New-York tribune., 1920-05-01
Craig Ready
To Use Blows
To End Cibes
''If Billingsgate Doesn't Stop
Someone Will Get Hit,"
He Warns Van Name and
La Cuardia in Clash
Rows i'm Estimate Board
Brooklyn Legion's Request
Starts SquabbIe; Connolly
Comes In for q Rebuke

Blows were threatened but not de-
livered at the meeting of the Board
OF Estimate yesterday. The threat Of
physical violence came from Comptrol-
Ter Charles l.. Craig, when in the
course Of q heated argument he de-
clared:
"If this exhibition Of Billlngsga.e
doesn't stop somebody is going to get
hit
No one was hit, however, and the
exhibition was confined to verbal
pyrotechnics. Mayor Hylan's allies in
the board were continually worrying
the Comptroller throughout the meet
ing. The discussion was unusually
spirited on most Of the matters which
came before the board for conside ra-
tion. Major La Guardia, President of
the Board Of Aldermen, took a hand
now and then, while Mayor Hylan was
kept busy trying to restore peace.
First Encounter of Day
The first encounter occurred when
Major La Guardia objected to the ap-
preparation of $4,000 requested by the
american Legion of Brooklyn for Me,
mortal Day expenses. He declared
that it was bad practice for veterans
to come to the city authorities for
money for Memorial Day, and that it
smacked of subs dized patriotism ~
. ter some discussion the matter was
Land over for /. week
Row No. began with resolution
by Borough President Van Name of
Richmond for an appropriation of So
$50 for the construction of bridge at
Murtling Lane, Staten Island Mr.. La
Guardia objected and the Richmond
Borough President explained that the
bridge was to be a memorial to the
soldiers and sailors who sacrificed
tkeir lives in the war.
"The President of the Board of Al
dermen advertises his patriotism by
wearing ridiculous looking shirt
said Mr.. Van Name, referring to the
olive drab army shirt, with soft collar
attached, which the Aldermanic Presi-
dent is wearing as earnest of his inten-
tlon to beat the white collar profteers
THE President is wearing this shirt
because he is not connected with any
contractors" retorted Major La Guar
dia. ANY man who will vote to cor
tlnue a stage route charging 25 cents
for carrying the friends of wounded
soldiers to the hospital on Staten Isl
and will not have any consideration
from me-"
"The President of Richmond is alb
solutely right" said Comptroller Craig
This board is on record for public
park there. l move that all this be ex-
plunged from the record. If this exhi-
btion Of Billingsgate doesn't stop some
one Is going to get hit"
The Borough President said he didnt
want anything expunged from the rec
ord, but wanted the memorial bridge
The appropriation for the bridge finally
was approved, with Major La Guardis
voting in the negative.
Connolly Gets Rebuke
Borough President Connolly o.
Queens was the next member to enter
the arena with the Comptroller. Mr.
letter from the Board of Education
The Comptroller, evidently scentinf
what it was, objected. declaring that il
had no connection with the matters un
der consideration. Mayor Hylan, in try
ing to calm the squall, told the Queens
Borough President that he could read
il next week"
"The President of Queens has an in
trigue with every sorehead in the city
said the Comptroller, "and thinks he
can come into this board with any sort
of communication. l can bring as many
letters and charges against the Presi-
dent OF queens as ne can prtHg aSaAHsN l
members of this board"
Bring them on!" shouted Mr.. Con
molly, while the Mayor said, YEARLY,
"Oh, let it go over until next week,
and the member from Queens subslded.
fne letter was from Edward b. Shal-
low, Assistant superintendent of
Schools, charging that the Comptroller
was responsible for holding up the
construction of new schools because
he had failed to pass upon school sites
Mr. Shallow said it was futile for the
Board of Education to have money
authorized for building schools when
the chief financial officer of the city
refused to purchase the land on which
the buildings could be erected.
A discussion of the plans for dis
tributing the $5,000,000 authorized for
the increase of the salaries of city EN-
ployees was avoided by referring the
matter to the Committee on Finance
and Budget. which will meet Monday
Major La Guardia remarked, however
that the Comptroller was deserving OF
all credit in getting the bill through
the Legislature, which led the Comp
troller to say that he desired no credit
and that the bill was passed through
the efforts of the Democratic minority
in the Senate and Assembly,