The New York herald., 1921-10-13
oontisued from Fsrss Page.


cost. Then the city made a contract
from day to day with the Brooklyn
Ash Removal Company for two or
three months at a high price and
then made a contract for a year and
then made contract which could not
be entered into for months.
THAT is simply symptomatic Of the
gross mismanagement OF the depart
ment. I am not going through it all.
The cost Of such service in Brooklyn
is nearly two and half times over
what it is in Manhattan and The
Bronx. have not had time to inquire
why. There seem to be favored con-
tractors. carried on the books for
years, receiving these ridiculously high
prices in Manhattan and The Bronx.
There has been an uneteadiness and
uncertainty. a vacillation and a waste
OF money that is consequent upon It, 1t
Is very serious indeed. do not know
exactly where the blame lies. but want
tc call attention to this particularly. Ii
Indicates the necessity OF O. change In
organization and operation OF depart
ments. When Commissioners MacStay
was upon tho stand 1t appeared that ne
was not to make an appointment until
the Mayor told him he could. In any class
under any circumstances. He did not
have any reasonable opportunity to DC
business. 1t Is not consistent with the
transaction OF the business OF an I'm
mense municipality like this that man
should be put in charge of it and told
Al. int xuffh mi
the Mayors direction. then ordered to
appoint druggist as an engineer-i'
Is not reasonable. He was not to change
a single deputy or remove a single dep.
uty without the Mayors direction.
Macstay's Hands Tied.
1T is necessary. II a man Is going tc
carry out an administrative policy In
relation to a great department. that ne
should be charged with responsibility
not that he should be ordered from
time to time by the Mayor who appoints
him to take this or that man; that Il
absolutely inconsistent with efficient ad.
minietration. wish to call attention tc
the fact that the administration was
ridiculously inadequate, 30 absurd thai
1t would not be tolerated and never was
thought OF in any business concern thai
ever existed.
II confess that I like Commissioner
Leo. ! liked his presentation. his pur.
pose. 1t gives promise Of something
better-a good deal better, but have
an idea that when he gets through witt
his incinerators he will have found diff
hculties In this community which vii
prevent their erection or operation
There Is not word about them In the
resolution Of tho Board OF Estimate
and I don't think there ever will be
have no more idea that he can ge
them than have that I can fly to thu
moon. which they say Is inhabited, no
a bit more.
'"TLe campaign the favored contrac
tors can put UP to stop incinerators
will keep his life worried for yea
or two in trying to make this very de
sirabie change and he will be- defeated
and, thereafter, unless radical steps arr
taAsn. the favored contractors will con
tinus to enjoy the plums which the,
have enjoyed heretofore to a very largt
extent. If there Is any way. or an,
plan by which. through the statutes
authority can be conferred upon tn,
head of this department so that It ma,
be permitted to participate In the dis
charge of the business OF the depart
ment In building garages for the dis
posal of rubbish. hope the committe,
viii find way of doing it."
Had Plan for SAVING.
Commissioners Leo had explained tha
his plan for saving money was to es
tablish a. system of incinerators in thu
several boroughs to save long haul
and dumps. The plan has been author
| ized tentatively by the Board of EST
mate, but the resolution refers to IRE
ceiving plants" not incinerators, ant
| Mr.. Brown said he did not believe tn,
board would ever let him carry on
his plan.
In July. 1918. MacStay received q letter
from the Mayor directing mat all ap-
plications for expenditures In the de.
partment be submitted to Deputy Com
| missioner Eschman. In another letter
| the Mayor asked that the deputies get
busy and see the employees were WORK
| ing. suggesting sending Eschman tc
| brooklyn once or twice wsek and
adding ''it is impossible to keep men or
the job II everybody sits around then
office reading newspapers and manicur-
| ing their finger nails" Another letter
suggested that no appointments be made
! without consulting the Mayor. This
| wae in line with the policy Of not fill
! Ing unnecessary exempt positions.
"And you complied with the Mayors
directions?" Mr.. Brown asked. Mr.. Mac
Stay said he did.
I'm this way you appointed DR.. Henry