New-York tribune., 1922-04-24

and in doing 50 famed into a blaze of
open resentment the smoldering oppo-
sition that has been there ever since
rumors Of such an intent followed upon
/ the appointment Of that original com
| mission Of seven.
Surrogate Slater, before he was ele
waited to the bench. was a state Sena
! tor, IN his expression regarding the
/ City of WeStchester plan, in the view
of those opposed to it, he was merely
sending up trial balloon to test the
wind. t. is significant that after his
speech had disclosed the existence Of n
determined opposition to tho scheme
throughout the county members Of the
regular county Republican organiza
! tion, aa il gpeaking with a single
tongue, denied knowledge Of the exist
| ence of any such project.
Wards Letter in Evidence
Nothing to it," said these politicians
| vchemently. Politicians opposed to
Ward publicly charged that he had in
structed all Of his men to "soft pedal
! talk about the City of Westchester.
! The only available comment from Will
| liam l.. Ward himself is a letter he
wrote to q resident of Pelham Manor
| This message was on the stationery Of
the Russell, Burdsall e. Ward Bolt and
| Nut Company, of Port Chester, of
| which he is president. He wrote:
Il do not know anything more about
the City Of Westchester than you. 1t
is a proposition that is favored by n
good many people and opposed By a
! good many others. | am not suggest
ing any idea of government whatsoever,
because If | did that would be all that
was enough to kill it, as it would be
said | was up to some political scheme
There will be a commission Of thirty
two to take up the entire question Of
Westchester government and endeav0l
to get the sentiment and ideas OF the
people in the county and they viii
present n plan for legislative action
next winter. Now, whatever Legislative
action is taken relative to changes Of
government in the county, it is then to
be submitted to the voters in 1923 be
fore it becomes fact.
"1he above statement is true except
should part Of Westchester County de-
terminein view Of the fears that arc
expressed by some that New York City
is going to take IN part Of Westches
ter-that it ia beet for them to have
a city OF their own, that would become
legislative action without q referen-
dunn,
VERY truly yours,
"W. L. WARD
With that last paragraph of Mr..
Wards letter in mind some of the cit
lzens began to recall that loyal mem
ber of the Ward organization, Assem-
blyman George Blakely, of Yonkers
was chairman of the Cities Committee
Of the Assembly, vital post in any
bill crea ting a new city, and especially
a bill which might not have the APP
proval of the voters Of Westchester.
The fact that this can be done with
out regard to the commission or county
government has done more than any
other one thing to arouse the peo
pie of the county. There are many Of
them who are honestly persuaded that
there might be vast improvement III
the method of governing the county,
but there are few indeed who believe
that Improvements are to be achieved
through the creation OF city OF vast
area and scattered centers OF popula-
tlon.
Tho county consists of 45o square
miles, said Ivan Flood, secretary of
the county Chamber of Commerce, a !
sew days ago, with great appropriated
areas. and it would be imnracticable to
make city out Of it. The residents
of the numerous garden spots would
)
dwellers. Hundreds of communities !
have already protested against the
plan. 1t is inopportune and the county |
is not ready for it. Look at New York !
the upper part Of which, though thinly |
settled, has to pay city taxes, much to !
its disgust"
The principal argument that has
been used by those who have favored d
municipal form of government for
Westchester is that it will be an ef-
fectual measure against design said /
to be nurtured by Iammany politicians
to annex the lower portion of the /
county to New York City.
"The plan for the City Of Westches-
ter is Ward's,' Supervisor William d.
Cameron, of Yonkers, recently declared
in a speech before the Mems Club Of
Pelham. "Our Democratic friends
want to throw us into New York City
with Hylan and Hearst, but the rem
edy is easy to apply. Watch your bal
lot on primary day. We will elect an
Assembyman and State Senator this
year.
The creation of City of West
chester can be put through the Leeis
laturc without a referendum Of the
people. Therefore, watch Your ballot
on primary day and find out before
hand where your Assem- blyman and
State Senator stand on the question.
Find out whether your representa-
lives in the Legislature will vote as you
ask them to do or as they are told to
To-"
In that same speech Supervisor Cam
aron asserted:
The Westchester City idea was first
preached to me by Mayor Wallin "a
member of the County Government
Jommission> last summer, but accord
ng to the newspapers Mayor Wallin
low denies he knows anything about
t. II the papers report him correctly
lc is not telling the truth"
W hen Mr.. Wallin was asked few
lays ago by The Tribune about the
5ity of Westchester oject, he said:
Tho matter was just proposed in a
speech by Judge Slater in casual way
t has never come up before the COM
mission"
Commuters Opposing Project
The backbone of the opposition IA
ne plan Of politicians who would
mango Westche ester into a city is cen
cred IN those thousands and thousands
II persons who dwell in the county hut
commute to their work in New York
ne vast majority of these persons are d
'ald to believe that the city form Of
cove rnment would rob them Of many j.,