New-York tribune., 1922-04-26
City Advocates
In Westchester
Drop Secrecy
jCsntlnued from psur ons)
Of the Board OF Supervisors under that
date
Rccomm cndations Made

Recommendations Made
""Thcy mado the following recon-
mendations:
"1. That the Legislature should be
required by tho constitution to pro
vide optional plans of county govern
ment, any one Of which any county may
adopt by vote Of the people.
"'2. The Legislature shall in such
plans confer upon tho Board Of Super
visors or other governing body in such
county such powers Of local lslation
as the Legislature may deem expedlent.
"'3. That the constitution should
require that no such plan Of govern
ment should be imposed on any county
until approved by the electors thereof,
and that no amendment to any plan Of
government should affect any county
which hns previously adopted such
plan, unless such amendment relates to
some state Junction.
"'A. That the constitution should re-
quire that all laws relating to the gov
ernment of counties should be general,
both in terms and effect, except that
special or local laws relating to such
government may be passed., but shall
take effect only on approval Of the
county affected
"These were unanimously approved
by the Board of Supervisors
"The commission had no other meet
ings, for reasons explained In the re-
port, and at the general election in
1921, the amendm ents to the constitu-
ton were adopted and an act was
passed permitting the com ission to
add twenty-five names to its mum Der
this is to make it more representative
and to provide greater number Of
oeople TO do the enormous work which
!, t< n
Denies Prearranged Plan
Mr.. Barrett said that so far as he
knew that there was absolutely no plan
forecast or agreed upon. That the
County Of Westchester and many Of it's
subdivisions, consisting Of four cities,
eighteen towns and some twenty vii
lagea, were and had been existing for
some time more or less on special
| legislation and that tho enorm ous
growth Of the territory had brought
about conditions which called for
study Of the form Of government
throughout the whole territory. That
no political questions entered into it
whatever. That the commission was
except to study the conditions and ar
rive at whatever seemed to be the best
result
"Mr. Barrett also said that meeet-
ing of the original commission was
called for this week, for the purpose
OF selecting some Of the additional
names and reorganizing the new com
mission, following which regular meet
lngs OF the commission would be held
and full publicity given.
/ Mr.. Barrett further said that the
: City Of Westchester had not been dis
cussed, so far as he knew, except in
/ the newspapers and that it seemed to
/ him that the story lately appearing
/ IN the newspapers was not so much
/ for taking up an honest discussion Of
what was the best thing for the terri
tory, but to start political argument
IN which, as member Of the commits
sion he vas not in the slightest way
! interested. He said that so far as he
mission would be appointed which
would be thoroughly representa- po-
lltlcallY and geographically; that the
only thing that he was Interested In
was 20 have people on it who were will
ing to work and study the situation;
that the problem assigned to this COM
mission was work which would be
watched with great interest all over
! the United States for the reason that
! similar work had been undertaken. par
/ ticularly in the West-meaning the
question Of providing form of gov
eminent for cities and outlying terri
tory which we're thickly settled-but
that no definite plan mad thus far been
prcaented in these other places.
Six Months Work Ahead
Mr.. Barrett also said that there was
SIX or seven months hard work ahead
OF this commission and he believed
tnat at least the report would show
many conditions which needed to be-
remedied and suggestions and recon-
mendations which would be open FOR
consideration and studied by ali people
Interested. He said that he had no
/ plan and was committed to no rlan
and that no man who understood the
situation would attempt to make a sug
gestion, in view of the complex condi-
tion,. until 1t had been thoroughly
studied"
Henry r. Barrett, who issued that
statement, in addition to being chair
man of the County Government Com.
mlsslon, is secretary Of the Republican
County Committee, Of which William /,
Ward is chairman. SO much for that.
How some of the people in the town
Of Rye feel about the efforts to trans
form Westchcster County into the CITY
OF Westchester was explained yester-
Gay by Frank A. Gaynor a resident Of
| ~ " o'iN mSUtDtI VI NHe legal de-
partment of General Motors. Mr.. Cav
nor, referring TO the historic, 3oO-year
old Rye town hall, which Is known "a
Square House." asked if this should
be abandoned.
"The question:" he said "is hound
to strike any one who has been in con-
tact with the expanding discussion of
the further question: Shall the towns
cities, villages and other forms Of
municipal corporations composing Vest
chester County DO consolidated into one
municipal corporation to be called. e.
g, the City of Westchester? For +
the consolidation should take place, Il
is 1alr to conclude that the Town Ha)l
the sole ruling chamber of Rye resi-
dents, Will cease to exist. On the face
of it, the question is a serious one.
a and' indeed it is. There is no question
but that the Legislature has the power
to make the consolidation. Rye and ali
the other villages and cities and towns
of Westchester County were crsateS
by the state. They hold charters grant.
ed by the state. And those charters
are subject to change, modification or
repea! by the state. They are puhl;c
corporations; and properly denominat-
ed puhc for the reason that they ars
part of the machinery employed in car
| rylng on the affairs of the state. Rve
Tor example, was created by the state
as an auxiliary of the state in the ;no
J a n h,1u