New-York tribune., 1920-02-18
HirshGeld's Parole
Board Adjustment
Plan Stirs Cruger
Chairman of Commission
Says Mayor Opposes the
View of His Subordinate:
Weiss Case Is Aired

Recommendations by David Hirsh-
field, Commissioner Of Accounts, that
the Parole Commission be abolished so
that saving of SOL ,292 might be made
IN this years budget, provoked a crit
lcal reply yesterday from Bertram DEN
Cruger, chairman of the commission,
and an equally emphatic paper of dis
approval from the commissioner.
After saying that he had been told
by John F. Sinnott, secretary to Mayor
Hylan, that Commissioner Hirshfeld's
opinions on the Parole Commission
were not in accord with the Mayors
Chairman Cruger cites the case of Vic
tor Weiss, who was sentenced to the
penltentiary for stealing 500 and
quantity Of lead pencils. Commis-
sioner Hirshtield was interested in the
Weiss case, Cruger says, and he points
out that the commission recommended
sentence of only twelve months,
while the prisoner received sentence
OF more than twice as long.
1T thus appears" he continues, chat
Weiss, with whom Commissioner
Hirshfield is old fashioned enough
to sympathizc, would have been dealt
with more lightly and more hepfuly
by the commission. Notwithstanding
the established bad character of a
number of inmates, the commission
has frequently obtained short terms
for inmates, finding employment and
providing careful parole supervision
until the inmate developed backbone
enough to substitute his will for that
of the commission.
when committing judges differ we
are very glad to take their advice.
When we have information not known
to the committing judges, they have
been most considerate of our opinion.
II, however, the judges differ with us
the Legislature has provided that they
! classes of cases, of which Weiss's hap
pens to be one
Then Chairman Cruger says:
u wonder if the same ignorance of
law and fact which characterizes Com
missioner Hirshfeld's investigation of
thiS particular case characterizes also
his investigation of other cases in this
and in other departments. We also
wonder if his knowledge of human
nature is such as to differ with Colonel
Sellers, of the United States Army, and
Judge Mulqueen, of the Court Of Cen
e1al Sessions on the subject of fitness
for parole of the inmate (Weiss), whose
letter he publishes.'
When Comm issioner Hirshfeld read
Chairman Cruger's statement, he said
in part:
GAS to Mr. Cruger's exception to nv
recommendation that the commission be
abolished, am not surprised, because
by the carrying out Of my recommen-
datiOn Mr.. Cruger would be deprived
Of the comfortable berth he is now oc-
Il
borths are hard to find.
GAS to his statement that my rec
concentration does not reflect the pol
icy of Mayor Hylan, | wish to saw that
| do not know whether or not the
Mayor agrees with my recommendation
iii this case, but I do know that, in my
opinion. the Parole Commission. which
costs the taxpayers of this city slo1,-
292 this year. is useless, and that my
opinion is shared by the large body of
tax and rent payers.
"Mr. Cruger wonders IF the same
ignorance Of law and facts, which char
acterizes Commissioner Hishfeld's in
vestigaton Of this particular case
characterizes also his investigation of
other cases in this and in other de-
partments.' believe that this i'm
pertinent question more than justities
my conclusion in my report to the
Mayor, wherein | stated that Judges
ore better able to mete out Just pun
ishment than are social or parole in
Ve estigatOrS