New-York tribune., 1921-10-21

found in the envelope a statements of
what 'big-hcarted' man was Mayor
Hylan. He had no pity on them. He
demanded that he be paid in full
And, lest they forget, the letter closed
with an admonition that they vote for
Mayor Hylan on November 8. 1t was
signed by man named Engel.
Fearing the pewer over their PEN
sions. a large number Of these good
women dressed in their somber mourn
ing garb and went to the citys high
school. Many felt it duty to attend
an 'Americanization' meeting. Perhaps
none of them had any idea what the
real purpose of this gathering was, as
one of them told me to-day she
thought the meeting was called to dis
cuss plan to help one another in
making better Americans of the chill
dren whose dead fathers were foreign
born.
"And what took place when this
pathetic gathering were ushered into
their seats? Two speakers--one,
understand, an appo;ntee of Hylan-got
.naarvelous' Mayor. Not word was
said by him about Americanization.
Then came the big bpllyhoo. His
honor, announced by the hourishcs and
rut1es of a brass band, strobe through
the hall and onto the platform, where
the spotlight played on him and the
"Then came the most amazing talk
which New York perhaps ever heard.
Not word, mind you, about Amer
icanization. Nothing about the fact
that the State Of New York passed the
law. Nothing about making better
Americans of the fatherless children
whose mothers sat before him.
what did he talk about for nearly
one whole hour? How many here can
answer that question? Yes, you are
right. It was himself that he talked
about. Six times in that talk he told
those widows that he came to New
York a poor boy; fourteen times he
spoke about his Struggles and thir-
teen times he dared recall to these
widows their departed husbands; but
not once in that talk did he refer to
Americanization. What he actually did
was TO corral the widows into school
hall, under the coercion of an official
invitation, and then mako them listen
to political speech.
Devoted to Praise Of Hylan
"Now, getting away for moment
from the pitiful picture Of g Mayor
trying to make votes on the woes of
these widows, allow me to say word
on the significance of this meeting
Two. of; these good mothers, who sup
port themselves and their children
upon their allowances, came to my
Office to-day and told me that they had
gone to the meeting in good faith, be-
lieving that there was work which they
could do in helping less fortunate
mothers to rear their children to be good
Americans. They told me that not a
word was said about the purpose
printed on the invitations and that the
entire meeting was given over to a
glorification of Mr.. Hylan. They
could not see what Mr.. Hylan had done
for them except beguile them into a
political meeting in his own behalf
under the guise of meeting on Ameri-
canization.
"And here is the more serious aspect
/ of this sort Of imposition. l have 8
letter from the New York Child Labo,
Committe inclosing copy of the let.
ter which was sent to these widows
| The letter points out that one of the
mothers came in, handed over the letter
sent out to the mothers, and innocentl,
asked: What must / do and where
must l 60 to vote for Mayor Hylan, Sc
that will not lose my pension?'
/ "If this good woman so interpreted
| the Hylan meeting of tho Child Wei
fare Board, what must have ron,
through the heads Of all the othe,