New-York tribune., 1919-04-08

sign. 1t would be a mere fgurehead.
"On the other hand, the board op~
poses DR.. Ettinger in his refusal to
permit the Commissioner of Accounts
TO examine the boards books. Our
disbursa of funds is entirely open: 1t
is just and proper that it be checked
up and audited"
The vote by which the board regis
tered its opinion in this matter stood,
so The Tribune learned last night, five
to two, with Vice-Presdent Wilsey
leading the opposition.
When it was suggested to President
Somers that this attitude On the
boards part appeared to place DR.
Ettinger in a rather awkward position,
he replied:
"Yes, it would seem that way, but
that is how the vote stood, and the
question is now in the courts for
settlement, anyway"
The committee, headed by Aiming 5.
Prall, of Staten Island, which had been
appointed by President Somers to as
certain whether or not the boards
financial transactions needed auditing,
had, Mr.. Somers announced, been
found to be unconstitutional owing to
the fact that Superintendent Ettinger
had not been present, as required, at
the session when it was created.
New Committee Authorized
That committee in consequence goes
out Of existence. II its stead, Presl-
dent Somers is authorized, under a
resolution passed yesterday, to name
a committee with still broader powers
This resolution, proposed by Mr.
Prall. reads as follows;
"Resolycd, That the board, actiny
under Section 100 Of the charter,
create "A special committee Of three to
investigate all subjects of which it has
powers the president to appoint such Il
committee"
With this went another resolution,
also brought by Mr.. Prall, dealing spe-
ciically with the subject of accounts,
which read
"Resolved That the auditor be d.
rected to report to the board as soon
as possible after the first of each
month the expenditures for each de-
partment Of apportionmcnt during the
preceding month and the balance for
the remaining months of The year.
This action followed heated discus
sion on practically every item Of n
calendar laden with financial matters
that involved sums ranging all the way
from $4,000 to $d. Most Of the qucs-
tons calling for any specific outlay
were referred back to special commit
toes or TO the board OF superntcndcnts.
Order Statement From Auditor
you might Just as we'll let the Board
Of Estimate run the schools for you if
you back down on that" cried Superln-
tendcnt EttInPcr at one point, but, with
Mr.. Prall leading the demand, the board
in practically every instance decided to
defer action for the present.
i,J
passed calling for detailed statements
from the auditor on April 9, specify
ing from Just what funds the various
appropriation are drawn. This point,
the board members agreed is the crux
of the whole balance of financial
power.
President Somers said afterward
in explanation that the board, cut
down in its appropriations as it has
been by the Board of Estimate from
$27,000,000 to $25, 100000, day does
not really know where it stands
fiscally. Furthermore, the apportion-
ment from the Board of Superintend-
ents it was disclosed, has not yet
reached the board.
A number of extremely important
matters pertaining to the purely
scholastic side of school work also
were taken up at length by the meet
ing. One of these involves the ap-
pointment of three additional assist
ant examiners to the board of exam
lners, and another, affecting the sys-
tenn of promotion, would, according to
its sponsor, Mr.. Prall, revoutionize
the method of advancing teachers with
in the system. Both these questions.
together with several others only less
important, were turned over to special
committees for study and repOrt