New-York tribune., 1919-07-29


from my home town have hit it West,
and they sure have the right view. If
more OF the discharged men around
here would wakeup and take chance
at buying railroad ticket there would
be more jobs for the Fasteners and
less talk about unemployment"
! ----------- ----------
Dudgetary appropriation, as we'll as
every member of the Board of Educa-
tion, and for the taxpayers of the
city"
AS reasons for his action the Mayor
alleged number of things which were
promptly denied by the school officials
The Mayor suggested gross negligence
and carelessness in the expenditures:
OF the S4200000 budget Of that year,
and charged the information was being
withheld. DR.. Ettingcr pointed out
that the full statement of the expcndi-
lures for 1918 was ready two weeks
before the Commissioner of Accounts
tried to make his inquiry and was
handed to his deputy. at therefore
appears" says DR.. Ettinger, "that what
the Mayor desires on March Z, 1919,
had already been furnished over two
weeks before the date of his letter.
The Third Case
The third issue that has been raised
grew out of the Hirshfied case and
seems an attempt by the Board of
Education, appointed by the Mayor, to
offset the defeat he had sustained when
the Appellate Division decided he had
no right to have the examination of
the school accounts made. The board
itself early this month ordered an over
hauling of the accounts Of the auditor
and received an appropriation of s25,-
600 from the Board of Estimate for
this purpose. To do this the Board
of Education passed now bylaws di-
rccting the auditor to submit his ac-
counts to any qualified person the
board might direct. The board also
adopted other bylaws limiting the
powers Superintendent Ettinger has
been exercising and thus supporting
the Mayor. Mr.. Hylan congratulated
President Prall of the board warmly
on this action.
Mr.. Hylan's Retort
Mayor Hylan, while making gem
eral denial yesterday of The Tribune's
article showing the confusion and
squabbling over the control of New
York's schools, actually confirmed it
and emphasized the situation by an at
tack on Superintendent Ettinger and
Auditor Cook
The Mayor said:
"That story is nothing more than
lot Of bunk manufactured out of
whole cloth. No doubt it is inspired
by a few gentlemen who attempted
to run the schools as a private en-
terprise for their especial benefit
Having failed, they now seek to give
the impression among state school
authorities that the schools of New
York City are in a fearful muddlc.
OF course, such is not the case. On
the contrary, the schools are now
being restored to their old-time eff
cheney. The last traces Of Garyism,
which threatened to ruin our school
system. are about eradicated.
"Thcre is an ample programme of
school building now being carried on
and sufficient funds are available to
enable US to continue until the early
fall, when more will be placed at
the disposal of the builders
"President Prall of the Board of
Education has common sense aims in
view.
'In the first place, he wants to
have the schools established on the
old-fashioned basis of efficiency be-
fore the fads and frills began to en-
velop US. Likewise he will strive to
provide seat for every pupil. l
can't predict that he will succeed in
the fullest sense, but l am sure he
will do his best and receive the
financial support of the Board Of
"Another all. of President Prall
is to see that Superintendent Ettin-
ger devotes his time to the education
of the children. Other gentlemen
connected with the educational sys-
tenn who are deeply interested in
text books will be compelled to con-
fine their activities to the work for
which they are paid by the people.
"Thc Estimate Board will heartily
cooperate with Mr.. Prall. We are
al tired Of petty politics in the
schools. We are also tired of the
attempted tyranny of few men and
women who are on the city payrolls
and who spend good part of their
time lobbying at Albany and else
where.
"The people of this city don't
realize the insidious purpose of the
Gary system. 1t was creator of
classes among the people. Now that
we have oustcd the Gary system and