New-York tribune., 1922-12-10
Calder Urges
Transit Powers
Be Centralized
Tells 2lst Assembly Club
Authority Should Be Vest.
ed Either in Governor
or Board of Estimate
For Universal 8-Hour Day
Advises Assemblyman Clay.
ton to Work for Restora-
ton of Direct Primary

United states Senator william n.
Calder, AZ a dinner given in Brooklyn
hst night BY the TWenty.hrst Assembly
District Club IN honor Of Assemblyman'
elect walter Clayton. advocated .
restoration Of the direct primary, =
universal eieht-hour day and eoneen-
sration Of the authority for providing
rev suhways for this city either IN the
Governor or the Board Of Estimate.
II an not going 70 discuss with you
he cause Of cur late defeat said
Senator Calder. perhaps the real
cause Is that VIC were In power In Al
bsny and Washington. and the people
we're against those who we're In oAee-
During the last year g: Albany we
changed TIE method Of nominating can
didates for state and Judicial cfaees.
Il have no riEh. 20 find fault a. this
time With that action on the part Of the
LeRislature because ! did not openly
protest against Il. did. however, write
20 the Governor AZ the time earnestly
urring that this action should not be
taken. I believed then, as ] DO now,
that we can trust the people OF this
ftate 70 nominEtc the right men for
publie ofiee Just as we'll as we can
irust the party leaders. II Assembly
nan Clayton should ask my advice con-
cerninQ the restoration Of the state
vide primary it would be not only that
ne vote for Il, but when the state
legislature eonveneB my suggestion is
that he present bill 70 bring that re-
suit about.
Advocates Eight-Hour Day
eve have a Republican Assembly
this year. Let them take up the mat
Ter Of a universal eight-hour working
day, for both men and women. The
government itself has been q model en-
ployer IN this regard. for to-day the
men and women who work for the Fed
erai, state and city governments have
IN many cases seven hours as the aver
age working day. and 50 urge that our
member Of Assembly do everything in
his power 20 tx eight hours as a uni
verssl working day for men and women
not only in tho government employ. but
in the industries, trades and yoestions
generally throughout the state.
"The tremendous Increase tn popu-
istion n the outlying sections OF New
York City and particularly in Kings
and Queens, makes it incumbent upon
the Legislature 70 sec 20 il that meas
gres are enacted which will place the
authority for the development Of our
transit facilities IN hands that will
-
Governor Miller said In his campaign
for reelection Ia 1920 that authority
should be lodged IN Albany or sc the
City Hall. am strongly. IN favor OF
that Apparently there Is q divided
responsibility now and | want that
division Of responsibility 20 cease.
Unfortunately, IL has been impos-
sible 70 bring about a harmonious re-
lati0nship between the commission APP
pointed By the Governor and the Board
u Estimate and Apporti0nment. The
Governor sHd Mayor who are in ONCE
after January / arc Of the same po-
iitieai party. Il is their business now
h work out this problfm Of transit
and II they propose q plan that can
DO Il we should not hinder them; but
this does not mean that We should
sanction any plan proposed. We have
a responsibility as well and We should
not dodge Il. Whether this shall be
done By giving the Board OF Estimate
complete authority in all Of these mat
tors OF whether & commission appoint
Cd by the Governor with the MAYOR
should be the agency Is matter that
must be worked out, but as citizens, re-
gxrdless OF party. We have right 70
insist that progress be made forth
with. Hundreds Of millions Of dollars
are being spent In Brooklyn and
Queens by our citizens in the building