The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-28
TRIBUNE MUM
ON SCHOOL
LEASE STEAL
Union Trust Partner In Big
Land Scandal

ASSAA Ou OCAAAB OAC "a the bhKCS
oldest" banking institutions in
Chicago, have decided to pass
the buck on the school land
lease scandal to the Tribune.
They haven't got a word to
say to the DAILY WORKER
since Vice President and Secre-
tary R. F. Chaplin declared that
to talk might get the Tribune
into trouble.
Mr.. Chaplin told the DAILY
WORKER, after being cornered on
his statement that to talk might make
''trouble for the Tribune" that all
further information must come from
his superior, vice-President c. R.
Holden.
Passing the Buck.
Vice-President Holden was reached
by the DAILY WORKER, but he de-
clared that he had heard nothing about
the charges made that the Tribune
was keeping secret the amount in
volved in the transfer of its school
land lease to the Union Trust Co.
He had not read the charges that had
appeared in the DAILY WORKER.
He referred the DAILY WORKER
to President H. A. Wheeler.
Vice-President Holden, however,
before cutting off his interview with
the DAILY WORKER, offered the in
formation that anyone lies who says
that the Union Trust Company paid
the Tribune an unusual sum for the
old Tribune Building at Dearborn and
w. Madison Sts., and for the lease
on the school land on which the
building stands. He thought the
sum paid was low, but he would not
say how much was paid. He passed
the buck to President Wheeler.
The president of this exclusive Chi
cago financial institution, that prides
itself on being located in "the very
heart of Chicago's business center,
received the DAILY WORKER with
overcoming politeness.
President Wheeler confessed he
had not heard about the mass meet
ing at the Auditorium Theatre where
a motion had been made demanding
that the Tribune and the Union Trust
Company make public the amount in
volved in the transfer of the school
children's land. He had not seen the
DAILY WORKER, but he would be
glad to read what it had to say.
Ia l. Ill
about this DEAL" he said. 1T is for
the seller THE Tribune) to say what
the property was sold for. These
facts are all on record and open to
the public"
Sum Kept Secret, Says Haley.
Miss Margaret Haley, speaking for
Chicago's school teachers, declaring
that the amount involved in the trans
fer is being kept secret, that it has
not appeared in the records.
When this was pointed out to him
he would only say that, ut is mat
ter entirely for the Tribune, not for
ps."
"If the facts in this deal are open
to the public why doesn't the Tribune
publish them in answer to the charges
made by the DAILY WORKER, and
by. Miss Haley?" President Wheeler
was asked. would you urge the
Tribune to publish these facts?
Don't you think the workers of Chi
cago are entitled to this informa-
toni"
"Of course, they are" said Presi-
dent Wheeler. "But it is for the
seller to give these facts. And if
you want to tell them you can get
the facts from the county records, y
he concluded, again lodging the fact
that had been pointed out to him that
this interesting feature had been elir,-
mated from the records before fling,
President Wheeler added that he
was not responsible to the people of
Chicago, he was only responsible to
the bank of which he was the head.
The Tribune Building, according to
the literature issued by the bank
is now the Union Trust Building, and
the scandal surrounding the Tribune
school land lease steal is something
that the officials Of the bank would
like to be considered Ancient His
tory"
In the meantime Joseph Medill Pat
terson, editor Of the Tribune, is still
thinking the matter over, "Shall he
make public the details of the deal
between the Tribune and the Union
Trust Company"
That is where the case rests as this
issue of the DAILY WORKER goes
to press. Both the Tribune and the
Union Trust Company are rich and
powerful. Part of that wealth is the
result Of the fact that they have been
able to plumber school lands set aside
for the benefit Of the school children
Of Chicago.
House Children In Firetraps.
In the meantime the school children
are still being housed in fretraps and
"tin can" portables, jammed so and
90 into small rooms with a single
teacher. Why this is so Is something
the workers Of Chicago are going to
find out. And the DAILY WORKER