New-York tribune., 1921-12-29
Mayors Plan, Upheld by
Board of Estimate, Con-
flicts Will, Project of
Smith and Business Men
Democratic Split
Confronts Murphy
Legislative Row Feared
Over Pledge Made Dur
ing Ex-Governor

Mayor Hylan'S plan Tor the develop
ment of the port according to his own
ideas, instead of according to those Of
the Port Authority, was made public
yesterday by engineers of the Board
of Estimate and Apportionment, COM
mitting the Mayor to fight the Port
Authority plan, although the Demo
cratic state platform of 1920 contained
plank approved by Governor Smith
which called for the development of
the port along lines identical with
those laid down by the Port Authority.
Charles F. Murphy, the Tammany
boss, is in jam, with Hearst and
Hylan on the one side. and former
Governor Smith and the other men,
bers of the Port Authority on the
other, over the approval of the Port
Authority's bill, to be introduced at
Albany next week.
Smith Springs Surprise
The Outerbridge- -Smith-Pounds men
in the Port Authority sprang sur
prise at City Hall yesterday when, in
answer to questions about the proba-
blity of Endorsement of their bill by
tho Democratic minority in the SEN
ate and Assembly at Albany, they di-
rected attention to the plank. When
Mayor Hylan, supported by William r..
Hearst, asks for support for the Hylan
bill for port development the Tam
many men will have to face this pledge,
which reads:
eve owe it to the nation to organize
and develop the port Of New York. To
that end we favor compact or agree
ment with our sister state, New Jer-
sey, which shall provide for the crea-
tion of port district, and a port
authority with adequate powers to de-
velop the port comprchensively, and
with proper protection for New York
City over the public ownership and
development of its water front and
commercial facilities"
The Hylan men are troubled over
the presence of this plank in the state
platform. Under ordinary circum-
stances. the Tammany Senator'S and
Assemblymen are bound to support the
ly Murphy will issue the order for
them to do so, but the pro-Smith men
in the Legislature will call attention to
the plank in the last state platform
and doubtless vote for the Port
Authority bill, backed by Smith.
Murphy Faces Disaster
BY joining with Brooklyn, the Bronx
and Queens, Tammany controls all Of
the eleven members of the upper house
at Albany, but on shown down, as
between Murphy and Smith. it is
doubtful if Murphy could swing more
than three or four of the clever. II
is understood that Senators Walker
Boylan and Downing. the seniors ir
the Tammany delegation, are disposed
to help the Port Authority bill through
on the ground that 105 commercial anc
civic organizations have declared fol
it, and that the burden is on Mayor
Hylan and the Corporation Counsel te
prove that it is not good bill.
In the Assembly the Democrats have
SO Of the $50 members, but here, as in
the Senate, there is almost a certainty
that not more than eight of the six
teen Tammany men would obey the de
mand from Mr.. Murphy to support
Mayor Hylan's port bill. whatever ths'
bill may be- 1t is understood that if the
Port Authority bill is made a caucus
matter the Smith men in the Assembly
will control the caucus and on a show
down would throw the entire Demo
cratic vote in favor Of the Port Au
thority measure.
Coincident with the approval yester
day by the Board Of Estimate o.
numerous proposed legislative amend
ments to extend the authority Of thf
Hylan administration in developing thu
port in opposition to the plan of thS
Port Authority, the engineers of ths
Board of Estimate gave publicity las
| ,.c,1f +o ha rsA WI Il fOt p
read before the Municipal Engineers O
the City Of New York on the proposed
municipal observation-disclosures freigh
and passenger tunnel at the Engineer
ing Societies Building.
Under the original legislative act tn
city was authorized to construct th
Continued page four)