New-York tribune., 1919-02-26
'Hylan Welcome
Committee Now
In Three Parts
Interested Citizens Scurrv
Around Hall of Records
Trying to Find the Head
Cochems Is Still There
SO Are Whalen and Various
Others, but No One Is Able
10 Give Out Information

1he Mayors Committee of Welcome
10 homecoming troops is now, like
Caesars Gaul, divided into three narts
FIRST, there is the committee which
'roVer "A. Whalen, the Mayors sec.
retary' says he heads. This commit.
tee' explains Mr.. Whalen, was former
ly run by Edward B. Cochems, whom
he dismissed on Monday last.
lhen there is the committee which
Edward B. Cochems says he heads
Ihls, states Mr.. Cochems, is the oripi
i1al committee from which Mr.. Whaler
orled to oust him, but which he still
runs
1hen there is the Brooklyn com
mlttee, from which numbers are re
signing daily.
AS result of the multiplicity o-
committees, hundreds of persons scur
rled around the corridors of the Hal
of Records yesterday in their efforts
to obtain some information on the
arrival and reception to their return.
ing heroes.
Now Up in the Air
Inc arrangements for the reception
and parade of the 9th, said Mr. Co.
chems, are "now up in the air." In
qulrers at Mr.. Whalen's office were
told that nobody knew anything about
it,"
Nor could any one mere give anyy in
formation about the arrival and well
coming of incoming transports. One
woman who had been assured of res
efVatlonS to meet a certain vessel was
TOLD that She had better hire her own
boat. A'ii0 nei own
,,, Despite the dismissal order of Mr.
Whalen, Mr., Cochems yesterday in.
sLs'eo rs mat he was at least head of
~ cho pagesnt committee, which has
unaage OF the preparations for the
padaue 70 N nonor of the 9th. AS far as
t;na tne eaecutlve secretaryship of the en-
IlrG conlmittee is concerned he said he
had only Mr.. Whalen's Word that he no ne
longer held that job. He said, however
tnat member of the executive commit,
Iee' "hlcn alone has the power to remove
NM mad told him that Mr.. Whalen
had not been given the authority to
stood pat. '"iu' he
Certainly Head of Something
Under any circumstances. he as-
serted, he certainly was head of tho
pageant committee representing George
w. Loft and General George r. DYER.
at present away. Until he had heard
TO the contrary from Mr.. Loft. with
whom he has already Communicated
ne would continue on the lob.
Mr.. Whalen, who said he displaced
Mr Cochems in accordance With =
declslon of the executive Committed
installed himself and new force of -,
slstants yesterday In one of the rooms
formerly occupied by Mr.. Cochems's
According to Mr.. Whalen's n,ans
John J. Glennon, chief clerk of f'1Is' +hs
Mayors office, will be the acting ex- elxe
ecutive secretary, with Mr.. Whalen the
tltular head. Others of the new as
slstants are Alfred Meehan, private
secretary of Arnold B. McStay, Com
missioner OF Street Cleaning: Peter
Mitchell, foreman in the Street
Cleaning Department. and a filer
known as "Mike."
Sticks to the Ship.
Rooms 603, 6o4 and COS, formerly
used by Mr.. Cochems's staff. were
locked yesterday. Mr.. Cochems, how
ever, wouldn't bulge from the quar-.
ters he used.
~ stand pat on this whole PROPOSE.
tion," he said. "The contention hv
Whalen that his action was promnteS
by economy and efficiency is all canon.
f1age. 1t took only $271 a week to run
this office and would have cost $4,000
at the most up to April 15. His state
ment that Daniel G. Reid, chairman OF
the executive committee, should not
be burdened with the expense of ths
ofhce does not hold water. Mr.. Reic
was perfectly willing to shoulder the
pathy.
Besides, Mr.. Loft was always readx
to pay my salary at any time that VA
necessary. They are spending hall
million dollars on decorations and pew
gaws, and yet they can't stand this
small expense
-, don't know what's behind it all
The people themselves can infer il
there is any partisan politics in # q,
not" 40 ~ oi
Woman Tells of Her Welcome
Miss Clara Walling, of 1915 Eas,
Second Street, Brooklyn, who repre-.
sents the welcome committee of the
Ladies' Auxiliary of the 102d Engi.
neers, was one of the visitors to The
City Hall. The 102d is due on the Ro.
chambeau on March /, and Mrs. Wall.
ing had made arrangements with Mr.
chambeau on March l, and Miss Wall
tlons on the Patrol when it goes dowr
the bay to meet the transport.
a for II
Hall to the Hall of Records" said Mrs
Walling, II was finally directed to ge
to Room 602, where 1 was informed
Mr.. Whalen was now in charge. I ex.
planned to man with a German name
our arrangements, but he said he didn,t
know anything about it,
But we have already made the ar.
rangements,' l told him. He replied
that maybe l could get one or two
tickets for the auxiliary. l said chat
was ridiculous, and he answered that
must talk nice or | wouldn't get any-
thing. Then he volunteered that, since
they didn't know anything about it.
should hire my own boat.
But what is being done with the
$5o0,000 that has been appropriated for
this purpose? | asked. He again re-
lteratcd that I must talk nice. I was
later Informed by Mr. Cochems that
other bOatS couId huvo Loor ,Lt: