The New York herald., 1922-02-02
HYLAp TRANSIT PLAN
SCORED BY BUSINESS
MEMS LEAGUE now
Organization That Support
ed Mayor Twice Comes
Out for Miller's Idea.
TOO MUCH 5 CENT TALK
Refuses Also to Back Executive
in His Opposition to
Port Bill.
TOO MUCH 5 CENT TALK

The Business Mems League. an or
sanization that twice supported John
+. Hylan for Mayor and contributed
largely to his election, came out last
night with statement hatly opposing
Mr.. Hylan's municipality operated
transit scheme and in favor of the
Miller transit commission plan for
municipality owned privately operated
system.
Furthermore, the league does not
support Mayor Hylan in his opposi
tion to the Port Authority plan and
will publish in a few days statement
in fun accord with Gov. Miller's $12s,-
100000 project for harbor improve
ncnts, which former Gov. Alfred J..
Smith defended at Albany Tuesday.
At meeting of The transit commit
tee of the league In the executive Of
fees. Madison avenue and Forty-first
street, report was submitted to the
executive committee And unanimously
adopted. 1t refers TO the present Sin
tolerably congested and degrading
situation" in the subways and ele-
waited lines and declares that there
has been too much talk about the
FIVE cent fare"
Taxes Make UP Deficit.
II points out that thousands pay an
eight or ten cent fare since the abol-
ton OF transfers and that every owner
or tenant of property valued at, &f0,o 900
pays an additional three cents daily in
rent or taxes because of the subway
deficit. 1t continues:
THE adoption of the Transit Com
mission plan will insure five cent fare.
but the question of five cent fare
fades into insignificancc by comparison
TO the greater question of service. Shall
the present immoral, unsanitary over
crowding of the transportation lines
continue?
The man who for fear of two-cent
or four-cent increase in fare ON the sub
ways or elevated roads would allow his
wife or daughters to travel indefinitely
under existing conditions is unfit to be a
citizen of Greater New York"
The chairman of the Business Mems
League is Preston T. Lynn, general
manager of the Wanamaker stores. The
transit committee appointed by him con-
sists Of Christopher Cunningham. boiler
manufacturer: William c. Conrau man.
ufacturer of automatic sprinxlers; John
Foy, manufacturer of labels: Frank
Murphy. banker, and II. c. Airuone, an
tque dealer.
The statement also points. out that 1t
is the duty of every civic commission
c0nqi6pf. 10 .,f t1.a
munity. 1t agrees with and supports
the Miller transit plan in everything
except the barometer fund.-" which. Il
Is feared might lead to inside stock
'peculation.
Cost OF Ferries Is Cited.
Its chief objection to the Mayors al
Tentative proposals is the fact that a
municipality operated system would add
10000 employees to the 10000 already
on the municipal payroll The municipal
ferries are cited as an Improbable ex-
ample of government operated utilities
The report notes the increase In pas
senger travel in the metropolitan zone
from 50,000,000 in 1860 to 2,491, ,909.17s
last year. There has been no change
in the rapid transit situation since the
dual subway system was adopted in
1918. II states. While the Hylan ad-
tions to the Miller plan. tho report says,
The real objection appears to be against
private as opposed to municipal opera
ton.
Chairman Lynn is in Florida Mayor
Hylan started for Florida Tuesday. II
Is expected that they will get together
Mt Palm Beach and that the Mayor
will try to mend the break. 1t is we'll
known that the Business Mems League
lx.I -
Hyians political campaigns in 1917 and
1921.
Buses Called Impractfcnbic.
he administrations plan to substi-
tu,c buses for long hauls is impracticable.
the report declares, as any municipality
operated lire will be less economical
than one operated privately. II con-
tinues:
"The experience in this country of
governmental operation during the wa
os any utility is universally bad. There
seems TO be nothing that the Govern
r.tnt can do efficiently and economically
rndcr our present system of civil service
Tho Government operation of railroads
during the war not only was tremen-
dously expensive. but the morale of the
employees was seriously impaired This
was also the experience of European
countries.
Tho proper solution seems TO be as
suggested by the Transit Commission
public ownership with private operation
and rigid supervision and accounta-
hiiity."
irORrDt-~T rETERsBURC. BELLr
mir. Tampa and Sarasota. THU sleep
urt S:iO L. NJ. nnily. ALSO 3EABOARn
FLcRIDA LIMlTEp-g:2o =. NJ. seabcard