New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-05
Mitchell Shows
Labor Unions Are
For Gary Plan

Mayor Mitchell made his final defence
of the Gary system to the voters of
New York City yesterday when he re-
leased for publication transcript Of
the correspondence on that subject
which has passed between himself and
James Waldo Fawcett, editor Of "The
Dawn"
Mr.. Fawcett, in a recent letter to
the Mayor, charged that Mr.. Mitchel's
earlier defence of the system was
nothing more than shabby camou-
hage."
81 challenge you" he wrote, "to Sc
cure the Endorsement of any creditable
labor group in New York for the Gary
schools in New York"
In compliance with this challenge
Mayor Mitchell has submitted to Mr.
Fawcett statements from score of
labor leaders Of the city and state and
resolutions passed by many union To-
calls, all approving the system and ridi-
culing the statement that the Rookie
Teller interests were in any way con-
cerned in its administration.
Union Locals lndorsing System
Among the union locals which have
given unqualified Endorsement to the
system are Local 65 of the Eccentric
Firemen's Union, Locals 224 and 135 OF
the United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America and Local 1853
of the United Association Of Plumbers
and Steam Filters.
The Mayor also submits statements
from groups of labor leaders who WIS.,
tied Public School 45 in The Bronx,
where the system is being tested, Civ
ing enthusiastic Endorsement to the
plan. Among those who signed their
names below the sentence, 1--WE are
glad heartily to indorse the Gary
PLAN" are officers of the International
Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen,
Typographical Union No. 6, ChauFeurs'
Union No. 100, international Long
shoremen's Union 90S and many "'hers.
Mr.. Mitchell also quotes Miss Ida
Tsrbell, who after an investigation OF
the Gary system said: -.
"Men who want to blind the pubic
do not encourage methods which stlmu-
late reflection, observation and intelii-
gent action. All this the Gary system
does. This agitation is both ignorant
and dishonest"
Out of the score or more personal
opinions of the Gary system appended
to the Mayors reply the following are
chosen:
"Tammany is hard up for an issue
and picked on the Gary system. Ihey
try to make us believe that Rockefeller
is behind it. That is pure bunk. =
George F. Davis. ex-delegate TO the
Central Labor Union, Brooklyn.
Attack Is Called a Blind
"Organized labor is perfectly capa-
BILE of taking care of itself, without the
aid of Tammany Hall. This attack on
the Gary System is only blind. =
Charles Reed. ex-chairman of the Cen
trail Federated Union"
at is a case of Swo systems, as ! see
il. One is the Gary, the other is graft
Tammany wants 20 put back the old
graft system. Timothy Healy, presi-
dent International Brotherhood of Sta
tionary Firemen.
al favor the Gary schools. 1t is q
good, all-around system. | can't see
any Rockefeller in it, or Steel Trust,
either."-James A. Lavery, first presi-
dent Of the New York State Federation
OF Labor.
Judge Hylan, Charles L. Craig and
Alfred f. Smith, the principal Tam
many candidates, issued a joint reply
yesterday to Mayor Mitchels advocacy
of the Gary system, without once men
tioning John D. Rockefeller's name. On
every other ground, however, they as
sailed the system, taking up the Mayors
claims for it one by one.
The appropriations for new schools
in 1914 and 1915 were contrasted in the
statement with the more liberal allow
ances for this specific purpose made
unde- Gaynor, Mcclellan and "even un-
der Van Wyck," and the statement is
made that "the administrations Of
these three Democratic Mayors were
the progressive years of school devel-
oprnent, school extension and the
building of much needed schools in
rapidly growing parts of the greater
city.
New York schools had shops,
kitchens, gymnasiums, auditoriums,
Fairgrounds, music and drawing before
Writ, Gary, Mitchell and these salaried
propagandists were called in" accord
ing to the Tammany candidates.