New-York tribune., 1914-10-01
Mitchell CALLS
QUIZ TIGER TRICK
Saws Civil Service Probe
Aims to DiScredit His
Administration.
SEES MURPHY AVENGE
TAMMANY DISMISSALS
Mayor Defends Examiners Work
in Charities Department
After Investigation.

Mayor Mitchell at The City Hall yes
terday denounced the present lnvesu-
CATION Of the Municipal Civil Service
Commission by the state authorities as
a political trick TO discredit his admin
istration. He insisted that the inyesu-
cation was inspired by desire on the
part Of Tammany Hall 20 avenge the
dismissal of strong organization men
from the service of the local eomml5-
sion and the resulting loss OF patron.
age TO 14th 81. lie further attacked
state Civil Service Commissioners
Meyer Wolf for having issued his
statement in criticism Of the local com
mission during his own absence from
the city. Says the Mayor;
"In view of the exceedingly hlmsy
nature If the so-called charges which
have been brought against the local
commission, the good faith Of the pro-
ceedinRs is called into serious ques-
tion. The state commission under the
existing law may recommend to the
Governor removal of the local COM
mission. and with the Governors as
sent may appoint the successors Tor
the uneXpired period Of the term.
Such successors are not subject to re-
moval by the Mayor.
at is apparent that a state commits
sion which chooses TO serve PARTISAN
interests could substitute for the COM
mission, appointed under the admins
tration elected by the people Of he
city, a body representing Mr.. Murphy
and his interests The local commits
sion has recognized the department
and has closed certain channels of ad-
4. hsFs nj - vi
which of course may be irritating, and
therein We find the possible motive for
this attack
81 have made very careful study Of
the cases which were the subject mat
ter of DR.. VOLTS attack on the local
commission, namely, the appointment
of special examiners in the Department
OF Charities. Now, let me tell you Ia
the first place that il was brand new
work which these people we're appoint
ed 10 do, o. character which had
never been done in the Department OF
Charities before, requiring very deli
cate touch, understanding and sympa-
thy. These examiners were to go into
charitable institutions and investigate
cases, and, where possible, children
were TO be returned to their parents
for family support.
"As the result Of the work of these
examiners 459 children have been
taken out Of institutions, and 1l6 9TH
ers viii be restored shortly. Trans
lated into figures it means large saw
ing for the city"
The Mayor went on to say that the
list in existence was unsatisfactory,
and the Civil Service Commission had
caused to be prepared list Of experts
and authorized their appointments.
Some were unsatisfactory and we're
later dismissed.
at seems to me-" said the Mayor,
chat the people Of this city should
resent any attempt through a techni-
cal Interpretation of the rules of the
civil service to lay violent hands upon
the Civil Service Commission Of the
city. 10 take it cut of the jurisdiction
of the Mayor and to put it into tho
hands Of some other jurisdiction which
is not the one TO which the people by
their votes committed It,"
Frank Moss, who has been retained
BY the Attorney General as special
counsel TO the Stat, Civil Service Com
mission in the investigation of the
municipal body, said yesterday; ~ do
not care to discuss the Mayors state
ment. The Attorney General of the
State Of New York told me he desired
TO have these matters investigated
fairly and impartially."