New-York tribune., 1918-03-23
Plan for Park Trenches
Adopted After a Row
PRESIDENT of the Borough of Manhat-
Project Called Foolish

AOJCCI SGlieU COOliSu
Az this point Mr.. Halls argument
was interrupted by queries as to where
she had stood in the West Side grab"
You were against preserving River
side Park, weren't you?" asked Con-
trollcr Craig
Mr.. Halls reply was lost in murmurs
of general disapprobation of those who
had favored the West Side improve
ment plan of the Mitchell regime.
you're either for Che parks or against
them, and SO are certain newspapers
which are trying to discredit this
project, although they did everything
possible to put over the West Side
grab said the Controller.
President Bard ncensed the Mayor
and his colleagues by calling the Lib
crty Trench plan an advertising dodge,
picayune and buncombe.
ITS ridiculous to say you can't win
the war without digging up one of the
finest parks in the world" he declared,
adding his belief that the proposal was
"a foolish, wasteful, advertising
dodge"
Borough President Riegelmann Of
Brooklyn asked Mr. Bard what he
thought American soldiers in France
would say if they could have been
present to argue the case.
Il think they'd agree that the dig
ging of theatrical trenches i'll Central
Park is a picayunc undertaking. re-
ported Mr.. Bard.
Mayors Retort Resented
"The whole trouble with you,' stern
" admonished the Mayor, sis that
you're too interested in art and not
enough in the success of the govern
ment."
"Neither the Mayor of New York nor
any one else has the right to say that, "
that statement, sir; | repeat, sir, l re-
sent It,"
"Well. it stands" retorted the May
or, glaring at the upholder of art.
A more serious clash between Mr..
Hylan and Mr.. Bard occurred when the
latter, in the confusion of discussion,
interrupted Controller Craig's views
on the uses of parks.
"The Controller is speaking" said
the Mayor deliberately. "Allow him
to speak or III have to have an officer
look after you"
Despite the rebukes, Mr. Bard stuck
until the Mayor made his suggestion
that he and all "art artists" 60 into
retirement for the period of the war.
Officials Of the Liberty Loan Com
mittee, following the meeting of the
board, said work on the Liberty
trenches would be begun without de-
lay. The first step will be to file plans
for the work with Carl f. PLAT, land
scape architect for the Park Commits
sion. These plans are complete and
Mr.. PLAT is expected to approve them
without delay Park Commissioner
Grell, who is i'll at his home, has not
expressed himself on the park trench
project, but, in view of the admins
tration's attitude in the matter, op-
ponents of the plan have small hope
that he will do anything but approve it.
The action of the Board of Estimate
elected the following comments last
night:
F. H. Outerbridge, president Of the
Merchants Association-"Th action
Of the board was dead right. Hope
good will come of it,"
Gutzon Borglum, noted sculptor and
director of the Parks and Fairgrounds
Association" is admirable. No
other position was possible to my
mind
S. V. V. Huntington. president of the
New York Board of Trade and Trans
portation-"I am for anything that will
make the Liberty Loan a success, and
if trenches in Central Park will help
let US have them"
Arthur S. Somers. president Of the
Board of Education-"I believe the
boards decision to be good one"
Leon Dabo. noted artist, just re-
turned from France-"There can be no
question of the wisdom of the de-
cision -