New-York tribune., 1921-02-04
Buses i'm Place
OF Surface Cars.
Urged byHylal,
Mayor Would Abandon
Street Lines and Install
5000 Motor Vehicles
at Cost of $4,000, 600
Attacks Governors Plan
Says City Would BE Looted !;
La Guardia Applauds Him
at Protest Mass Meeting

In the city was urged by Mayor Hylar,
at mass meeting last night at Cooper
Union,
AS substitute, the Mayor suggest
ed, the city should rely on his favorite
mode OF transportation--busses Given
$loooo,o0o with which to buy and
operate 5000 busses in connection with
municipality owned and operated sub
ways, he declared, the city would
thrive on a five-cent fare and out of
the surplus profits provide new schools
and hospitals.
Two thousand persons, waving Amer
lean flags, cheered Justify when Bern
ard A. Rosenblatt, who presided pre-
dicted that the Mayor would be re-
elected next fall on the traction issue
raised by Governor Miller's proposals
TO create new commission to solve
the Guys transportation problems.
aesoiutlons We're adopted demanding
q five-cent. fare and calling upon Con.
gress to investigate the receivershin
OF the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany. The resolutions declared that
the q. r. I. borrowed 17,o00, 900 from
the federal government just prior to
the receivership, "the recovery Of
which Is imperiled" and that the re-
ceiversnip mas prevented the victims
OF the Malbone Street tunnel accident
OF their heirs from obtaining redress
and has given citizens of Brooklyn In
efficient service.
Yankee Doodle" Entrance March
The Mayors appearance on the plat-
form, which was signalized by brass
bands rendition of yankee Doodle, y
the waving of flags and prolonged
cneerlng, was preceded by a speech by
Mr.. Rosenblatt, who declared that i
the Governors proposals were carried
cut by the Legislature 'every Assem-
Dlyman and Senator elected next fall
Will go to Albany pledged to demand
the impeachment of the Governor
The sight of the Mayo, and +. r.. Ia
Guardia, president of the Board of Al
dermen, although of opposite political
falth, each applauding the other nro-
yoked another demonstration Joined in
By the brass band.
When the Mayor stepped forward T.
was found that he could onlv whisnar
Inc audience lapsed into dead silence
II cant speak above a whisper" said
the Mayor. II am so hoarse I cannot
possibly make myself heard. The
th9aght OF an eight-cent fare would
MAKE any one hoarse. So l am going
To ask Mr.. Bent to read my speech"
Mr. Bent read the speech.
Surface Lines Obsolete
1T Is fact that the surface lines
are obsolete and are not making MONEY y
sala M the Mayor. They could not oper-
ate 1S profitably on 10 or Is cent fare
Inc city, however, has no financial IN
Serest IN these lines. It will, therefore.
not be party to any settlement If
the traction problem which nrnvides a. .
Tor the unloading of the dilap;6ated
equipment of thes lines upon the peo-
pie. rms antiquated and cumbersome
system OF transportation must give
way 70 modern methods of trsnsporta
zion, such as subways and efficient
motor busses as feeders"
Pienty Of busses would solve the
whole traction problem, the Mavor
said. "With municipal operation of
the subways and busses we would soon
be able TO turn money into the civ
treasury he declared. "These funds
would help to reduce taxation. More
over, bonds issued TO purchase buses
ana construct the present subways can
De exempted from the debt nit and
such credit can again De used to
1urther extend the subways 1t can
readily be seen that great profits woul j
be realized from municipality owned
BUS and subway system which could be
used to build hospitals and schools and
make other necessary public improve
ments without further burden me- The
people by taxation. These lines would
be conducted in the interest of the
people and not for the enrichment of a
favored few.
u cannot reiterate too strongly that
II the legislators Of Greater New York,
regardless Of political afiliation would
unite and demand legislation giving the
Board of Estimate the right to pur-
chase and operate up~to-date aatomo-
lille passenger vehicles, we could have
5000 buses in operation on d scent
fare, with transfer privileges, in less
fhan twelve months. The Board of Es-
innate stands ready to vote sufficient
funds--s10,00o,00 in bonds, if neces-
sary-to provide the people with city
vide municipal bus operation.
Attacking the Governors proposals,
the Mayor asserted that an upstate
commission managing the traction sit
uation, with full power to adjust fares,
would be ''robbing the city of the lit.
tie measure Of home rule which it has
enjoyed in the last three-quarters Of u
century.
Says City Would BE Looted
''In a word" he continued, "the city