New-York tribune., 1921-04-21
Hylan Hints He
WillV VetoP Police.
Fire Pay Bills
s'Where Are We Going to
Get the Money?'' He Asks
as Many Urge Him at
Hearing to Sign Measures
Angry at City Employees
Disgruntled Because They
Went to the Legislature; +;
Has Tilt With McCue

1AdS AAe w AaAA @'AS $<~AS
PROPONENTS Of the bills passed by
the last Legislature providing for in
creases in the salaries Of about fifteen
thousand members of the Police and
Fire departments got little satisfac-
tion from Mayor Hylan yesterday when
he held public hearing on these and
other bills which have come to him for
his approval or disapproval. While
the Mayor did not announce what he
intended to do with these salary in
crease bills, he indicated strongly that
they would have his veto.
"Where are we going to get the
money!" was the burden of the
Mayors query throughout the hearing.
His Honor appeared disgruntled over
the fact that the police and fremen
had gone to the Legislature, instead of
consulting the city administration
about the matter. He said that the
Board of Estimate had given the fire
men and patrolmen an increase of $700
IN tne laSC 1OuT years.
About five hundred policemen and
fremen who were off duty attended
the hearing and cheered whenever a
kind word was said for the salary in
crease bills. The heads of the various
benevolent associations in both depart
ments urged the Mayor to approve the
measures. They were backed up in
their appeals by State Senator Martin
McCue, Borough President Maurice E.
Connolly of Queens, James P. Holland,
president of the State Federation of
Labor, and Stewart Browne, head of
the United Real Estate Owners Asso-
citation.
Mayor Cracks Joke
In answer to the Mayors query as
to where the money for the proposed
increases was coming from. Senator
McCue said he would lop off the heads
Of certain commissioners and cut into
the city departments He declared he
would begin with the Comptroller.
"But you voted to increase the Comp
Mayor.
McCue admitted he had, but ex-
planned he wanted to be consistent be-
cause he had voted for increasing the
Mayors salary. This explanation
brought one of the few smiles the
Mayor showed during the hearing. He
COMPILING ented McCue, an ex-prize.
fighter, as being an excellent sparrer."
The Mayor greeted coldly Joseph P.
Moran, president of the Patrolmen's s
Benevolent Association, and Albert E.
Guinness, president of the Uniformed ed
Firemen's Association, when they spoke
i'll favor of the bills. He asked them
of coming to the Board of Estimate
for the increases. They were both
more or less evasive in their replies.
The Mayor insisted upon frank an
swer.
There was no desire to embarrass
any one" Moran finally assured him.
eve simply wanted to make the sal
aries mandatory, 50 that another ad-
ministration could not reduce our pay
The Mayor frowned.
Mr.. Holland urged the Mayor to
"play good politics" and sign the bills
and "put the people on the hill in
piled that it was not good policy tc
play politics with the peoples money
and that two wrongs never make {
right.
Stewart Browne surprised everybody
at the hearing by not opposing tn,
increase salary bills. He declared tina
$4,000 was not too much for the fire
men and policemen of the first grade
He said one good feature of the bill
was that they did not go into effec
until January, 1922, and the only seri
Gus question was where the city wa
going to get the money. He said h
supposed the budget for next yea
would show an increase of $50 100000
and that this salary increase might az
proximate $3,0O0,000.
Other Bills Discussed
Of several police bills discussed {
the hearing, one would confer upo
the Police Commissioner authority I
retire the commanding officer Of tf
detective bureau at an inspectors pa
Representatives of the Civil Servit
Reform Association opposed its al
proval as special legislation, becaus
it was "vicious and permits commi
sioners to play favorites."
Opposition to a bill concerning tt
pensions Gllowed widows and orphan
of members of the police force ws
registered by the Civil Service Refor1
Association. because policemen wou
become benefciaries of the pensio
fund. The association also disa,
proved Of the bill creating a milital
police captain which is designed I
reward Lieutenant Charles Schofiel