The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-23

HYLAN Is A TARGET
OF HIGH VISIBILITY
So Declares Citizens Union
Committee on Legislation
Affecting City.
MAYOR HELD TO BLAME
Traction Problem Mishandled
in Vain Hope Of Municipal
Ownership
MAYOR HELD TO BLAME

Whatever may be the undesira BILE fea-
lures of Governor Miller's plan for the
solution of the city's transit problem
and the Citizens Union believes the al
legged invasion OF home rule is one OF the
worst-the do nothing and obstructive
policy OF the Hylan Administration Is
In large measure responsible for that
enactment as well as for he creation Of
the Meyer committee to investigate the
city's affairs, according TO the seven
teenth annual report OF the Citizens
Unions committee on legislation, made
public yesterday
The committee said Mayor Hylan af-
fofded target of unusually high wish
biity' for legislative Workmanship. and
added
THE passage OF the traction bill. with
its destruction of the citys legitimate
home-rulc powers, is. in a real sense
rhargeabc to him. At least he afforded
an excuse for the Governors action
Likewise the passage of the bills TO in
crease the salaries Of firemen and police
men. and to, create a detective division
in the Police Department was facilitated
by Republicans who were not sincerely
favorable to them but who supported
the measures in order to embaITass tho
Mayor
Again. the politics played with tho
bill abollshing the city chamberlain
was due to the desire OF Republican leg
islators to play the comptroller against
tho Mayor. Finally, it was Mayor
Hyian and his colleagues who were pri-
marily responsible for the creation of a
legislative committee to inquire into the
city government, and for the enactment
cf NJ III, o,-tey rn1,;x Ice Nil
I'm approving these two last men
toned measures. the Citizens Union be-
iieved the Legislature to be wholly JUS
tilted. and throughout the session it
urged the passage of the inquiry rcse-
luton and the charter revision bill and
submitted voluminous data to the legis-
lative leaders in support Of its reasons.
In particular the Citizens Union believes
2 thorough revision Of the city charter 70
be imperative, and IL the mal-adn,inis-
fration OF city affairs under Mayor Hy-
Ian has precipitated action in this re.
gard the Union is convinced that the
city as whole viii be the beneficiary"
Concerning the Transit Commission
the report said:
From the point Of view or New York
city. no legislation in many years
aroused such interest as that proposing
solution of the city's traction problem.
RAPID transit In the city mas Always
offered fertile field for legislative tin
kcring. This was particularly true be-
fore the enactment of the Public Ser
vice Commissions law in the adtninis-
tration of Gov. Hughes. With the vir-
tual completion of the greater part OF
the dual subway system the matter or
extensions has been again raised Sub
way construction has never kept up with
the growth of the city. The European
war and the entrance Of the United
States into the conflict precipitated o
labor and material crisis which reflected
directly on the rapid transit problem in
the city.
'.Yet problem which demanded a
solution which would be intelligent, far
seeing and fair alike to the taxpayers
and the traction companies he's been
shamefully mishandled by the Hylan adj
ininistration from the moment it took
office. Spurred on by the Hearst papers,
tho Mayor and his advisers played poll
tics with the traction problem from the
start. The attitude Of the companies
was neither helpful nor unselfsh. but
that was no excuse for the absolute re-
fusal OF the Hylan administration to
attempt to solve the problem or even to
ascertain the facts. 1t convinced many
that the inaction of the Hylan admins
tration was based on desire to drive
the companies into the hands Of the re-
ceivers, in the vain hope that out OF tie
resulting chaos some form OF municipal
ownership and operation might DC
erected"