The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-01-30

clean its own house and wage war on politically
intrenched racketeers and gamblers. The corpora
| ton counsel unearthed extravagant payments Of
more than million dollars in fees to dozen po-
tically favored real estate appraisers in condens-
nation proceedings Another department is run
ming down reports that contracts for institutional
supplies were awarded, not to the lowest bidder,
but to political favorites who delivered inferior
goods at exorbitant prices and billed the city, it IS
alleged, for double the quantity of goods deliv-
cred.
But the most disgraceful disclosure of all to
date is that the city penitentiary on Welfare lsani
(they call it "Welfare'D virtually had been turned
over to the rule of the gangsters committed to L.
that this condition had been known for months,
that the city had been warned of its existence by
the State Department of Correction, the Grand
Jury and the New York Prison Association-and
still it had been permitted to continue.
The story disclosed by the surprise raid led by
Austin H. MacCormick, the new Commissioner OF
Correction to recapture the institution and restore
it to the control of responsible officials, is amaz
ing chapter of municipal degradation. The details
of vice, degeneracy, drug addiction, and graft are
revolving to every sense of decency. Thugs and
racketeers living in luxury and served by Wallets
ruled the prison and dispensed favors. Narcotics
struggled in not only by prisoners and corrupt
keepers, but by the use of carrier pigeons, were
found in cells. Some of the cells were wired for
telephones so that gangsters could carry on their
activities outside as we'll as inside the prison.
If Lord Bryce, years ago, found the faults OF
government in American cities "open and palpa-
ble'' what would he think of today's disclosures
in New York Yet the shame Of New York is not
in uncoverng the rottenness but in the fact that it
has been so long permitted, indeed protected ard
foStered, by Tammany. The necessity OF Washing
dirty municipal linen in public is regrettable, but
if it leads to regeneration of New York and other
American cities, it will be justified
The betrayal of New York is the old story cf
corrupt alliance between politics and crime made
possible bv the selfish Indifference and mistaken
tolerance of citizens. On the very day that the
rottenness of the city penitentiary being dis
closed thousands of persons lining the streets
to paw last tribute to Brooklyn political leader
who had passed after years of usefulness to TAM
many, and mawkish sentiment marked public trio
utes from those in high places to the personal
qualities of the departed leader
Every American city can read a lesson from
New York's experience. 1t is time to discard rule
Ey political machines which operate city as
charitable institution, dispensing favors at public
expense to build up their own political power and
personal fortunes. 1t is time to smash such boss
rule everywhere.
The courage with which the Fusion administra-
ton in New York has tackled the job of cleaning
the Augean stables is the brightest spot in situa-
ton which hangs like pail over many American
cities The fight which Mayor LaGuardia and his
administration are making deserves not only legic
lative and popular support locally, but moral sup
port FROM one end of the country to the other
Christian Science Monitor