New-York tribune., 1921-04-08
Miller Retains
Pilgrim, Lets
Higgins Resign
Governor Demanded That
Both Hospital Commits
sioncrs Quit Two Days
Ago, Then Changed Mind
Criticized the Legislature
SO Years in States Service
Saves Physician; Other
i'll Office Only 4 Weeks
From a Stat Correspondent

ALBANY, April I.-Goverror Miller
o-day accepted the resignation Of Com
missioner Frederick A. Higgins, of New
York, whom he reappointed for six
year team as Hospital Commissioner
only four weeks ago.
The resignation O. ~. Charles w.
Pilgrim, of Poughkeepsic, chairman Of
the Hospital Commission. who has been
IN the state service in charge of the
insane for thirty-six years, was not ac-
oepted
The Governor, who had demanded
that the two men resign two days ago
or else show cause before him to-day
why they should not be removed from
Office, explained that because of Dr.
Pilgrims long and faithful service to
the state and because he did not hold
him primarily responsible for the cpl
sode which led to the demand for the
designations, he would not act on Dr.
Pilgrims resignation "for the present"
Cause of Mllers Action
Both men are Republicans and the
incident which occasioned the Cover
nor's displeasure was an attack on the
tion for taking care of the states
penniless insane which they deemed in
sufficient for the work
The attack was published in the
newspapers of the state and reused a
storm of protest. Those who were
tamil ar with the facts-and they were
relatively few-were incensed at the
action OF Commissioners Higgins and
Pilgrim. Those who did not know the
1&cts-and. they were in the majority--
thought that the helpless wards of the
state were being deliberately neglected
and mistreated by the state admins
tration.
Governor Miller in discussing the
case to-day recalled that the figures
conceded by the two commissioners to
be correct showed that the Legislature
this year provided for an increase in
attendants in the hospitals in excess
OF SO per cent and an increase in the
moneys for new hospitals of nearly 40
per cent. In addition, the Legislature
provided for $500 new beds, which,
allowing for the usual increases, would,
if carried out annually, as is the in
iention of the Legislature, dispense
with the overcrowding in less than
.our years.
The appropriation criticized by
Commissioner Higgins" said Governor
Miller tonight, permits of a ratio of
one physician to every 200 patients.
Last year the ratio was one to 259. In
the matter of attendants the appro-
priation permits of one to ten and last
year the ratio was but ore attendant
for every l3.5 patients"
Higgins's Statement
Information received by the Gov
ernor shows that this compares IA
vorably with hospitals where the ordi-
nary sick go, and that in some of the
argest private hospitals the shortage
OF nurses is such that undergraduate
nurses are being employed to supple
ment the work of the registered
nurses
Commissioner Higgins, in submitting
his resignation to the Governor, issued
statement in which he said that the
sum total of the entire controversy is
that the Governor and the Legislature
are taking over administrative func-
lions. that department heads will be
nothlng but figureheads and that ap-
parently the only test of fitness will
he the degree of willingness to "knuckle
down" to the Governor and the Legis-
lature. When this was called to the
Governor's attention he replied
That probably evinces the state OF
mind on the part of Mr.. Higgins. That
is not the rule and won't be the rule
IN the state government. | expect
he heads OF departments to administer
thelr departments, and if there is any
thing which needs to be brought to the
attention Of the public or the Legisla-
ture or the Governor l expect them
TO be courageous enough to do it, This
episode has not any connection with
such suggestion as the Commi issioner
makes
1T is not notice to anybody to
snuckle down. 1t is notice to every
BODY who requires it to cooperate and
orlng about an economical and efficient
administration of public business"
Excuses DR.. Pilgrim
Governor Miller, in explaining why
he had accepted Commissioner Hig-
gins's resignation Immediately, said:
Il do not think that a commissioner
who has made up his mind that the pa
tients will suffer is in a frame of mind
TO administer the duties of that Office. "
He said he was satisfied that DR..
Pilgrim was not in this frame of mind.
and added:
II do not want DR.. Pilgrim to 20 out
OF the state service in view Of his
long service in a way that will neces-
sarly reflect hardship. l do not want
to be unjust to him. Moreover, I am
satisfied that he was not responsible,
except secondarily, for the occurrences
which gave rise to this episode"