The New York herald., 1921-10-04
POLITICS. SAYS ATTACK
Board Goes Right Ahead on
$50,O00,O00 a Year Sched-
ule for New Subways.
CITY WILL HAVE THE CASH
Comptroller Craig Sees S217,.
100000 Available, Enough
to Carry On for 8 Years.


attack yesterday on the Transit Com
missions preliminary plan for revamp-
ing and rescuing New York's wrecked
transit systems. Treating the whole
subject as purely political, the Mayor
declared the plan presents a bold
scheme for selling a gold brick to the
city. The Hylan- -Tammany campaign
is to be based on the charge. it Is evil
dent. that the plan is not put out in
good faith. but is plot to boost fares.
The Mayors statement did not contain
any suggestion of a plan to solve the
transit problem.
The transit officials do not mean
what they say. the Mayor asserts, and
proceeds to reveal what he thinks they
do mean. He disregards their words
and declares that instead of providing
for municipal ownership. what the plan
really means is municipal backing for
the Traction ring"
The city is to be left entirely In the
dark regarding this whole project, the
Mayor asserts. and in his analysis Of
the report points out that by merging
the deficits Of the lines which do not
pay with the subway profits a deficit
will still be shown. and that this re-
suit is to be the barometer to decide
the rate of fare to be charged.
Sees Only One Way to Escape.
There can be but one meaning. Mr..
Hylan believes. and that is higher fare
His belief is that the only way to beat
the eight cent fare and the traction
ring Is to reflect him Mayor.
The Transit Board yesterday disre-
garded both the criticism and praise
aimed at Its plan and went ahead with
out losing a moments time with the
preparation OF plans for new subways
Confident that the city authorities will
give their aid in the END, the transit off,
cials have taken the position that the
result to be achieved is more subways
and every effort will he directed to that
end The Transit Board is trying ia
keep the transit muddle out of politics
as hard as Mayor Hylan Is trying to
Henry II. Curran. fusion nominee for
Mayor. made no comment on the plan.
Fifty million dollars Is TO be spent an
nually for new subways under the Tran
sit Board plan until the city has ade-
uuate transit facilities Comptroller
Craig said yesterday that the city would
have s217.000.o00 to its credit to spend
next year and did not need assistance
I'm obtaining added funds. IT was point
ed out that there were s40,000.0o0 In
dual subway contracts which must be
cared for next year. in addition to the
S57 900. 900 needed for schools. Another
25.o0o.00o must 20 for financing the
Staten Island tunnel.
One thing made clear yesterday was
that the transit lines are not TO benefit
under the boards valuation policy. The
basis for estimating cost in placing val
uation on the transit properties Is g
point about halfway between the actual
cost of building and the peak prices
following the war. Neither the original
nor the replacement costs are to be ac-
cepted.
Hymn Summa rixcs Objections.
In connection with his statement
which Is the first from City Hall against
the new plan. Mayor Hylan issued d
summary entitled. What the Transit
Boards Preliminary Plan Actually Pro-
vldes" This followed the outlines OF
the Boards own summary made when
the report was published. The Mayor
informs the public that the Board does
not mean what II says In a single In
stance and then he reveals what he says
the Board really does mean. Here Is
his summary
"The Transit Commissions pre-
liminary plan does not provide for
municipal ownership or municipal op-
Grafton sor for five cent fare.
1T provides for municipal respon-
sibility and municipal sponsorship.
for future traction rascality. on an
eight or ten cent fare.
''It provides for the saddling of
bankrupt and obsolete surface Tines
on the city.
1T provides for the operation with
the city's backing Of al the trans
portation lines by the same private
interests that now operate and con-
troll them.
'1t provides for the extension OF
the bus system which Mayor Hylan
created to fight the traction ring,
and for the operation of these bus
lines by the traction ring Itself
1T provides for home rule IN this
city from the offices OF the traction
corporations only.
1T provides for the issuance Of
securities backed by the city OF New
York In exchange for deprecated SEE
curities in the hands 81 tho traction
masters to whatever amount Gov.
Miller's commission orders. based on
valuations not yet disclosed.
"It provides "A barometer fund
which Is to determine whether tho
fare shall be eight cents. ten cents
or more. the rate TO be fixed on the
basis OF the financing proposed by
the commission.
"It provides for all operating cost.
maintenance and depreciation to be
taken out OF income by the operating
companies before the resulting det-
ctfs, artificially developed. are trans
ferred TO the barometer fund these
accumulated deficits TO be made up
by Increased income from a higher
fare.
at provides for tho operation OF
all the transportation lines by the
Corf'fHrd or Sccord ru1o.