The New York herald., 1921-07-05
POLITICIANS LOADED
ONTO CITY PAYROLLS
Meyer Probers Suspect Hylan
Motives in Buying Losing
Ferry Enterprises.
PLANNING FOR ELECTION
Craig's Attack on Reception
Committee for Extravaganza
Aired Again.

The Meyer legislative committee inves-
tigating the city government is devot-
ing considerable attention TO what its
ing of public money to popularize Mayor
Hylan and his administration, through
publicity and the activities of large
number of committees appointed by the
Mayor to handle uplift and welfare mat
ters in the name OF the city. A member
of the committee stated yesterday that
he believed the committee would be able
to show that such a practice has been
in vogue virtually ever since Mayor Hy-
Ian took office.
One of the instances mentioned was
that of the reception given under the
auspices of the Mayors committee for
the reception of distinguished guests TO
the returning American participants IN
the last Olympic games. So WIDE a
stretch was that affair from the real pur-
poses OF the committee--that of enter
tanning such visitors as Marshal Joffre
and other notables, representing foreign
governments-and so large were certain
items of the bill that Comptroller Craig
characterized the effort to charge the ex-
pcnse against the city as an outrage, de-
clared the appropriation to the commit
tee never contemplated such a use of
city funds, and refused to pay the bill.
City officials Bener1ciaries.
The Waldorf Astoria rendered a bill
for $4,000 for the entertainment, which
was regarded as reasonable enough. con-
sidering the large number OF city Off
cials and employees and their friends
who turned out for the dinner, and prob
ably would not have been objected to by
the Comptroller on the point of reason
ableness, had he been able to convince
himself that the committee was justi-
fled In incurring any expense at all for
such an occasion.
The item that stirred the Comptroller's S
wrath more profoundly was bill for
1000 for the menu card for that dinner.
The major part of that item was for
printing and materials, and the most
expensive feature Of the menu card was
a full page engraved picture OF Mayor
Hylan The Comptroller was all the
more impressed with the deliberateness
of that decoration by reason OF the fact
that at that time there lay on his desk
bill for another picture of the Mayor
which adorned programme of Poece
Department function. The Comptroller
was so incensed at being asked to pay
out good money Of taxpayers for that
sort of private publicity that he made IT
the subject Of public protest.
Touring New York Hnrbor.
The Meyer committee Is investigating
also thu frequent use of the police boat
John F. Hylan for tours around New
York harbor and adjacent waters and
the reported slight use of the craft for
legitimate police purposes. The Mayor
not infrequently attends such tours Of
inspection" and recently, ii Is said, has
made it habit of standing at the shore
end Of the gangplany when the party
lands so that no one on board may es-
cape without shaking his hand and be-
ing aware of his leading role in the ex-
cursion.
The committee has reason to suspect
also, it was stated, that the city payrolls
have BEEN loaded for all the traffic will
bear recently with per diem employees.
the places being filled largely with minor
politicians who have proven or may
prove themselves useful on election day.
The committee Is anxious to learn too
the reason for the Hylan administra-
tions sudden concern that certain Sec
tions Of the city shall have ferry SER
vice. the providing of which In the last
several months has caused the appropria-
tion of hundreds of thousands Of dollars
for the purchase OF ferries which private
owners told the city quite frankly they
could not make pay.