The New York herald., 1921-09-15
CITY LOSES HEAVILY
IN PIER LEASE PLAN
Hubert Calls Method of OPP
Grating Inadequate, I'm
fair and Improbable.
NEW LESSEES SUFFER
Must Pay Rentals Three or
Four Times Larger Than
Old LeasehOlders.
FIRE PERIL DISREGARDED
superintendent Snyder Testi-
fies to His Repeated Warn
ings of School Disaster.

lngS OF school DISASTER.
Small revenue is derived by New
York from its 5000. 900 pier system.
the biggest and most important to
commerce in this country, because the
municipal plan of operating the piers
is inadequate. unfair and unprofit-
able" Admission of this fact was
made by Murray Hubert, Dock Com
missioner and Tammany nominee for
President of the Board Of Aldermen,
testifying yesterday in City Hall be-
fore the Meyer investigating commit
tee
Before suspending its inquiry into
the Depar rtYnent of Education and TAX
ing up docks the committee brought
out the fact C. b. j. Snyder, superin-
tendent of school buildings. warned
city officials of the menace of fire
dangers in the public schools because
OF wholesale violations of fire preven-
ton rules, and urged that the build
ings be made safe to prevent a great
disaster.
In spite Of that warning and re-
peated demands for funds to do the
work the Board of Estimate and the
Board of Education remained indiffer-
ent to the peril through the first three
years of the Hylan administration.
and did not even try to lessen the
danger. The administration had no
policy for dealing with 1t.
After giving his testimony before
the Meyer committee Mr.. Snyder went
before the Board of Education and re-
versed himself completely. Reporting
to the board. which is his employer.
Mr.. Snyder contradicted his earlier
testimony by declaring none OF the
school buildings Is unsafe; that the
officials have done all necessary to
guard against fire peril, and that in
stead of more than 1000 violations OF
fire rules there are fewer than 400.
1t was explained Mr.. Snyder's second
statement was given to allay the fears
OF parents.
Ettinger Contrndicts HyIan.
William L. Ettinger, superintendent
OF Schools, refuted the old charge.
made over and over again by Mayor
Hylan. that the money spent in ex-
perimenting with the Gary system IN
the schools was wasted. 1t was we'll
spent he said. The Ettinger system
now In the schools is a modification
OF the Gary system. for which 1t was
substituted.
Commissioner Hubert was the most
willing witness yet heard by the COM
mittee. He was voluble. In answer to
almost every question asked by Elon
r. Brown, counsel, the witness broke
into a long explanation ana argument
which resembled closely stump
speech. He recited his achievements in
Congress and as Commissioners. Once
he ended a speech by asking a ques-
ton, and Mr.. Brown broke In with a
quick answer, saying:
"At last / have chance to get In
one world answer No"
There is o. lot more can tell you,"
the witness said q moment later. at
the end of another speech. but Mr..
Brown threw up his hands and said:
mo, don't. I don't dare to start you
again" Through the course OF these
addresses for two hours the commit
tee obtained little information regard
ing piers. Finally. Mr.. Brown said:
You think that the present system
OF leasing piers is inequitable, unfair
and Improbable. don't your"
II think 1t works out that way the
witness said.
Then II Is So isn't it?'
"You are trying to get me TO discuss
the system as a system and | am trying
to keep before your mind
Ncv Compctitor Handicapped.
"T am not trying TO ge. you to discuss
ANYTHING. / am trying to get you TO
tell me"
What I crlticisc about the present
system is that a man who may be going
into the chipping business to-day to
compete with a man who has been In the
business and who has had lease or a
city dock for thirty years must pay
rental OF from three to four times
greater than his competitor to begin
with"
I'm other words. the return 70 the city
Ia UNEQUAL on the different pier proper
ties under the present system?'
Yes"
.Inequitablo in It's charge to the man
that leases it?"
"Yes"
"He either pays too much or pays too