New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-28
L. F. u. Committee Of I'm
employed Favors APP
peaIing to Gov. GIynn.
PROTEST AGAINST
"NEGLECT OF DUTY"
Drastic Action To Be Urged
Against City's Retrench.
ment Policy.

the central reiterated Union. which or
ganlzauon represents more than tV,
hundred thousand men in all the trades.
lS expected 10 suggest drastic meas
Cr"s IN its report 10 the central body
tonight, relative 10 the protest which
me iaborlng men arc making al the
policy of rctrcnchmcut Of the city GOV
eminent 10 not letting city contracts
10Y public Improvements.
Edward l. Hanna. chairman or .r,
committee. said yesterday that thov
lad formulated charges agains, the
i've Borough Presidents for "ucglpct
Of duty IN falling 10 carry out city
contracts Tor which the money has hcoh
appropriated. the union mon contend.
They maintain that many such con
tracts arc being nelG up and thousands
q men are out Of employment. while
tho CITY Is under legal obligations TO
let the contracts.
Mr.. Hanna said that the comnittoo
will recommend that the charge b"
submitted to Governor Glynu and the
removal Of the Borough President,
asked on tho grounds that. as elective
officers. they have failed 10 carry on
th' obligations they were elected by
tho pcopi" 10 perform. Whether or not
this ir done. and Whatever further pro
tests may be made by the unions ~
Controller Prcndergast or other cir,
officials viii depend upou the action #
The Central Federated Union. which
meets AZ the Labor Temple in Fast 8ith
IT. tonight
I'VE look upon these contracts which
ave been awarded and registered 90
the Controllers office and which az"
beinC held up" said Nr. Hanna. in
the nature Of certified checks for which
the Controller has the money, and for
which he and the Borough President
are responsible in carrying them ou'
nat is according TO the legal advice
We have had 20 far on the subject.
Frank \. Sullivan. our counsel, VIII a.
tend the meeting tonight and give
his opinion. Meanwhile We have for
mulated charges"
Controller PrcnderCaSt admitted yes
terday that he was standing pat on
the citv's retrenchment policy. when
was announced shortly after the tu-
1opean war started. and that no new
contracts were being let. He denied
however. that pending contracts were
being held up except IN cases where thc
contractors consent was obtained.
There arc some contracts ready TOT
registration in my Office he said, "and
the legal decisions are close as TO the
city's obligations to carry out such
contracts. All payments on curreu.
contracts will be made as usual and
the contractors themselves are not
complaining. The general continuance
Of the subway wark more than Offsets
the lack of work on new contracts
which might be let under other circum-
stances"
None OF the union men appeared at
the meeting OF the Board of Estimate
Yesterday TO offer a protest. Borough
President Marks and the other boz
Cugh presidents who attended the mee.-
ing said that they were going ahead
with paving contracts and other work
fer which appropriations had nee
made. with q view of helping the uncN-
ployed all they could.
Hanna and other labor leaders said
Yesterday that the movement for big
public demon stration Of protest by Sow
cral thousand Of the unemployed who
would march 10 the City Hall vas well
under way. The parade will take, place
and a formal proteS; will be made -
Mayor Mitchell as soon as he returns
from mis- vacation. Hanna said. unless
the city provides work Tor these men
on the city contracts.
c. A. Crane, secretary of the General
Contractors Association. OF II Cham
hers ST.. many of the members Of which
have city contracts, said yesterday that
some Of the members had given notice
that they would bring up the subject -
the present delay in letting city con
tracts" for discussion at the regu.a-
meeting OF the association on Nedncs-
day.
There are some contracts regis
tered in the Controllers Office which
have not yct been ordered on said
ar. Crane. "and naturally the contrac-
tors who have TINS work want 70 tak-
il up. There has been no general com
plant in regard TO the situation by the
contractors The attitude Of the asso-
oiaion will depend upon the discussion
cf the subject at the next meeting.