The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-20

committee on finance and budget COM
pleted its additions to the tentative
budget early last night, and a meeting
of the board was called for IL 80 last
night to adopt the proposed budget,
including changes recommended by the
committee.
Total Not Yet Computed.
When the board convened Comptroller
Craig moved TO lay over until to-day
the proposed budget as constituted by
the total OF $351,54s,91s.34 arrived at
by the committee last Saturday, plus adj
ditions made by the committee on Mon
day and yesterday. The Comptroller
put his motion in that form because his
accountants had not had time to COM
pute the total created by the additions
of the last two days.
Mr.. Curran demanded 10 know the
total OF the proposed budget, and when
II was not forthcoming denounced the
action the board was asked 10 take rs
q Solemn farce" and refused to to 20 on
record as submitting to the people OF
New York budget whose total the
Board of Estimate did not know. Being
ignorant of that total. he declared the
board had nothing before II and asked
an adjournment on q point OF order 20
that effect
maurice Il. Commonly, DoEOueu
dent OF Queens, insisted that the total
was ascertalnable from the minutes of
the committee meeting and. therefore.
constructlvely in the possession Of the
board. Mr. CurTan insisted upon an adj
journment for the reason that the sub
mission of the Comptrolers motion for
. vote would place the proposed budget
before the boar1
The Comptroller than moved TO strike
out the additions made In committee
during the last two days and place be-
fore the board a proposed budget whose
total would be the final committee fig
u-es OF last Saturday.
THAT notion" declared Mr.. Curran,
lis a clumsy but effective way OF strik-
ing from the proposed budget every ad-
dition except those to the Finance De-
partment Of which the Comptroller is the
bead. insist that there is nothing be-
fore US on which the board can act. I
do not think that the Mayor wishes to
lend himself to a burlesque OF this sort.
1 demand ruling on my point"
II was not until Mr.. Curran insisted
for the fourth time upon ruling that
the Mayor committed himself and ruled
the point out of order.
Mr. Craig then moved TO lay over both
previous motions until to-day When
the Mayor finally put the ComptrolIer's
last motion +. II. La Guardia. President
OF the Board of Aldermen, lined UP with
his Republican colleague. His and Mr..
Curran's total OF FIVE votes deprived the
Tammany majority Of the necessary
twelve for favorable action.
III this budget Is not ready within
the time limit we may as well let tho
public know IT, said Mr.. La Guarda.
Tammany Tactics Used.
The Tammany majority next resorted
70 the tactics OF ten days ago. when Mfr
Curran blocked adoption OF the tenta-
tive budget and effected adjournment
1T midnight until 1905. which. being
another day. would permit Of the pro.
posed budget being adopted with nine
votes instead OF twelve. Curran AMI
la Guardia would not have been able
70 prevent that total vote.
Upon reconvenlng i've minutes later
the Comptroller moved TO strike from
the proposed budget all additions made
IN committee during the last two days
Curran and La Guardia made such n
protest against this however, that the
Comptroller finally conceded that "the
Borough President is entitled 10 have
this motion clearly before him" and
moved recess until 4 o'clock this after
noon, which motion prevailed.
Il am glad that the majority Of this
board was willing 10 take my advice for
once" Mr. Curran said
The Mayor and President Connolly
quickly registered protests that their
vote was not Influenced by the advice"
of Curran
Mr.. Curran was continually under the
FIRE Of the Comptroller In committee
yesterday. and was refused permission
70 submit supplemental budgetary re-
quests. The Comptroller also either
voted against or refused 20 vote upon
all requests Of Mr. Curran for his de-
psrtfnent. with the result Mr. Curran
said. that his department will not have
enough money to be run properly.
In declining 10 grant the writ Of man
damus asked by Walter Frank, n cltI-
zen. backed by Mr.. Curran and the Citi-
zef's Union. Justice McAvoy OF the Su-
preme Court, said that the majority
members Of the board had represented
that they had given the Board OF Edu-
cation requests adequate consideration
aud that an order for reconsideration
could avail nothing more than a mere
review with the came results