NEW YORK: A PLUNDERED CITY
NEW YORK: A PLUNDERED CITY Bus And Sewer Scandals Involve Tammany And The Republicans HAVE the people of New York Gty had enough ? Have they endured all they can of spoliation, plunder,...
...They win receive support from a report sponsored by the Hanoi* association for Criminal Justice which last summer came out strongly in favor of a state constabulary for Illinois...
...If any of you boys and girls have caught cold or anything why don't you knock off work and come on down ? You see, that's what happened to Jimmy...
...And it has liked it...
...And under your hat, put everything you got on this Sharkey boy...
...But it has a franchise...
...He really spoke only for President John H. Walker, who was then in Geneva, Switzerland, as a guest of the Non-Partisan League of Nations Association...
...However, on the face he appears to be making s gallant fight for decency...
...It is not too- early to prepare for the fall campaign...
...3. THE ATTITUDE OF A CREATURE NAMED DeBRAGGA, A PAYROLL PATRIOT WHO IS REPUBLICAN BOSS OF QUEENS...
...Do the people like it...
...Any other explanation would make out the city fathers to be imbeciles...
...Right on the job, as usual...
...There is something inherently snide and slimy and crooked "boot it...
...A cheap price to w for access to an annual budget of $600,000,0001 Then how about the sewer scandals ? Do the people like ¦¦t...
...The But vpj Committee is the one upon elation for Criminal Justice issued a report In July 1838 in which it advocated the establishment of a centralized state constabulary force hi Illinois and attacked Chicago labor leaders...
...Jimmy asked me to write and tell you all that we wish you were with us...
...DeBragga has always been over friendly with the sewer ring...
...So far as the organized labor moveconcerned the state police are strike2"**era...
...Quietly...
...That was up and up...
...For tee fact may aa well be recognised teat whOa a pottee force requires earetnl pnmntea for tta sfcaaverattoeaa* troi, tee mean* employed to that end shook...
...r As a result one George U. Harvey was elected Borough President...
...V Signs are not wanting that the patience of the people will gothst foreverand that it is about to crack...
...Such a franchise is worth much money...
...And while they're not Einsteins exactly they're not exactly Hylans either...
...Mac never was much of a reader and here's a great chance for him to improve his mind amid restful surroundings far from the madding crowd...
...Perhaps he is...
...Or do they want more ? For over a decade the imperial city that stands at the pteway of the nation has groveled in the mud before a biprtuan gang that has plundered it and has made a fool of it...
...Three within the past few weeks have come out They are: 1. THE EQUITABLE BUS FRANCHISE...
...Thus, one county leader is called Cfcrk of the Surrogate's Court, another was until j-ecendy Grjr Chamberlain, still another is Commissioner of Public WorksThese men see to it that exefy one of their district leaders also gets on the public payroll...
...Watch for our pictures in the rotos Sunday...
...There is no opposition...
...Highwaymen are too active, antomobUlsts need supervision, country banks are unprotected, chickens and horses are stolen...
...And what was this criticism of Harvey...
...You don't catch me trying to get my name in the paper...
...They generously award themselves excellent salaries out of the public treasury...
...After all, there if something like too much of being played for a sucker, jgi it may be that the limit has been reached...
...Board ot Directors with forty-four representatives of business and the professions, imagining, no doubt that they could influence the Association's decisions from labor's point of view...
...The workers have learned that the •aiy kind of life and property Oat state oon*dwlaries generally protect are those of capttalOn the other hand the life and property ot *^p-ean>ers are Jeopardized by the existence of »*» police...
...Just some of the boys at Hall cutting in (to a little easy dough...
...the official head of Harvey's party, did nothing to elect him...
...Not a word «f hope teat fee meala would he dtoo*» ered...
...He spent several weeks damning Harvey from Dan te Beersheba as an ingrate...
...That is the situation...
...What the hell...
...There is a so-called opposition party, but it is in many ases a very silent opposition, in others a silent partner...
...They say that he's doing a lot of reading...
...Just a Note from Jimmy and Grover His Honor Picks Sharkey and the Equitable Busses TO the New York Readers of The New Leader...
...Jimmie used some of his far-famed wit in compelling the city fathers to award the franchise to the Equitable...
...He did nothing to aid Harvey...
