The New York herald., 1921-11-24
Wasteful Washing. Of Car
Windows Typical, of
Plight, He Says.
MANY ECONOMIES CITED
Interborough Head Wishes He
Had Dividends Back for Use
in Present Crisis.

Frank Hedley. president and general
manager Of the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company, under a four hour
Interrogation yesterday in the Transit
Commission examination, made his
evidence notable by score Of i'm
portant admissions, some of them
wholly unexpected
To the Transit Commissions plan
for reorganized and unified control
OF all the city's railway lines he gave
his frank Endorsement, with only a
single qualification. He fears the pro.
vision permitting the naming of three
members of the proposed board Of con-
troll by the Mayor would result in a
disastrous injection of politics into the
new system greatly to the detriment
of its operative efficiency.
He said he had accepted the verdict
of the recent election as a declara-
ton for the five cent fare; that he
didn't expect to get higher fare for a
long time, and was preparing to make
the nickel go as far as possible.
window Washing ExtravaEant.'
When he was told that the COM
missions inspectors had found the
Interborough's train service only from
81 to 81 per cent. as adequate as 1t
was five years ago. Mr.. Hedley cam
Hvx.t f>l la< lao 4.
compelled curtailment OF the service at
every possible point where impairment
or safety was not involved. IIo even
told how he had seen a feW~days ago
subway car in which the windows
had been washed and he had raised
hell" because Of the extravagance.
Except to maintain that the company's
1921 balance sheet had been made out
strictly in accordance with the commits
sion's rules. he made no attempt to de-
fend the camouhaging of worthless
stocks and stale debts as assets nor to
justify the company's old board of dir
rectors in declaring huge unearned divi-
dends at the expense of capital before
Mr.. Hedley had become president.
Opinion ON Traction Plan.
Invited by Chairman M-Aneny to ex-
press his opinion OF the commissions
plan Mr.. Hedley carly in the afternoon
session replied:
II think a plan very closely following
the commissions plan would be good
one but not the best. do not think
any public service company should at
any time be put In position where It
can be used as a political place. Under
your plan the owners OF the new securi-
ties which the commission proposes to
issue have the privilege of electing three
directors. the Mayor of the city Is to
name three. and those six are to name
troll, provided they can agree.
you have there the opportunity Of
getting into that board OF control four
politicians. think that should be posi-
lively avoided. If you admit politics
into the operation Of these transit lines
you win scale down the factor OF safety
and efficiency Immediately. In mis-
business you need men rendering safe
and efficient service TO the people. men
who have spent lifetime in the bust
ness.
Now, 1 am not candidate for Job
/ have not asked for job since 1886,
when / did ask for one on the elevated
road. Since then the jobs have all asked
for me-"
Clarence J. Sliearn, the examiner, ex-
planned that, until the city shall take
over the property after paying for II, the
plan provides that the operating of tile
lines shall lie with the. directors of the
operating company. the functions Of the
board OF control dealing rather with
matters Of financial management"
Chairman McAneny asked Mr.. Hedley
You certainly would not expect from
any public board, even IL It had politi-
clans on IT, anything worse in financial
management than has been the private
management OF these companies?"
"Oh yes I would" retorted the wit
ness. You probably would know where
Il went then"
Favors Including Employees.
The Tnterborough's president said he
would even go further than the commis-
sion. On the board of control he
thought there should be representative
not only of the security owners and Of
the city, but also representatives OF the
employees. Then said he. "there
would be no chance OF having any Sc
crets. You have got TO lay your cards
on the table right side up. and that Is
my way Of doing business"
He suggested that he would rather see
the city's representatives named by such
body az the bar Association rathe,
than either by the Mayor OF the board
OF Estimate and Apportionment. This
caused a laugh at Mr.. Hediey's expense
ns earlier IN the day he had referred
iispsrsgingly TO lawyers as fellows who
simply have a lot of conversation for
sale and don't produce anything"
when he was asked concerning cur
tailmcnt OF subway service the witness
replied:
II have been making the income meet