New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-25
financial Disaster Feared
Il the Predicted Budget
of 100000 900 for
Year 1922 Is Allowed
5)epartments Told
Tc Cut Expenses
Losses on Docks and
, School Overcrowding
! Are Deplored by Prober

eIon r. Brown, chief counsel to the
q -.r legislative committee investigat-
the Hylan administration, in an
tterview yesterday surveyed the
hl;snt points respecting the conduct
.. the city's affairs so far developed
in the course of the committees in
euiry.
Mr. Brown dwelt principally upon
be financial troubles Of the municipal
iyma whole and its various depart
rsnts Individually, insisting on the
basis Of the figures he quoted that "un-
lbs there was universal economy there
wuld be universal disaster"
Budget Increase Shown
Ar. Brown began by pointing out the
ne in the budget the last four years
from s240,c0o 900 in 1919, $264, 900 600
il 1920, $685., 200, 900 in 1921 and pos
sbly s4oo,ooooo for 1929. He said he
couldn't see how the latter figure could
ts avoided if the s27,ooO,O0o which was
chopped off last years school appro-
niation had to be provided for.
q want to point out" said Mr..
Brown, 4that in view OF the great fall
ii the cost of commodities and ma
isrisls, the necessity of economy in
municipal government takes on an i'm
ssrtance it did not possess before. It
nsu,ally suggests the question of re-
sTganl -atlon IN city government"
The c-unsel then referred to only
nose facts which, he said, had been
limited and uncohtr 5verted by de-
Hftment officials examined on the
I.ness stand.
@we were unable to draw one ad
nssion from any department head
s.sstoned," he said. chat he could
etst. economies by laying off single
naln his bureau or reduce his budget
ussingle dollar. On the contrary.
aarsof them demanded huge in
csvs. There is~ the Police Hepart-
zAt which last year had an appropria-
ha Of s2S.o00,oo0, and which now de-
aads $4,000 900.
Cuts Must Be Made
such an increase in cost of admin
Matlve operation can result in only
ne tnlng, and that is vigorous use
" me axe, as it was used in the case
the s27,000,000 item of the Board
tducation. This must be reversed.
mere must be universal econom or
universal disaster
Mr. Brown then referred 70 the GEN
snl fund bond system in the Comp
aollers Office, under which the ex
Naalture of moneys should have been
iIeplled to the reduction Of the city's
es0t by so per cent "The SYSTEM
aepted here is disastrous,' he went
~ and increases the debt of the CITY
sansiderably."
taxing up the condition in the De-
saflment of Education, he pointed out
ual tne president of the Board of Edu-
a. a.on had expressed his opinion that
.ae present system of fnanc ng the
apartment is unworkable." "The want
aeccmmodation for school children"
oatinued Mr.. Brown. 'was freely ad
alsled, and thousands of pupils arc
'isaoo1 Ms lull opportunities of education.
was also disclosed that al circum-
.asullon office was in effect making it
psse,lcaily imp &c, bic to obtain the
,Tsay construction of schoolhouses.
.s y nag been shown that forty applica-
@as mad to be made before contracts
mas enective, and that the law per-
s,'eo the holding up of appropriations
,.s ~ as long as four years before any
''S''aaole result is obtained"
n
Dock Remedy Sought
" hlth respect to the dock situation
=. H. brown said: "It is necessary that
4 ~ ~ Guy saould derive from it's valua-
properties reasonable return with
~, ~ ~ any way iniuring it's CONNER
sal ~ progress, The Dock Commissioner
= - admitted chat the present system
'ang leases for docks, with a 10
,ss ss cent o increase every ten years, gives
~. ~ 'sy no greater return than if the
~ aaa collected taxes from these
nvperties. ! 1t was shown that COM
# ~s.s ss.ss pays from three to five times as
ss.s. s.sa more for the privilege of the
s,s.s ,sas as the city obtains from them
'-uer present leases. The treasury Of
81 Continued on page four)