New-York tribune., 1921-12-07
Craig insists ON
City's Right to
Own Utilities
Demands Charter Revision
Board Pledge This and
Agree to Submit Its
Work to a Referendum
Request Held Premature
Co1nptrolIer's Ideas To Be
Included i'm Set of Princi-
Piles to Guide Commission

Comptroller Charles NJ. Craig yester-
day demanded that the Charter Rcvi-
sion Commission Immediately go on
record in favor of giving the city
complete power to own, operate and
control all public utilities and to rec
ommend to the Legislature that the
charter be submitted to a vote of the
people for their approval or disap-
prevail
Mayor Hylan, who seemed to think
that full measure of home rule would
be accorded the city if the provisions
of Section 444 of the laws Of 1914 were
extended to cities Of the first class,
asked that the commission declare in
favor of such an extension.
The Mayor was informed by Chair
man Scott that Section 444 merely gave
cities of the second and third class, to
which it now applies, little more than
power to consolidate existing depart
ments Chairman Scott told the Mayor
that he was for going further than
that.
The commission held that these and
other questions should not be decided
until the public had been heard, but on
motion of Borough President Riegel-
mann the commissions chief counsel
Edward j. McGoldrck, was instructed
to draw up a set of fundamental prin-
ciples, embracing the subjects proposed
by the Comptroller and the Mayor, for
the guidance Of the commission.
Pledge Support Later
Some of those who opposed immc-
date consideration of Craig's motions
said that they would vote in favor of
his proposals at the proper time, but
that it was not proper that these mat
ters be acted on before any public
hearings were held.
proposals of the Comptroller and the
Mayor, which at times waxed warm,
the session was given over to routine
matters of organization. One pro-
posal, emanating from Chairman Scott,
inviting suggestions for incorporation
in the charter, was adopted unani-
mously.
The commission has selected head
quarters in the Municipal Building
where all communications should be
addressed.
After the report of the commit
tee had been adopted, Comptroller
Craig offered his resolution providing
for referendum. When it was pointed
out to him that all the commission
could do was to make such a recon-
mendation to the Legislature, he
amended the measure accordingly.
For Transportation Department
In moving his proposal, taking from
the Transit Commission and the Pub
lie Service Commission all authority
over the public utilities in the city,
the Comptroller said that he would be
satisfied if it were incorporated in the
set Of principles to be drawn up by
Counsel McGoldrick.
THE one criticism leveled at the
Board Of Estimate in connection with
the transit problem" he said, "was
that it had no plan to offer. "But the
boards critics did not have the fair
ness to say that the board had been
stripped of all its powers in the mat
ter. 1t is the restoration of these
powers that my resolution provides
for. The enactment into law Of this
proposal would mean the creation Of
Department Of Transportation in the
local government"
The proposal of the Comptroller
read:
"The City of New York shall have
-