New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-14
Slusfn Fund to
Aid Detective
Bill Is Traced


and passage of the bill, by which it
was intended to create detective di-
vision in the Police Department. make
the rank of detective permanent and
give them more money. Mayor Hylan
vetoed these bills when they came be-
fore him on May 8.
After Those Who Got Money
at the request of Commissioner
Enright have begun an investiga-
ton to ascertain how much money was
raised for the purpose of furthering
these detective bills and who got the
money.
Last year this detective bill made
it's appearance at Albany early in the
legislative session, but this year the
bill did not appear until April T, when
it was introduced by Republican SEN
ate Majority Leader Lusk and, accord
ing to the New York Legislative Rec
ord and Index for the year 1921, was
passed within few days thereafter.
Mandatory legislation running into
many millions of dollars, directing the
city to pay, without having any say in
the matter, was passed during the last
session of the Legislature. Of these
mandatory bills only those involving
the expenditure of a little over $13,-
100000 came before the Mayor, and he
vetoed every one of them, including
the bills which had fer their object
the increase of the pay Of policemen
and firemen to $1,000 a year.
Important leads as to the circum-
stances Of the introduction and pas
sage OF those mandatory bills, includ-
ing the police and fire increased pay
bills, have been recently brought to
my attention, and I purpose to follow
up these leads as we'll"
Except in one particular Mr.. Hirsch-
fields description of the history OF the
Lusk bill is correct. The measure was
first introduced by Senator C. Ernest
Smith, of Staten Island, at least four
weeks before Senator Lusk took it up.
Senator Smith dropped the bill when
its real purpose became apparent.
Then Senator Lusk took the Smith bill
and made it his own.
The measure was condemned by
practically every group of state and
municipal employees in New York.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Associa-
the State Civil Service Forum with
100000, were among the organizations
opposed to the proposal. Despite the
opposition the bill was jammed through
both houses
Created Life Jobs at Higher Pay
Representatives of the policemen s
organization which opposed the bill
in trying to persuade Senator Lusk to
abandon it, pointed out that the legis-
laton created life jobs and higher
salaries for the Enright favorites in
the department without any civil
service examination being required.
The Detective Endowment Associa-
tion last night issued statement
pledging it's support to any investi-
cation which has for its object the ex-
posture of "any Illegal or irregular eff
fort to push through any bill affect
ing the detective bureau" The docu-
ment continues:
"At no time has the Detective En-
dowment Association attempted to raise
funds to influence the legislation"
The statement also gives the names
of four detectives who were delegated
by the association to represent it in
Albany. The statement names two
other detectives, who, it says, were
sponsoring another detective bill be-
sides Senator Lusk's and declares that
the associations representatives threat
ened to arrest these two detectives
"if they did not cease their activities.'
The statement does not describe the
activities, but says they were reported
to Senator LuSk