New-York tribune., 1919-10-14
Secret Budget
by
Maj. La Guardia
Republican Candidate Saws
Hylan Estimate Will Be
Largest in World History:
Calls 1t Defiance of Public
Adopts Hostile Pamphlet
Document Urging Moran's
Election Praised Congress.
mans Washington Record

Representative f. II. La Guardia, Re
publican candidate for President of the
Board of Aldermen, last night in an
address at the Riverside Republican
Club vigorously assailed the Tammany
administration for it's secrecy in max
ing up the record breaking 1920 city
budget. He said:
"The Board of Estimate has not yet
published the tentative budget, which
is required by Section 226 of the char
ter to be published Oh October 10. This
year the budget will be the largest ever
adopted by any city in the history Of
the whole world.
The preliminary sessions. which are
the most important ones, have been
held in secret. The public, whose
money IS being spent was vigorously
excluded. This is a defiance to the
taxpayers. The city employees, whose
existence is at stake, were arbitrarily
kept out The Board of Estimate must
have wanted to hide something from the
people, otherwise why this departure
from custom?
THE tentative budget is promised fo'
publication tomorrow. l have not seer
it-no ore else has. 1t will consist of
10000 or more items, flung at the tax~
payers, who will be granted a per
functory hearing, required by law, OF
the tentative budget. They will b.
asked to discuss policies, items and
amounts concerning which they have
been wrongfully kept in ignorance.
La Guardia Suggests Remedy
1T will be next to impossible for
the public to get an intelligent idea oi
the changes and the general scheme o.
the new budget. BY the time the bud
get is properly analyzed il will be too
late to make any changes and Tammany
will be fixed for another year This is
the best illustration to show the neces-
slty OF having a representative on the
Board of Estimate and Apportionment
who will look after the interests Of the
public and not those Of the close cor
poration of Tammany Hall An anti
IammanT representative on that board
could keep the people informed and
sufficient protest could he marshalled
IN time to prevent the appropriation of
needless millions ana the lack of ap-
proprlatlon1 where the money is really
and actually needed. This is a condi-
tlon which cannot .ast-this is con-
altion which l an sure the people of
TINS city who arc directly interested
VIII change at the next election"
La Guardia Makes an Offer
Representative La Guarda yesterday
made use OF Democratic campaign
document by offering to circulate thou
SANDS or copies among the voters if
the supporters OF his Tammany op.
ponent Robert l.. Moran, Will furnish
them. "Thc Committee OF Real Work
ingmen" is sponsor for the document.
VI lrII N1oir
ing that he should be retained IN office.
THE Republican party has a good
Representative in Major La Guardia i'm
Washington. where he can serve the
soldiers and sailors best for their pen
sions and other Details" says the I'd
dress of the workingmen. "Major La
Guardia did not seek the nomination
for President Of the Board of Alder
men, but was drafted for it." When
the circular was called to the atten-
ton Of Mr.. La Guardia yesterday he
wrote the following letter:
"Mr. William Waller,
Bridge Tender,
willis Avenue Bridge.
"Harlem River, New York.
"My dear Waller:
II have before me circular sent out
by the committee called The Commit
tee of Real Workngmen, Of which you
arc designated as the chairman, ad-
dressed TO the Voters of Greater New
York entitled, why Hon. Robert l..
Moran should be elected as President
Of the Board Of Aldermen
Finds Comment Delightful
ut was delightful to read the high
regard which your committee has of
me and the appreciation of my scrv-
ices as public servant as expressed
in your circular. | note that you ask
for voluntary contributions needed TO
pay for thousands of circulars and pos
tage Your circular is so fattering,
my committee will be able to assist
you in the distribution, so if you Will
send me few hundred thousand copies
of this circular, will be glad to see
that they are properly placed.
with kind personal regards. and
thanking you for your interest in my
behalf | am,
"Sinccrcly
"F. LA GUARDIA."
Mrs. James Russell Parsons was
chosen chairman Of the womens La
Guardia campaign committee at meet
ing at the La Guardia headquarters. in
the Hotel Imperial. Some Of her asso-
ciates on the committee arc Miss Mary
Garrett Hay, Mrs. Otto Kahn, Mrs.
Cornelius Bliss, Mrs. John Cross,
Mrs. K. Il. Babbitt Mrs Doug
las Robinson, Mrs. Jacob A. Riis,
Mrs. Frederick Nathan, Mrs. William
Jay Schieffelin, Mrs. James +. Curtis,
Mrs Pienre Jay, Mrs. Norman Dixie and
Mrs. John II. Hammond Mrs. W.
G. Wilcox, OF Staten Island, is a mem
Der Of the committee.