New-York tribune., 1918-04-17
Tammany Sabotage
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

Sir: The imminent dsntegration of the
Department Of Health is matter so vital to
every citizen of this community that each
and all should demand that publicity be
given to the hearings now being conducted
behind closed doors by the Civil Service
Commissioners and the Commissioner of Ac-
counts. These hearings, according to Com
missioner Of Health Amsters statement be-
fore the Academy of Medicine, are to de-
tcrmine whether the present bureau heads
of this department legally entitled to
serve in this capacity. In case the Commits
soners of Civil Service and Accounts de-
eide in the negative the present incumbcnts
of these positions, men and women-or,
strictly speaking, men and one woman--who
have attained their present positions
through civil service examinations and by
virtue of the survival of the fittest for the
job. will be reduced to the rank of division
chiefs and subordnated in authority to To-
cal sanitary superintendents in the various
boroughs.
The evolution Of the Department of
Health of this city from one of mediocre
capacity and results to one of highly spe-
cialized functions, resulting in an amazingly
lowered death rate-the barometer of health
efficiency-and in the uniform raising OF
standards through expert centralized con-
troll has been the object of widespread ad-
miration on the part Of health officials of
other states and cities and of intense local
pride to the citizens of New York.
The proposed changes in the New York
City Health Department are particularly
alarming to the friends OF working children.
1t is the duty Of the department to issue
working papers to properly qualified chill
dren, and the Importance of rigidly cnforc-
ing the tests proving that child is of
working age and has the proper educational
and physical requirements cannot be over
emphasized.
Since 1908 the New York Child Labor
Committee has actively Interested itself in
the enforcement Of this law. 1t has watched
the development Of the present efficient sys-
tenn of centralized control in the Bureau of
Child Hygiene and would regard it as a
catastrophe il, rs is proposed, this
bureau head should be removed and the
work again be performed under the sanitary
bureau, without the highly experienced su-
pervision which it has had for the past
years.
AT the time when national health is
question of supreme Importance the city
naturally turns to it's Department of Health
for intensified activity. At this crucial mo-
mcnt when the officials of the department.
already hampercd by the Mayors order that
no vacancies shall be filled, arc working
loyalty and we'll under the skilled leadership
or the bureau heads to meet and even to
forestall the citys health needs, these Of
iicials, unrivallcd as to fitness for Office in
the particular spheres of work assigned to
them, are to be politically decapitatcd. This
action on the part Of his honor Mayor Hylan
Will admittedly save the city from $4,000
TO S4O.O0O annually. But can even the Mayor
set price on the city's health? While the
Federal Childrcn's Bureau reaches out for
the saving Of babies lives through the
Bureau Of Child Hygiene Of the Department
OF Health, the Mayor would snuff out this
bureau and for the saving of paltry $5,0O0
the salary of one director, forfeit the abl-
lty OF New York to meet the nations call
New York should not remain silent while
this undermining Of it's most important gov
crnmcntal department is begun No time
should be lost in demanding the right to be
hcard>at public hearings in defence of our
officials.
Democracy is now more than local word
and opportunity for wider and more per-
mancnt self-cxpresson is the righteous
cause for which our own ard other free
peoples arc contending in the world war.
At such time the holding of secret con-
ferenccs in relation to the welfare Of the
people would seem to be as little consistent
with the spirit Of the times MS it certainly
is with professed objects Of the great polt-
ical party now in power.
NORWAY WILLIAMS, Chairman.
New York Child Labor Committee.
Now York, April 16, 1918.