New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-07
The Price

suits from children under part-timc
instruction is but the background of
the picture which Monday next pre-
sents to the city's teaching force. In
the foreground looms the grim eco
nomic fact that the $4,000 men and
women composing that force will re-
celve part pay or no pay at all for at
least period Of three months unless
the state comes to the aid of the De-
partment of Education. 1t is the re-
suit of Hylanism pure and simple.
The Department of Education
last spring presented estimates for
this year which called for $143,-
549,019 The maintenance items, in
elusive of officers, teachers and
other employees salaries, on an ire
ducible minimum basis, amounted to
ST ,946,03S. The sum of $46,920,-
1927 was asked for building, remod-
cling, charging and the purchase of
new SITES"
When the Board of Estimate and
Apportiohment came to cast up the
city's budget it found that it had to
lop off nearly $2S,000,0O0 somewhere
in order to conform to the constitu-
tional restrictions controlling the
debt limit. Just about that time Mr..
Charles Murphy, of Good Ground,
the boss of Tammany Hall, began
to hear the rumblings of the re-
volt which is now splitting his or
ganization. A cut of S2S, 900 900
meant the severance of the Tam
many faithful from the jobs in which
Hylanism has fastened them upon
the city In such a severance
Murphy, like certain French cour-
tier, foresaw not only revolt but
revolution.
There was only one department
whose estimates might be cut with
out disturbing Murphy henchmen
and possible insurgents against his
rule-the Department of Education.
Here was salvation for Tammany's
boss-not only salvation, but an op-
portunity to demonstrate the Halls
power to the forces in the school
system which have long thwarted
it's cherished ambition to control it
and its marvellous patronage posi-
bilities. A master stroke! He would
let these highbrows know what it
meant to oppose Charles Murphy
of Good Ground!
What mattered it to Murphy that
the educational experts of the city
and the state protested at the mere
suggestion of the Estimate Boards
touching the school application?
What mattered to Murphy the warn
ing that what is about to come to
pass at the beginning of next week
was inevitable? What mattered it
that he and Mr.. Hearst had put
Poor John Hylan and his admins
tration in office on pledge Of more
schools and seat for every child?
What has solemn pledge or public
pact ever mattered to a Tammany
boss? The one thing that mattered
in this case was that Charles Muir
phys head and power were menaced.
So Poor John, aided and abetted
by the Hearst press and by Mr..
Craig, the Hearst Comptroller, cut
! the Board of Education's estimates
! for maintenance and salaries from
$77,946,038 to S5O,00O,00O. They did
this over the protest Of Borough
President Henry Curran, who stands
before the decent citizens of the city
to-day asking it to smash Hylanism
and Tammanyism and Hearstism for
once and all. He introduced reso-
luton at the time declaring that be-
cause Of the boards act a grave
emergency would arise in the citys
affairs-that it should appropriate
money to pay teachers salaries and
for school maintenance beyond
August, 1921 The resolution was
lost. We think it was jeered; or
was it Mr.. Curran who was ieered?
1t is immaterial now. perhaps.
The emergency Henry Curran fore
saw and bravely predicted is here.
Although the application for new
school buildings and engagements
was allowed, 100000 children must
go on part time next Monday. There
are no seats for them, and if every
dollar of the $46,o20,327 had been
expended there would be no seats.
School buildings to which little chill
dren can be intrusted in safety cam
not be erected overnight.
AS for paying the teachers the
wherewithal to live and meet the
commitments Of life, that rests now
with the state, and not with the city.
The Board of Education has applied
for an advance payment of $7.225.-