Evening star., 1926-02-09
MAYORS JOB TELLING ON WALKER
WHILE ALL NEW YORK LAUDS HIM
Reported Near Collapse
As Result of Hard,
Trying Work.
''Jazz'' Executives Rule
Has Brought Dignity
to Metropolis.
by ROBERT T. SMALL.

NEW YORK. February 9.-New
York's jazz mayor" q graduate of
Tin Pan alley and OF the bright lights
of old Broadway. has given the me-
tropolis more dignity and more self
respect than it has known for nearly
Il decade. He has been III office but a
matter OF six weeks. yet in that time
the atmosphere OF the city has seemed
to change completely. There are no
more raucous meanings from city
hall, no more yitriolic denunciationS.
Hard work has taken their place.
The job of being mayor OF New
York is a killing one, however. and
Mayor James J. Walker, always
slight, high-strung man, Is beginning
already to show the strain or his ef-
forts to get the tangled municipal ma
chine into good running order again.
Even so strong a man as former Mayor
Hylan felt it necessary to drop every
thing from time to time and take both
Winter and Summer vacations. Quite
often, too, he was in the hospital with
various illnesses. II the mayorahy
work had that much OF a deleterlouS
effect upon q man of the nerveless
qualities Of John F. Hylan. it is easy
10 see what it may yet do 70 a man OF
the finer fiber Of Jimmie" Walker.
Harder Than Presidency.
Many observers have placed the
New York mayoralty on a plane Win
the presidency of the United States
AS a matter of fact, there is far more
arduous work for the mayor to DO:
The city government Is SO arranged
that that mayor has a voice ana a
part in virtually everything that Is
done. He sits In legislative as "eli
as executive capacities.
But outside the regular duties OF
his Office, there are endless calls Tor
his presence "a luncheons. dinners. re-
ceptions and other civic and private
functions.
New York Is the gateway to Amer
ica- Prominent visitors to the country
must be met and feted here before
they pass on to Washington and TO
other cities of the hinterland.
Then, too, the laws Of New YORK
State are SO arranged that the city
can do scarcely anything without the
consent of the powers that be at
Albany. Enabling legislation must be
asked at the hands Of the State Senate
and Assembly. AS New York City IS
mostly Democratic and as the Legis-
lature is mostly Republican, the task
is not always so easy.
On Verge Of Collapse.
The mayor is reported to be on the
verge of nervous collapse as a re-
suit of the strenuous work he has
been through during his brief term.
In that time, however, he has worked
wonders. He seems to have won the
confidence and the support OF all the
people of the city, regardless OF their
politics and former affiliations. The
newspapers of the city are support
ing him in the same whole hearted.
nnnna rfiSan Spfrft
A great, satisfied calm has settled
over the city. All old signs proclaim
ing the undertakings and achieve
ments of Mayor Hylan have been
taken down or painted out. 1t cost
a lot Of money to obliterate the
former mayor from the city's land
scape, but the people evidently are
agreed that is 1t worth It.
Mayor Walker has not hesitated to
go TO Wall street or to attend a
luncheon of the Bond Club. at which
he said Wall street was very neces-
sary and desirable part Of the Nation
as we'll as of the city. The mayor
said there were no more boundaries,
no more classes. When Mr.. Hylan
was mayor he thought that day lost
whose low descending sun failed to
And him In a fury at the Wall street
"gan ng" and Interests" The former
mayor tnTlNeQ on SItupcIdtiOIi lie
present mayor is asking always for
cooperation, and 1t looks as though
he would receive It.
There has been no wide open
town" under the new regime. As a
matter of fact, the laws against
gambling and other forms Of vice ap-
pear to be better inforced today than
Tor a long time.
The new city government appears
to be alert and to know how to deal
with police situations. 1t does not
close it's eyes and say that evil can
not exist because ! am mayor" It
admits all evil and attempts to deal
with it in q sane. effective way.
The new police commissioner, Mr..
Mclaughlin, has caught the fancy of
the people He is taking all the police
of the city from soft snap" assign
ments and Is putting them back in
uniform and on the streets. He Is
asking for more police and will get
them. These extra police were denied
the last administration because it was
felt too many bluecoats were being
used in private or semi private work.
Even the most casual visitor to New
York can note the change which has
come over the city since January /.
There is no more civic excitement and
running around in circles. The at
mosphere is one Of straight business
New Workers are worried today only
about Mayor Walkers physical con-
dition.
The "boy" is giving his best to his
job. Tammany Is basking In the re-
fiected glory.