New-York tribune., 1920-04-16
Teachers Deny
COerciOnCharge
In Wage Fight
No Intimidation in Behalf
of Legislation, Declare
Organizations in More
Letters to The Tribune
Renew Attack on Mayor
Lawmakers Urged to Pass
Increase Bill Solely as
Act of Belated Justice

Further resentment over the charges
made by individual teachers before the
Board of Estimate that "slush fund"
Albany is expressed in letters received
yesterday by The Tribune. An excep-
G.on is letter from two teachers in
Public School co. Manhattan, which
tays: "The inclosed circular will prove
20 you that money was asked by the
merger committee from the teachers to
support the Lockwood Donohue bill"
''ln justice to the person who brought
shs matter to light before the Board
Estimate" the missive adds, "kindly
Five this circular as much prominence
IN your paper as you gave to the article
headed Inner Circle Taxed Salaries.
Teacher Says in your issue of April
i? This circular was spread broadcast
throughout the schools" The letter is
signed Portia Greed and Jennie Shea.
Circular Calls for Contributions
The circular, which bears the names
Of Ernest L. Crandall, president Of the
Federation of Teachers Associations,
and Edward Mandel, treasurer, is head
ed contribute Now to Campaign Ex-
penses" and reads as follows:
Teachers of New York City! United
effort now will give you the full benefit
Of the Lockwood Donohue teachers sal
ary bill
Forty per cent increase on salaries
up to and including S2.26O.
Thirty per cent increase on sal
aries up to and including $4,000.
Twenty per cent increase on salaries
above $4,000.
With but two minor exceptions, this
bill has been agreed upon by all the
associations in the New York City
schools, including the sixty-four asso-
Citations affiliated with the Federation
Of Teachers Associations.
ut is necessary now to secure funds
to carry on the work of informing the
public and of enlisting public support.
Will you help?
Several teachers have suggested the
following basis of subscription: On sal
aries up to and including 81 l,O0O-$1. On
salaries up to and including $2000-$2.
On salaries up to and including $4,000
SO. On salaries over S4,OOO-$4
Subscribe through your own associ-
alton if you belong to one. If you do
not belong to an association or if you
are willing to give additional help, will
you please write your name below and
give the money to your principal or the
subscription agent in your school? Or
will You reply direct to the under
signed 2"
MIR. Crandall Explains Circular
Mr.. Crandall. asked last night if the
circular quoted was authentic, said 1t
was one Of many sent out by the fed
Grafton in the last several years, which
had as their object the raising of
funds with which to bring about needed d
reforms in matter of education.
1t was quite explicit, he said, as
an one could tell by reading the cir
cular that all contributions were purely
voluntary.
"The federation charges no dues and
IN order TO carry on its work in a cause
that cannot be questioned it has been
Obliged to request funds, either by
voluntary contribution from member
societies OF the federation or by direct
appeal to the teachers themselves" he
said.
"The books of the federation are
open to investigation by any one who
doubts US. There never has been any
lobbying or buying Of votes. We have
always depended on the righteousness
of our cause 20 win.
There were many schools in the
city from which we never received a
uoilar; Dut II any one had given us
$lo0 1T would have been no ones busi-
ness. Every dollar the federation re-
ceives in this manner is accounted for
by an auditing committee"
Coercion Denied by 500 Teachers
Charles NJ. Landsman. principal of
Public School 16, Manhattan, sent in
the following copy of a letter addressed 4
to Mayor Hylan:
I'm the morning papers of April 13. 1920
there appeared a sensational statement
from Mrs. Edna NJ. Bryant, president
OF the Professional Elementary Teach
RS Association, Inc, made to the Board
of Estimate, to the effect that the
teachers of this city had been com
PEELED. coerced, or otherwise intimi
dated to contribute 1 per cent of their
salaries toward a fund in support of
the Lockwood Donohue bill
We, the undersigned, representing
approximately eight hundred teachers
Of associations of principals and teach
ers Of Districts and 7, hereby publicly
and emphatically deny the truth OF
Mrs. Bryant's statement
"CHARLES NJ. LANDSMAN.
MARGARET NJ. WHEATON
CLARA KLEISER,
ANNA A. SHORT,
JOHN H. GROTECLOSS."
In other letters also sent to the
Mayor, representatives of the teachers
OF School Districts IL and ID, the Uppe,