Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-26
Anxious DAYS for New York.

Just how the New York City invegti-
CATION Just ordered by the State Legis-
lature viii synchronize with Governor
Roosevelt's own inquiry into the con-
duct Of Mayor Walker on the basis OF
the charges filed against him is some
what In doubt. The Governor has sent
the charges on to the mayor, in California,
for his rejoinder. The mayor is plan
ming to start eastward on Sunday and
he will probably not attempt full and
formal reply until he has arrived in
New York and has conferred with his
friends and political advisers. Mean
while it Is expected that the commit
tee Of investigation will not be named
until after the adjournment Of the
Legislature on the tenth or the eleventh
Of April. This leaves q margin Of sew
eral days in which the mayor can an
swer the charges and the Governor can
act before the major inquiry starts.
There has been some talk Of the Cover
nor turning the charges against the
mayor over to the legislative commit
tee for examination and report. Yes
terday, however, representatives OF
Tammany warned the Governor
against such q course. That Is to say,
certain high-ups In Tammany notified
the Governor that it would be regarded
as an "unfriendly act" This has GER
tain political implications that are not
to be disregarded. II the Governor re-
fers the charges to the legislative COM
nittee he may be thought TO have
chosen to incur Tammany's unfriendli-
ness rather than the public suspicion Of
undue friendliness. Tammany may not
be agreeable to a proposal to present
Governor Roosevelt to the next Demo-
cratic convention as New York's favor
tie son" If he now turns the Walker
charges over to Republication
inquiry. But there may be a decided
advantage with the American public at
large in having incurred Tamnlany's
diSpleaSure.
Thus these days Of delay in the matter
of New York investigation are days of
anxiety for all concerned, for the Gov
ernor, who is caught between the two
forces of Tammany and general public
disapproval; for the Tammany ONCE
holders In Greater New York, who are
already beginning to feel the pinch of
rircumstarces-two Of them were pushed
out Of their Jobs yesterday in q hurry
up housekeeping conducted by q COM
missioner of accounts; for Mayor Wal
ker, who despite his debonair manner
Is keenly distressed by the situation; for
the rank and file Of the Tammany or
ganization, who do not know just how
far the probe is going to reach and who
Is going to be caught with the goods of
graft. even outside Of the municipal adj
ministration.
Tammany Is somewhat concerned,
too, about the manner in which Mayor
Walker should be received upon his re-
turn from California. There are two
schools Of thought on the subject. One
favors hullabalIoo Of greeting, with
bands and joymakers, with banquet and
speeches conquering hero stuff, loud
proclamation to the world Of confidence
in "Our Jimmie" The other and truly
wiser proposal is TO let the mayor slip
back into town as unostentatiously as
he left, and to have him set right to
work to conduct a vigorous-or as vigor-
GUS as poSSible-housecleaning Of the
municipal premises on his own account.
Advocates Of the latter course urge that
1t win not be altogether wise to declare
by q vociferous welcome-home that
everything Is all right, that Mayor Jim
mie Is stiIl the fair-haired son of Tam
many in the highest standing. For it
may become necessary before this thing
is finished to throw Mayor Jimmie over
as q sacrifice. Lesser creatures Of Tam
many are being thus sacrificed from
time 10 time, such as the two who got
their walking papers yesterday. and even
Jimmie may have to be tossed to the
wolves.