New-York tribune., 1921-06-11
A Association
Leaders DENY
Miller Attack
Chiefs of Nonpar,isan Or
ganization Repndiatc
Statement Criticiziug AL
legged Acts of Governor
Has No Basis, They Say
Economy Policy Was Called
a Deception in Unsup.
ported Charge Issued

The New York State Association, a
nonpartisan organization of which
many prominent men and women are
officers. made public yesterday a
statement criticizing Governor Miller
severely, which PROMPTLY was repudi-
ated by several of the associations S
officers. 1t was asserted in the state
ment that the Governors efforts at re-
form had resulted merely in supplant-
ing Democratic office holders with Re
publicans, sometimes at higher sal
aries, and establishing machine for
the maintenance of invisible govern
ment.
The two vice presidents of the asso-
citation and three members of its ad-
vlsory council hastened to say that they
had not seen the statement until it
was published, and some of the five said
they disapproved of it cordially The
dissenting vice presidents are George
w. Wickersham and John G.. Agar, and
the three members of the advisory
council are George McAneny, Lawson
Purdy and William j. Schiefeln.
Strong Denials Made
Other officers could not be reached,
but the indignant denial of responsi-
bllty for the charges made against
Governor Miller which were entered
by the five named above seemed to in
dicate that a strong sentiment ex-
listed in the ranks of the association
in opposition to the Governors critics
Robert Moses, secretary of the asSo-
citation, made the statement public and
is said to be the author.
Mr.. Understands secretary de-
clared that Mr.. Wickersham had not
seen the statement at all until it was
published and had he done so would
not have permitted his name to be
used in connection with it. Mr. Nc
Aneny was out of town, but his secre-
tary, Louis Graves, gave out state
ment in his name in which he said
that the chairman of the Governors
Transit Commission "knew nothing
about this statement of the New York
State Association and is absolutely out
of sympathy with this attack upon
Governor Miller"
MIR. Graves said that he had not
been able to find Mr.. Moses, but had
learned at his office that it was GUS
tomary to give out such statements
without consulting those whose names
were linked to them as officers of the
association. MIR. Agar and Mr.. Schieffe-
lin said they had not seen the state
ment.
"The statement is merely a restate-
ment Of the associations attitude" said
Mr.. Moses, land when the members Of
the board of directors have read it
they will all agree to it.. 1t was written
by me in collaboration with several
o. the members.
Miller's Aims Derided
Governor Miller is characterized in
the statement as financial gymnast," !"
whose strivings for economy accom-
plish merely the aims of partisaHpoli-
tics. ~, a,.s7,tS,.
"Last, but not least" IL is, said in
that part of the report telling of the
Governor's influence upon legislation,
''the Board of Estimate and Control
has been created, composed of the Gov
ernor, the Comptroller, the chairman
of the Senate Finance Committee and
the chairman of the Assembly Ways
aud Means Committee. This is the
most powerful agency yet crea ted for