New-York tribune., 1921-04-29

didn't know why"
Cetti said that he then wrote to Mr..
La Guardia and to the Mayor. protest.
Ing. against the action Of the board. :.
he offered letters to the Mayor and
MS reply IN evidence. Cetti made his
complaint to the Mayor after referring
70 headlinc in newspaper reading:
Peoples Rights" In tho course Of one
OF his letters to the Mayor he says:
" WAS charged by several members
OF the Committee on General Welfare
that the original favorable report de-
cided upon on April 8, 1920, approving
the badger meter, was tampered with.
On top of that party politics were re-
sorted to on the Democratic majority
side of the house to defeat the meas
ure and the absolute merit Of the case
was knocked to the four winds of the
earth. appeal to you as Mayor for
justice snd square deal. A special
message from you to the Board of
Aldermen will solve the problem"
The Mayor at first replied that the
matter was again referred to Commits
sioner Hayes for reconsideration. A
little later he got another letter from
the Mayor, in which he merely sent
along what Commissioner Hayes had
said, to the effect that nothing more
could be done by the commissioner in
the matter.
"And is that all you got from the
eyes"
"What did you do next?
Sought Interview With Hylan
~ went back and tried to get an in
terview with the Mayor"
"Well, how did you succeed?"
"Well, his honor finally came out
and asked if there was anybody there
troduced me to him. He said: What
can do for you? have no jurisdc-
tion over the Board of Aldermen.
am powerless. l don't mix in their
affairs and they don't mix in mine'"
"'Well,' I said, i thought you could
chief magistrate of the city for a
| square deal'"
"He said: What do you mean by q
square deal?'"
"Well,' ! said, Il thought you could
help me-"
"He said: We'll, now, will speak to
Alderman Kenneally only in kindly
way to see what l can do for you. but
1 won't promise anything.'"
"That was some time in July.
didn't hear anything from him." went
on Cetti, "and then l write to the
Mayors secretary, Mr.. Sinnott, asking
about it and he replied that just as
soon as he hears anything he would
let me know, but I never received any
thing"
"What did you do next?" asked Mr.
Untermyer.
"Well, my intuition led me to the
conclusion that the water works test
was sufficient in other large cities and
so l sought legislation to break
through the bars here. I went to Al
bany in an effort to have the power
taken from the Board of Aldermen tc
pass on the meters and have it put
into the hands of the chief engineer
of the Department of Water Supply
Gas and Electricity, as it is in other
cities.
Mayor Vetoes Bill
II had bill introduced by Assem-
blyman James F. BLY,, of the 18th Dis
was pretty hard to be deprived Of 6
living in your home town. The bill
was known as Assembly bill 500. 1t
was passed by both houses, and being 6
local bill was sent to the Mayor fol
approval. -, ,.,,,,
Mr.. Untermyer.
yesterday morning l went down tc
the Mayors office, inquiring what hap
pened to Assembly bill $50. and the
lieutenant standing at the Mayors door
asked me if this pertained to water
meters. and l said, yes. He went into
the Mayors Office and came out later
and told me it was disapproved"
"And that is where you stand just
now, is it?" questioned Untermyer
"Was there hearing on the bill be
fore the Mayor put his disapprova
on it?''
"Yes, Wednesday of last week. II
was the first bill called on the calendar