The sun., 1918-11-01

Of years ago, which resulted recently
because no one looked ahead properly
In great and often unnecessary expendi-
lures and disturbing hurly-burly which
officials and engineers Of vision might
have foreseen and avoided.
Until Commissioner Hubert tackled
with all his amazing enthusiasm and
energy the harbor plan which he has
now in admirable shape, the port de-
velopment or New York was In keeping
with our aeronautical programme" and
similar instances OF public slipshod
methods, which men with magnificent
| sense of hindsight are now trying fran
tically to remedy. Never until Mr.. Hull
bert took hold was there any semblance
Of the broad, scientific handling Of port
problems which the wonderful geo
graphical and commercial advantages Of
the port demanded.
Merely n Bureau Heretofore.
The Department OF Docks and Ferries
heretofore never seemed 70 aspire to a
higher estate than bureau which was
conducted. seemingly. for the sole .pur-
pose OF gathering into the city treasury
! all possible rentals and other sources Of
waterfront income. 1t was, first and
| last, a collection agency on big scale
| a sort of official landlord which, because
II was impersonal. often was unfair to
and always was out OF sympathy with
its tenapts, to a degree which no two
listed tenant would stand from a flesh
and blood individual landlord without
q battle. 80 ".s
II goes without saying that a Dock
Commissioner of the acknowledged
worth of the present occupant OF the
Office promptly knocked in the head the
old time methods OF unfairness 20 ten
ants and kindred Ills which the depart
mont had inherited and, go far as lay
in his more or less limited powers.
brought system out of chaos. made re-
pairs whenever funds were available
| for the purpose and generally put his
! department into busine ssiike shape. Bat
! when It came to the larger needs for
! present and future harbor and pier
! developments Commissioner Hubert
found his hands tied. e.. 70
Beginning Immediately he intends to
| accomplish a great deal OF hand un-
tying. Elemental facts with which he
| has to deal now include. to begin with.
the item that the port OF New York is
a perfectly good port naturally. but is
cluttered with waste and insufficient
equipment, which calls for immediate at
tention and always he has the thought
in mind that the country Is building a
great mercantile feet, which. together
with the world fleets that will be re-
leased for commerce at the end Of the
| war, will seek as soon as peace u de-
clared and world reconstruction has
been begun be<ths In a port which Il
equipped inadequately for the compare
lively light commercial tonnage now
sailing the eeas. And unless something
| La done Immediately the resultant state
of affairs promises to be disastrous.
Scope Includes the Future.
Because OF natural aptitude for the
big job which confronts the city, plus
Mr. Hubert has attained by hard work
during months Of intelligent study. the
Commissioner 10 in the best position OF
any one living to lay down the plar
Of Improvement His ideas go far into
the future. but for the time being the
war undoubtedly will make Il necessar,
for him TO confine his accomplishment,
to semi-present needs. But before h,
Is finished the scope OF his work In
evitably will branch out and bring t.
completeness the whole general schem,
which he now has at his finger ends.
At any rate Commissioner Huber
has made II evident. especially durint
recent days. that he Is going TO maxi
fight for his Ideas in keeping with tn,
tremendous breadth Of his plan and tn
great need for its accomplishment Th'
limitations Of newspaper space make |
impossible to go into details this morn
ing concerning all the ideas which e
to make up the Hubert improvement
plan in general. hut from time to tim
The SrN will outline the various idea
and will present concrete instances o
the improvements contained in Commits
sloner Hulbert's programme.