New-York tribune., 1921-12-31
Hyla,a Transit
Tricks Rebukcd
by Untermyer
Defiance of Commission and
Port Authority Denounced
as Malign Program to Dis
ruptNeedcdImprovement
Mayor Called Ignorant
Traction Boards Plan Is
Attacked: Change in Di-
rccsoratc Idea Is Urged

ltSeVldAC luVd 10 ~ ECU
In renewed criticism yesterday of
the Transit Commissions tentative
plan for reorganzing the traction
lines, Samuel Untermyor turned a hot
fire on the Hylsn administration.
Speaking at luncheon of the Al
dine Club in application of his pre-
viouSly expressed reasons for opposing
the plan Mr.. Untermyer devoted u
large portion OF his address to a dc
nunciation of Mayor iIylan's proposed
transit program. wnicn conflicts with
those OF the commission and the Fort
Authority, and to the administration S
policy of obstruction and destruction
Warning Given TO City
Mr.. Untermyer said the city's de-
fsnce of the commission and the Port
Authority was just another political
gesture and part OF malign program
to disrupt the work for which they
were legally constituted. The admin
istration knew, he said. that it had
not a chance OF getting authority from
the Legislature to spend S225,000,00o
for "a tannel that is to begin nowhere
and run to Staten Island, unconnected
with the transit system The all
important transit interests of the city,
Vii. CNtStNlSSf utSldiSt, "Ntt uSiilS
stecred by & most unwlse, unseen hand
that pulled the strings while the Mayor
acted as tho marionette.
1t is too much TO expect the Mayor
10 sit by while the patronage involved
IN these vast expenditures is cluding
his grasp" said MIR. Untermyer. ''and
all through his own want of vision and
administrative capacity. He is never
TOO late TO waste our money in these
hn 1nfN
get hold upon thss great project"
Mr.. Untermyer outlined an alter
native plan of his own. which he said
would better safeguard the interests of
the city than that OF the commission.
He would give the city clear majority
OF directors in the proposed holding
company, to DE appointed for four
years by the Transit Commission with
the approval of the Mayor. He sug
gested also that the city be assured une
majority of directors in each of the
three operating companies, in order
that when the bonds to be given to
shall have the sole representation in
the various boards of directors.
The commissions ldea of having the
directors Of the operating companies
appointed by the former owners of the
properties Mr.. Untermyer described as
''nlorstrous and unthinkable.'
'The entire success of this plan," he
said, sis dependent upon the skill. in
tegrity and economy in operation.
From beginning to end the plan makes
for eytravagance, sponsibility and
injnstice on that controlling point
One may we'll ask why the distin-
guished members of this commission,
whose integrity and high purpose are
beyond question, should have put for
ward a proposal that is so. glaringly
unjust to the city.
'sThe answer is that it is because Of
The dread of municipal operation, and
to that reason alone we owe this dcs-
perate device. The commission has
paid too much attention to the abnor-
nal situation that would be created V
public operation under the present city
administration.
u4.~ Mvu.a imagine that when the
Mayor realized the havoc he had
wrought to the cause of home rule by
his four years of obstructive. do-noth-
ing policy, he would have changed his
tactics. In point of fact, his attitude
since the appointment of the commits
sion has been and continues to be even
moro dangerous to the city's interests
than before.
Hylan Accused of Sulking
"1nstead of the Mayor realizing the
fatal result of his handiwork and try
ing at least to protect the city against
the mistakes of the commission, he has
been holding aloof and sulking in his
tent. He did not dare expose his hope
less ignorance of the problem by sub
mitting to a public examination which
would have disclosed that the commits
son's plan was SO much Greek to him
and that he had none of his own
Mr.. Untermycr said the suggestion
of the wholesale and indiscriminatc
scrapplng of the lines that now carry
one-half of the population was nothing
less than senseless.
"The Mayor chatters about busses as
though they were the invention of his
BRAIN" said Mr.. Untermyer. "And
now after allowing the hearings before
the commission to go by default, all of
sudden. when it is too late for his
administration to be of any use, he re-
verses himself and appoints man to
study the plan after the evidence is
closed and the city is hopelessly com
nnitted against anything and everything
he may do or suggest
Mr.. Untermyer was referring to
William A. De Ford, recently appointed
special assistant corporation couM-
sci TO make an analysis OF the com.
missions plan. Mr.. De Ford made his
first visit to the Transit Commission
yesterday and had a preliminary talk
,n,.fb boi irf,op T.norra McApnpv