Evening star., 1932-05-21
Mayor Jimmie to Take the Stand

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Next Wednesday Mayor Jimmie Walk
er of New York will be a star performer
in proceeding Of importance and gen.
eral public interest. 1t will not be as
the receiving end of a distinguished ar
rival from abroad as New York's most
efficient greeter, nor as the reviewing
! officer Of a giant parade 1t will be as
a witness before the State Legislative
Committee inquiring into the manage
ment Of the metropolis He has been
wanted" by the committee for some
months, but, somehow, it has Just not
suited his convenience to appear, nor,
indeed, has the committee been ready
to receive him. From time to time
little matters have come to light that
have seemed to require explanation
from the mayor. His personal repre-
sentative in charge of his financial deal
ings disappeared and has never been
effectively caught by a subpoena server.
Meanwhile, the investigating commit
tees referee, Judge Seabury, has been
digging up items regarding the mayors
investments and expenses and income
and stock transactions that have really
and truly required elucidation. This
investigation has been in progress for
nearly two years, and when it was
started the mayor said that he would
make public answer to each charge as
it was brought, without waiting to be
called by the committee. He changed
his attitude, however, and has reserved
all his rejoinders and explanations for
personal appearance on the witness
stand, and that is now set for next
Wednesday.
The immediate occasion of the mayor s
change of policy in respect to the &C
cusations or insinuations brought against
him is that light has just been thrown
in a somewhat embarrassing degree
upon the manner in which his trip to
Europe last Summer, almost a royal
| tour Of the capitals of politics and
pleasure, was financed. At yesterdays
/ session of the committee it was brought
| out that the expenses of this trip were
met by ten-thousand- dollar letter of
credit which was bought from one Of the
New York banking institutions for cash
by the promoter of a coach company
which had shortly before been granted
franchise at the instance of Mayor
Walker-and delivered to the mayor the
day before he signed the contract max
ing the franchise effective. So royal"
indeed was the mayoral tour that the
letter of credit was exhausted and an
additional credit of three thousand dol
lars was bought by the same good friend
| to meet Mayor Jinmie's overdraft.
If there were any disposition to make
public spectacle of the mayors ap-
pearance before the legislative commit
tee, 1t could probably be turned to ex-
cellent account in the raising of large
contribution to the unemployment re-
lief fund in Manhattan. Madison Square
Garden or some other great place of as
semblage could be engaged for the oc-
casion, and at tWo-dollar admission
rate 1t probably could be filled. For the
meeting on Wednesday between Mayor
Walker and Referee Seabury will be an
historic encounter. The mayor will be
no easy mark for the referees inquisi-
ton. He is an agile person and he has
had plenty of time to prepare his re-
plies to the most searching questions
that can be put TO him. But it would
really seem as though the referee has
got Mayor Jimmie in a pretty tight