New-York tribune., 1919-03-27
CITY Must Grant Appropria-
ton Tomorrow Or Throw
Transit Men Out of Work;
Requisition for S557,06O
Construction Endangered
Whitney Declares Hylan
and Craig Throttle All
Initiative in Departments

The Board of Estimate at it's meet
;rr tomorrow will have to choose be-
tween making an appropriation suffi-
.;ent to pay salaries of the rapid tran
sit employees of the Public Service
Commission or throw 1000 or more
men out of employment. If the latter
alternative is taken all construction
work will have to be stopped.
There has been before the Estimate
BOARD since the beginning of the month
a reausition for $557,060 to pay the
rxuenses of the commission for the
second quarter of the year AS the
hoard so far has taken no action, they
must decide to vote one way or an
other to o-morrow. No vote at all would
have the same effect as denial of the
request in that the employees of the
commission would have to be given
their "notice."
Situation Has Precedent
A similar situation was created at
the beginning of the year when, in ap-
propriating funds for the use of the
commission, the board Topped off
enough salary requests to throw 400
men out of work. 1t took a month and
an appeal to Governor Smith to Sc
cure an appropriation sufficient to
permit the return of the men, although
one branch of the work is still with
cut funds.
When the appropriation for the COM
mission was made on December 80 last
it was decided to vote money for GER
tain expenses during the first quarter
Of the year. only so the commission
would have to come before the board
again to get funds for the second
quarter. When the second quarters
budget was sent to the board, the COM
mission suggested q conference to dis
cuss the details.
No conference has taken place.
Neither has the board signifed its in
tention to participate in one. The
board likewise has given no official
notice that action will be taken to-mor-
row.
"The do-nothing policy of the Board
Of Estimate upon every matter of i'm
portance constitutes such misconduct
in public Office that it should have the
immediate attention of the Governor
and of the Legislature" declared
Travis H. Whitney, acting chairman
Of the commission, last night. "Gov-
ernor Smith the other day said that
this was government of laws and not
of men.
Charges Initiative is Throttlcd
"Yet in New York City it is actually
true that government is no longer one
Of laws but OF men-two men-Hylan
and Craig. They have throttled the
initiative of every city department,
have blocked every plan of develop
ment so far proposed, and have halted
the progress of rapid transit construc-
ton.
Here is work that will give employ
ment to thousands of men and will
provide additional facilities, sc
much needed. Yet, with calculat,
ed deliberation, they so have with.
held action on rapid transit mat
tiers as to have added at least
elk months delay in completion
Of the work and to have demoralized
the engineering and other technica
forces in charge"
AAO iiitioSiOucE REMARKED Indt
the Legislature, instead of deciding
to investigate Bolshevism, should give
Its attention to the breakdown of the
present form of government in this
city. Continuing, he said:
ut may be that. as Mayor Hylan has
now been welcomed home again, he
may be sufficiently wearied of the
plaudits Of the populace to give seri-
Gus attention to the affairs of the city
Soldiers Anxious About Jobs
He may be interested in the fact
shat in the 9th Division there are
about twenty employees of the commits.
sion, all Of whom have been in to see
about their jobs which, of course, are
ospendent upon action by the Board
o. Estimate. In addition there are
about forty other employees in other
military units near the city awaiting
ulseharge, who are also interested in
'neir jobs more than in parades."
Dir. Whitney added that virtually
every department of the city is at a