New-York tribune., 1919-02-05
Jonas Assails
Hylan for His
Poor Memory
Present Administration Most
Incompetent in History of
New York City, He Adds
Others Quit Committee
Permanent Memorial Body
i'll Brooklyn Meets To-day
to Decide Its Position

Members of the Permanent Memo
rial Committee, most of whom had Wig
orously opposed the resignation Of
Nathan S. Jonas from the Craftsmanship
OF the Brooklyn Victory Celebration
Committee, met yesterday in executive
session and discussed for two hours
what action they should take in support
OF Mr.. Jonas. The committee adjourned
until $3.50 O'Clock this morning when
its decisio n will be made known.
On this group rests virtually the
responsibility Of obtaining the S1,000,-
600 for the proposed memorial struct-
ure in honor Of Brooklyn's returning
heroes. Frederic B. Pratt, active head
OF the Pratt Institute, is chairman
and the personne. includes some Of
the notable philanthropists and Anan-
ciers Of the borough. AS mem bcrs of
the executive committee several Of
them pledged their support to MI.
Jonas when he declared he would fight
the Hearst-Uylan political menace in
Brooklyn
Mr.. Jonas, in statement yesterday,
threw down the gauntlet to Mayor Hy-
ian IN addition to carrying on his libel
suit with Hearst
Mr.. Jonas repudiatcd the Mayors al
legged claims thai he had offered po-
iitlcal ass stancc during the mayoralty
campaign. lie said:
Denies Ny;an's Statement
n lis statement Mr.. Jonas said:
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on
Sunday contained an intervicw with
Mayor Eylan-for what reason he best
AnoWs.-fron which l quote as follows:
~ Know something about Mir. Jonas.
! remember him very well. 1t is the
same Mr.. Jonas who Just before the
last city election sent me word that
he was prepared to hire the biggest
theatre in Manhattan for a mass meet
3.g y support Of my candidacy for
ne m great style, | was assured. Mr.
Jonas himself was going to take
charge Of that big meeting. let Mr.
Jonas know that there was nothing
doing
Surely Mayor Hylan has known me
as long as l have known him. When
&c opened his first law Office il was
adjacent to my Office, and I did him
such little favors as letting him use
nay telephone, loaning him my Office
boy and various other things which
should make hln recollcct ne verg
well.
On fact, knew the Mayor so much
better than he knew me that it took
a long while for me to make up NV
mind to vote for him, which I now
very much regret to say that I finally
did. 1t is something that my con-
science bothers me about often. So
that, speaking of the last city election.
alter the judge had been nominated a
woman who stated on the telephone
that she was Judge Hylan's secretary,
asked for permission to use my name
on his campaign committee, which per-
mission ! declined.
Following that the then Judge Hy-
lan's intimate friend David Hirshficld
whom I shall speak of again at a later
date, asked me for campaign contri-
button in support Of Judge Hylan,
which I declined to give, stating that
whatever contribution | would make
would be made to the Kings County
Democratic Committee.
Hirshfield Was Active
"Mr. Hirshfeld also asked me To
come out openly in suppos& of Judge
Hylan, which I said | would have to
take under consideration. Subsequent
ly pressure was brought to bear upon
me by adherents Of both Mayor Mitche
and Judge Hylan- Some of Judge
Hylan's friends went so far in thei1
zeal for him as to indicate that it was
my duty to come out openly for him
because I had been a member of the
finance committee of the Democratic
party of Kings County. ! was asked
to come out III a statement for pub
llcatior for Judge Rylan, to Offset the
statement of some prominent Jews in
Manhattan who were advocating the
cause of Mayor Mitchell.
"Knowing Judge Hylan as we'll as
do, although / had made up my mind
to vote for him as the lesser evil,
could not bring myself to write let
ter without qualifications. | therefore
finally, on October 30, 1917, wrote a
letter to Judge Hylan's home, of which
the following is a copy:
"Office Of Nathan S. Jonas,
"774 Broadway, Brooklyn, N. Y,
"'October 80, 1917.
Dear Judge Hylan:
"A lew weeks ago some one repre-
sentng you asked me for permission
to use my name on a committee act
ing in your behalf. You were. no
doubt, surprised at my declination.
Frankly, | have remained in doubt up
+ 10 inns Tune as to whom / should vote
! for | did not approve of MANY of the
statements made by you from the plat
form, or believe that it would be feas
ible or possible to do some of the
things you arc advocating, at least
during your term of Office, if elected.
and as ! believe you will be.
Called "Lesser of Evils"
"'Neithcr could l bring myself to
decide to vote for either of the other
candidates for various reasons less
f1attering. 1t is pity that cam
paign for the highest Office in our
great city should sink to such low lev
els so that whichever way one looks
the choice is not the pleasantest.
H bwever, my preference being for
responsible party government, having
known you since you opened your first
law Office and believing, as | do, in
your rugged honesty and sincerity Of
purpose, which should more than off
set executive inexperence, which time
and esponsibilitics should remedy, |
have decided to support your candi-
dacy.
Am writing because many friends
Of yourself and Of Mayor Mitchell have
been urging me to declare myself.
You have my permission to make
use OF this letter if you caro- to-
With best wishes
Sincerely yours.
"'NATHAN s. JONAS.
Z" Hon. John F. Hylan. Brooklyn, N. "