New-York tribune., 1921-12-20
Scent Trolley
Profit a Myth, Line in
Deplorable State, Testi-
mony of Wl1alen Shows
Mavor and Graf o
Flout Commission
unterrayer Lays City's
Traction Snarl to HvIan
Dog-in-Manger Policy

The administration boast, flung out
as bait to voters in the last campaign.
that the Midland Railroad on Staten
island was being operated under citv
supervision at profit on 5-cent fare
was disproved yesterday at the Transit
commission investigation.
With Grover A. Whalen, Commits
sloner of Plant and Structures on the
stand, it was shown that the "proftv
resulted from bookkeeping that did NOT
take into account important items of
expense and that the line was in a
deplorable condition, unimproved since
1t was taken over for operation by the
municipality year ago
Huge Items Omitted
Although other companies are com
PEELED to pay franchise taxes, this item
was not included in the city's report,
nor were items Tor maintenance of way
and structure and injury claims. In
spite of the sorry condition of the line
it was shown that the city had done no
paving between the tracks, while the
Richm ond Light and Railroad Company
had spent S134,000 on it's line for this
purpose, including the expense in cost
of operation.
Other developments in the transit
inquiry yesterday were:
Mayor Hylan and Comptroller Craig
failed to appear in response to the
commissions invitation. The Comp
troler replied with a seven-page let
ter. in which he refused to testify
unless the commission answered in ad-
vance a series OF questions he pro-
pounded and submitted to cross
eXaminat ton n the Comptroller's office.
Samuel Untermyer criticized the
commissions tentative plan for a re-
organization of the New Y ork traction
systems as economically unsound"
and misfortune for the city if it were
adopted in anything like its present
form. He said, however, he had not
relinquished hope that it could be de-
veloped into businesslike, workable
plan.
Comment By Untermyer
For two hours the special counsel of
the Lockwood committee occupied the
stand, exchanging his customary role
of examiner for that of witness His
comment was to a large extent reit-
Grafton of his previously expressed op-
position to the plan, except that he
came out f1atfootedly in favor of mu-
nicipal ownership and operation, and
denounced in stinging terms the pri-
vate management of public utilities.
Il cannot conceive of anything worse
under municipal ownership than you
have exposed here under private own
ership," he declared. With occasional
exceptions, private ownership has been
one long, continuous, Shiny control of
bribery, debauchery, chicanery and COR
ruption.'
The barometer fund or sliding scale
feature of the Plan he described as it's
fundamental vice"
On the question of operation and
control, Mr.. Untermyer's objection was
that the citys present and future in
terests and Investments were not justly
and sufficiently represented under the
plan.
$50 great has been the dread of
municipal ownership and operation, or
of even so much as an equal voice."
he said, that this plan practically
turns back the properties into the
hands of the owners from whom they
have been purchased, and leaves the
future operations practically at the
mercy OF the same interests that have
looted, slaughtered and mismanaged
these properties. The idea is un-
thinkable.'
Debate With McAneny
Mr.. Untermyer first submitted his
views in the form of a statement and
then INDUCED in debate with George
McAneny, chairman of the commission,
and Clarence j. Shearn, special coun-
sci. At the outset Mr.. Untermyer said
he wanted to make clear that he spoke
as an impartial and disinterested cjti-
zen.
Notwithstanding the impression that
was sought to be created in the recent
campaign, he said, neither he nor any
member of his firm was associated with
the traction interests. He had never
been personally interested except that
many years ago he bought $4,000 of
Continued page four)