The New York herald., 1920-01-21
ALDERMEN SPLIT BY
IRISH AND SOCIALISTS
Tammany Majority Leader
Collins Defends Honor Paid
to Eamonn de Valera.
UPHOLDS THE SALE OF BONDS
Chamber Divides on Party Lines Over
the UnSeating of Five Radical
Assemblymen.

A wrangle of two hours and a half Owe
resolution, finally adopted REQUESTING
the Assembly to rescind its action in sus-
pending the five Socialist members, and a
heated coloquy between two members or
opposite sides of the house over the status
of Eamonn de Fale-s. President OF the
Irish Republic, and the sincerity of the
present drive for the sale of $l0,OO0,ooo
worth of Irish bonds, rendered the regular
meeting of the Board of Aldermen yester
day more spirited than usual. The rata
tat-tat of the gavel of Major f. II. La
Guardia, President of the Board, sounded
like machine gun fire amid the booming
of partisan oratorical guns during the long
session
The zero hour came at the close of the
debate on the Socialist resol ltion, when
suddenly Alderman William T. Collins.
leader of the Tammany majority, went
over the top and charged full force upon
Alderman William F. Quinn, of the minor
ity, deuging him with Irish shrapnel in
condemnation of the Republican Alder
mans published statement yesterday, III
which he cast aspersions upon the Presi-
Dental claims of De Valera, and alleged
that the present $40 100000 bond drive was
an imposition upon the credulity of the
Irish people.
Alderman Collins Gets the Floor.
Alderman Collins rose to point of per-
sonal privilege and over the objection OF
/ A nd ff "a
associates was allowed to have The floor.
copy of Alderman Quinn's statement
was handed to the chair. The maiority
leader called attention TO the fact that
the Board had unanimously passed re-
solution last June, requesting Mayor
Hylan to extend the freedom Of the city
to Mr.. de Valera, and said in view of that
action Alderman Qunn's criticism of the
Mayors part in receiving and comforting
the freedom of the city upon the President
of the Irish Republic last Saturday. al
City Hall, and thereby helping the Irish
loan. was n reflection upon every member
of the Board. Alderman Quinn in replying
later said. that if he thought tnat the
resolution passed last June was anything
but a joke. he never would have voted for
il.
\ Il am not a newspaper Alderman, be-
gan Mr.. Collins. The place to fight out
issues raised by resolutions of this bodv
is here in the Board of Aldermen. II ne
alderman QUINN made the statement as
an Alderman. We, as liberty loving Amer
leans are ashamed of him. II he said II
as n Republican, call on you. AIR. Chair
ha. G. N "A
for the Irish cause. to repudiate it as
Republican. 7 do not believe the statement
was ever written by the Alderman. II was
handed to him. 1t smacks too much o.
British propaganda in this country. ] pit!
skunk, and ! almost pity Alderman
Quinn
Alderman Quinn sticks by Ws Gums.
/ Alderman Quinn returned the fire by
calmly stating that he always found IL
difficult to make his motives understood
when he took the opposite side of "A popu-
1 lar question. but he assured the majority
leader that he had written the statement
in question as an individual and still en-
tertained the opinions he expressed ut the
timeA He asserted that no Irishman was
more in sympathy with the cause OF Ire
lands independence than he. but declared
that the so-called bond sale was being
made under false pretensions.
Alderman Collins. or no one else,
said Alderman Quinn. has any substantial
/ ton OF the fact that de Valera Is the
President of the so-called irish Republic.
don't believe in imposing upon the ten
der sentiment of generous race 10 eS-
tract money under false pretenses. II -
an Injustice to let these people believe
that they are buying bonds Of Republic
when they are doing nothing of the Kind.
but merely subscribing to condition
which they hope to bring about had
almost forgotten the resolution passed
last June. but certainly if I had thought
! Il anything but joke at the time, would
not have voted for it,
Several other Aldermen tried TO voice
their sentiments. but Major La Guardia
shut off further speechmak king.
Vote splits ON Party Lines.
The vote ON the resolution condemnnE
the action of the Assembly in unseatine
/ the Socialists split on party lines. the So
clalists and Democrats voting together In
| favor of IT, william j. Flynn, Commits
sioner Of Public Works of the Bronx.
who was sitting In place or the Bronx
Borough president. was tho exception 70
the party rule. breaking away from the
Democrats and voting in the negative with
the Republicans. In explaining his vote
no said the Assembly was the judge OF
its own members and he did not think
the Board of Aldermen had any right 70
| interfere
During tho debate on the resolution.
| Alderman Bruce NJ. Falconer wanted 90
! know what the Board would do in case
/ the Assembly decided 10 unseat the So
cialists on. evidence that would convince
any patriotic Americans that they were
not fit TO retain their seats. lie declared
that the Aldermen practically prevented
| themselves from investigating or taking
action against their own Socialist NOM
bers by condemning the action OF the
Assembly. He said that All Investigation
Of the Socialist Aldermen was bound tc
follow the ,unseat ting of the Socialist As
scmbymen' Several other Republican
Aldermen spoke against the resolution
The Socialist members in supporting tho
resolution declared that the Republicans
/ IT, the Assembly had gone one step too
far and then found II out.