The New York herald., 1921-08-02
MEYER WILL START
HEARINGS AUGUST 9
Senator Asserts Evidence OF
Grating, Extortion and
MisruIe Will Be Given.
COST SO FAR ONLY $4,000
Charter Revision Commission
to Benefit by Disclosures
i'm Public Sessions.

Evidence of grating. extortion and
lamentable misrule" found in many city
departments is to be laid before the pub
lie by the Meyer Investigating Commit
tee with the beginning of its hearings In
City Hall next Tuesday, August 3.
Senator Schuyler NJ. Meyer. chairman,
announcing formally the date for the
opening OF the public sessions. said he
and his associates have not been con-
Quoting simply a graft hunting expedi-
ton. but that in trying to find why the
metropolitan system of government had
broken down had hit many trails of
wrongdoing. The public win have full
opportunity to judge whether the COM
mittee has done thorough Job. he said.
Senator Meyer summarized the re-
suits OF the preliminary inquiry and ex-
pressed the committees purposes as fol-
lows:
1T do not mean to say that we have
completed our survey of the city govern
ment A great deal of the investigation
and research work is still ahead of us.
But we have already obtained enough
information to more than justify the
expense to which we have obligated the
State. We have. to cite examples. sur
veyed the administrations of the De-
partment Of Markets. the Department Of
Education, the Finance Department. the
License Department, the Dock Depart
ment. the Street Cleaning Department.
the Health Department, the Welfare
Department. the Department OF Correc-
ticn. the Fire Department, the Depart
ment Of Water Supply. Gas and Elec-
tricity, the Police Department and the
borough offices In Queens. The remain
ing departments will be taken up as fast
as the staff can reach them
"A frequent charge brought against
the committee has been that 1t was
guilty OF extravaganza. We have spent
about $4,000 Of the 100000 appro-
priated by the Legislature. ] do not
believe 1t would have been physically
possible to accomplish what we have
done at any less expense. Every effort
has been made to economize. Instead of
retaining firms Of accountants on their
regular fee basis, as previous commit
tees have done. we have hired individual
accountants at reasonable weekly sala-
ries. The clerical work has been done
at tho prevailing rate of wages In
vestigators have been paid rather less
than they were accustomed to receive
from other committees.
"Our object has been two-fold: First,
to investigate the methods of operation
and administration OF the greatest city
In the world: second, to attempt to
ascertain the defects In the structure
OF the citys government. with a view to
advising the Charter Revision Commits
sion as to essential congratulations of
departments and bureaus and changes
or amendments to the existing law.
1--WE have not been conducting simply
a graft hunting expedition, although ]
regret to say that we have found evil
dence Of graft, extortion and lamentable
misruIe. Principally, we have been try
ing to find out where the city's system
OF government breaks down. why 1t
breaks down and how II can be made
more efficient This kind of an investi-
CATION requires more time than an ordi-
nary political snap-shootlng expedition.
During ensuing weeks the people will!
have ariple opportunity to Judge as to
whether we have gone at our task in
the proper spirit