New-York tribune., 1918-10-16
What Do | Care About
Men of International
Fame?" He Snaps
Fights Dental Clinic
Advises Veteran Clerk to Get
New Job if He Doesn't
Like Salary

ternational fame?" snapped Mayor Hy-
Ian at yesterdays hearing on the tenta-
tive budget of s244,469,S55- The May
or's anger was occasioned at that par
ticular moment by hearing DR.. Meyer
L. Rheims. representing the First Dis
trict Dental Society, and other dentists
characterize certain authorities as
international experts" and "men Of
international fame" in support of their
plea that $50, 900 be provided for in the
Health Department budget to save the
teeth of the school children.
Dr. Rheims said that at least $2,000,
900 would be saved the city if the few
thousands asked for to establish a
school dental clinic was appropriated.
Algernon Lee, leader Of the Socialist
Aldermen, who also appeared to urge
the appropriation for the care of the
school shildren's teeth, resented the
Majors treatment OF him, saying:
~ am not here for any personal pur-
pose, but | want to assure you that l
am not here to be put aside with a
sneer or joke"
Mayor Sneers at Efficiency"
On several other occasions the Mayor
sneered at experts" and deficiency"
and his attitude was so obvious that
laborers in the employ of the city who
came before him to ask for more
money took advantage of his attitude
- @Lo,~ ;rh hot a
efficiency"
We're wedding the experts out
gradually" said the Mayor while one
of these appeals was being made.
A court clerk from Brooklyn, who
asked that the clerks pay be increased
5000 annually, pointing out that most
of them were married men with large
families and that there was no oppor-
tunity for promotion, was told by the
Mayor to get out and get another job
if he wanted more money.
"Is that good advice to give man
with six children who has rendered
eighteen years of faithful service to
the city," inquired the court clerk
humbly.
Cali the next item!" said the Mayor,
and the calendar clerk proceeded, shut
ting off the court clerk.
The young woman said that the AS
sociation did not take any part in the
last election; that it did not receive
any money from the Rockefeller Foun-
dation, but that it was in favor of the
Gary school system
After the hearing Miss Agnes de
Lima. director of the Public Education
Association, wrote letter to Alfred f.
Smths making q special appeal for suf
ficient moneys for the public schools.
In part the letter reads:
"Unless swift action is taken by
some one possessed of keen vision
and common sense there is grave
danger that the welfare of the chill
dren of the city will be lost sight of
in maze of legal quibbling and end
less controversy. You are running
for Governor on platform one of
whose leading planks demands lib
eral support of the schools. We ap-
peal to you, therefore, to lift the
present school budget out of the
morass of petty controversy into
which it has apparently fallen up to
place where the only consideration
is the welfare of the children them
selves"
Would Abolish Sinecures
Numerous cuts in salaries of high
Topping off of non-essential snecures.
Some of the jobs-now filled by Tam
many henchmen-which the Citizens
Union suggested be wiped out.-places
created in the last year-with the
salaries paid the incumbents, follow
Secretary of the Finance Depart
ment, $4,000; Deputy Commissioner of
Public Markets, $4,000; three Deputy
Commissioners of Public Markets,
$4,000 each; secretary to the Com
missioner of Markets, $4,000; secre-
tary to the commission, $500; sec
retary to the president of the Munich
pal Civil Service Commission, $4,000;
assistant secretary, Department of
Plants and Structures, $4,000; secre-
tary to Commissioner of Accounts,
$1,000.
The Citizens Union urged that the
budget should at least provide the same
sum as was appropriated last year for
placing orphan children in private
900, instead of the 100000
which Mayor Hylan and his associates
have provided. The Bureau of MUM
cipa Research also objected to the
"institutionaizing of children"