The New York herald., 1922-01-24
METZ'S PORT PLEA
SPURNED BY HYLAN
Mayor and Estimate Board Say
There Will Be No Getting
Together.

Herman n. Metz, torfneriy N0"P
troller Of the city. appeared yesterday
before the committee of the whole OF
the Board of Estimate and urged on
Mayor Hylan that he and the board
find some way of getting together with
the Port Authority on plan for port
development SO the business OF the
city may have relief.
The Mayor and other members OF
the Tammany Board Of Estimate re-
piled there will be no getting together.
The Mayor contended the Port Author
-ity insisted on dominating the board.
and for that reason the board refused
to open negotiations.
"At present you are In deadlock
that may last for years while New
York suffers" Mr.. Metz explained. "The
streets are clogged with trucks carry
ing merchandise to and from the docks
and freight stations.
Upon neither the comprehensive plan
itself nor the bill which would make IL
law have the Board Of Estimate and
the Port Authority or their engineers
conferred The plan was sent to the
city. The Port Authority upon several
occasions up to midsummer 1921 sought
conference 1t offered last July to hold
evening sessions. II desired. Its invita-
tfon was not accepted. Instead or
comforting the city prepared an alterna-
tive plan Instead of being entirely dis
similar. the two plans are similar in at
least thirty-fve different important re-
spects"
Cannot Budge Mayor.
fad
the Committee on Non-partisan Facts.
which was reputed in the recent election
campaign to be favorable TO Mayor
Hy1an's candidacy, no argument he
could advance would bulge the Mayor
from his determination not to cooperate
with the State organization.
.Tf they'll mind their own business
we'll work it out" said the Mayor
The only action taken was decision
to hold public hearing in City Hall
next Thursday morning at 1890. The
members of the Port Authority are to
be invited to the hearing especially to
tell the board why city officials were
eliminated from the Port Authority or
xanization by the amendment OF the
bill passed by the Legislature last
spring. -
There win be q Port Authority hear
ing by the Legislature January 81
which the Board of Estimate will attend
In a body in opposition to the Por
Authority plan.
COMPTROLLER Charles l.. Craig asked
Mr. Metz il he thought the Legislature
was open to argument on the port plan
II hope So" replied Mr.. Metz. There
are good New Workers in the member
shin Of the Port Authority. There II
Alfred E. Smith: he's for New York
And there is II. z. Outerbridge; he's fol
New York"
Doesn't Outerbridge represent Eng
iish interests?" the Mayor broke in.
Il don't know" replied Mr.. Nets
"He's been mentioned for Mayor sew
eral times--true, It was on a reform
ticket--but I've always considered hin
q good New York man."
Mayor Much Disturbed.
But the Mayor was so disturbed n
later turned TO DR.. II. w. Berg. repre-
senting the Greater New York Tax
payers Association. and appearing II
opposition to the Port Authority plan
isn't this plan backed by Engiisl
capital?'' he asked.
IT do not know" replied DR.. Berg
''but would want no better chance q
become n millionaire"
Dr. Berg declared that IL the Por
Authority plan goes through New fori
will have to give up her business su
premacy in favor OF New Jersey. ant
that six men would become rulers o
the port area He added that the onl.
time those six men would come 10 tn
Board of Estimate would be when the.
wanted hundreds OF millions Of dollars
That statement was in contraventiol
of Mr.. Metzs analysis Of the act, find
ing:
Not a dollar OF New York city
taxes may be spent by this Port An
thority either In New Jersey or NeV
York: no obligation whatever may b
imposed upon either State or an
municipality without Its consent"
The determination of the Tamn1an
board to fight 10 the last ditch TO kee
In its hands the privilege OF executin
work involving the letting OF contract
amounting 10 hundreds OF millions wa
Indicated when Comptroller Craig aske
Corporation Counsel John p. O'Brien:
Would IL be possible for the POI
Authority TO build under the streets c
the city without authority from th
Board OF Estimator
IT do not believe they could build ur
der or over the streets without sue
authority" replied Mr.. O'Bricn. Upo
inquiry from the Mayor Mr.. OBrie
classified the Port Authority law an
the Transit Commission law as III
gold dust twins" and remarked the
H.