The sun., 1919-02-16
SMITH SEES SNAG
| IN HARBOR TREATY
Governor Says Legislatures
Will Refuse to Grant Huge
Powers Asked.
PLAN rs THEN AMENDED
Calvin Tomkins Also Says
That "Invisible Government"
Must Be Considered.

Gov. Smith ana Calvin Tomlins, for
merry Commissioner Of Docks and Fer
ries, helped to make yesterdays confer
ence on the proposed harbor development
treaty between New York and New Jer-
sey at tho Chamber Of Commerce q
lively and interesting session. Mr.. Tom
kins talked about invisible govern
mont" and Gov. Smith was doubtful Of
the beneficial effect of the treaty upon
the invested interests OF the city on the
waterfront.
Gov. Smiths objection, and indeed that
OF many OF tho New York Legislators
present. was founded upon the far reach
Ing powerB conferred upon the Port Au-
thority BY Section Of the revised
treaty. and led him TO prophecy that the
Legislature never would pass the treaty
without qualifications being made In that
section. Almost the entire session was
taken up by discussion Of this one fea-
ture.
Tho section as It stood yesterday gave
the Port Authority full power ito pur-
chase. acquire, construct lease and op.
crate any terminal or transportation IA
cility within said district and to make
charges and establish rates or tolls for
the use thereof: and for any such pur-
poses to own. hold. lease or operate real
or personal property. and to borrow money
and secure the sarno by bonds or by mort
RACES upon any property hold or to be
held by It"
Sweeping Powers Conferred.
This section with others was read by
Julius Henry Cohen. counsel for the
commission. and II was at once seen that
there vas q tremendous feeling Of die
approval over the sweeping powers con-
ferred by tho section. 1t was divided
into two parts, that of the delegates who
felt that power should be held from the
Port Authority, q body Of six members
appointed by the Governors of each
State. until the general development plan
for the harbor had been approved, and
those who felt that even after such q
plan had been evolved the authority
should be controlled by the Legislatures
OF the two States.
Gov Smith. however. based his CD.
lection on still another point, affecting
the property interests Of tho city OF
New York. He showed that tho pier
investments OF the city had bean ek-
cluded from tho city Indebtedness be.
cause they were self-sustain!ns. and
feared that under the powers Of his
section the city wharfage values would
be - Affected that they would cease to
be source Of income. He said II had
been the general opinion In Albany that
this section should not Be left in the
treaty. He also gave II a. his opinion
that under this section the Port Au-
thority could mako any rates Il pleased
without regard for tho effect on other
properties
Qualification Are Agreed Ts
II was finally agreed that words
should be inserted in the section which
would thoroughly safeguard the citys
Investments and that reference to
rates and tolls should 20 In another
clause. which would make II impossible
for the authority to put such tolls into
effect without the consent Of the local
municipality
Gov. Smith was rather sceptical of
the possibility of getting tho plan
through as a matter OF immediate neccs-
sity. as had been urged by tho men,
oers OF the Harbor Development Com
mission. particularly Mr. Cohen, and
finally toward the end of the session
burst out with:
II don't want TO be the man who
opened the switch and let the train
run off the track. but l must say YOU
are going to have beai titul time get
ting port plan through this session
OF the Legislature, or In five sessions,
You'll have West Side plan clubs and