and efficiency used by these great economic units. We must have efficiency of service in order to assure efficiency in administration. As Professor Ely says, "Apart from the question of the simple difference in economic strength as between the contesting parties, we have the question of skill on the two sides." Now if rules and regulations are to take the place of miscellaneous law, they must be made by trained workers; they cannot be made by ordinary elective officials of the old type; they must be made upon tests, measurements and close observation. This is as much of a science, as great a work and demands as high an education, as any work now known in human endeavor. It is surely a great undertaking for the uni-