...The Fight Is On Again Victor A. Olander, Secretary of the Illinois State Federation of Labor, which has been fighting the state constabulary for years because of its possible use in breaking strikes, gave a blanket repudiation of the report of the Survey Committee for the four labor members of the Board of Directors...
...In some instances they are thieves and use their places for.outright plunder...
...Was he dishonoring his party (that is, assuming that the G. O. P. can be dishonored) ? Was be a bad executive...
...Is it that trade unlonj*» *re opposed to the protection of Ule and "piopeuy ? No more man the banker*, manufcetarers and mine owners who claim to be the ¦¦Pporters at "law and order...
...Other bidders that had been able to show operation according to specifications were shoved aside...
...The sewers of Queens are a fotfl place, but hold your noses as we recount the story ir...
...GROVER WHALEIN and JIMMY WALKER...
...Dear Folks: Well, here we are, both having a dandy time...
...He is a Republican...
...Was be a Ear...
...And yet the people have stood for it, and apparotiy have abdicated their right of self-government to local Tammany clubs in return for trolley rides to Coney Island a aimmer and turkeys at Christmas time...
...He didn't want him elected for be didnl want an enemy of the sewer ring^to win that important office * */ * CONSIDER this little fact: Harvey was an Alderman...
...In Chicago the trade unions are using their radio station, WCFL, In a campaign of education to defeat this antilabor proposal...
...Only terrific denunciation because Harvey did not play the usual dirty political game and use bis office, not to clean out dirty conditions bu£ as a pie counter...
...Maybe it fa only a bluff...
...I didn't like that a bit The first one thej' took, I didn't have my chest expanded enough...
...It Is not for nothing mat state *tenlarlea have been dabbed "Cossacks" by ***kera...
...J^EXT we are back in the sewers where Tammany and G. O. P. politics thrive best, that being their proper setting...
...Was he afraid the city couldn't operate busses as well as the desk and the wastebasket in the Equitable Coach Company's, office could ? IVas he interested in getting somebody in a position where he could make something out of the city...
...Governor Emerson came out for a Cossack bfO in his inaugural address...
...With a desk and a telephone in it and a State Senator sitting around...
...and aided and abetted by convict Maurice e. Connolly, former Borough-' President, plundered the people of that borough for twelve years...
...Not a bus has appeared...
...In most instances, however, all they want is to liave the power to run the city and hand over contracts, jobs, inside information and power to their own gang...
...A second was'a certain agent for (bonding companies (whose immortal name slips the mind at the moment) who had the monopoly for bonding the sewer contractors who played ball with Gentleman Jack Phillips and used his pipe— at burglarious prices...
...In the single item of precast lockjoint concrete pipe for sewers the}' swindled the city out of $12,000,000...
...mm concerned with tea orgsvdsatlon of tea teres and discipline of it* persomiel from top to bottom...
...In other words, if there had been a stat* constabulary even a hundred per cent union community like Herrin would have had no chance against the coal barons...
...In nhnois the business interests have been endeavoring since the war to put across a state constabulary...
...The newspaper' boys hound you all around...
...He knew too much...
...And what is the Equitable...
...Not satisfied with condemning the present state highway police with its "narrow concept of police) duty" since it was "a minor adjunct of the department'of public works and building," the report argues against restricting tee power of the state police: "Illinois may profit from tee experience of other states setting up safeguards surrounding the use of state police In riot duty...
...That's our Jimmy...
...We are sending a picture of our bathing beach...
...So just to be agreeable I went back and had them take another with my chest way, way out...
...What was its magnificent equipment...
...What experience in manning buses could it show ? It is a desk and a telephone in a room, in 'the Equitable Building...
...It didn't want to win...
...At the head tf the string of clubs is, in each county a so-called "leader'' grown arrogant, rich and powerful because of the supineness of the people...
...It is upon the Socialist party- that the burden for honesty and decency in government and representation of the meases rest Let us begin now to unite the masses for honest government for the producers...
...After pointing- out among other things that the BBnota National Guard had been called to seventeen cities to do riot duty within ton years, the report comes to one conclusion: "Adequate protection for rural districts vrfH require a trained and mobile force of state police, operating under a single bead who should be responsible to the governor alone...
...His close associate, John R. Clark, was slated to succeed him as Alderman...
...Four labor leaders accepted positions on tbh...
...Ha sailed for Cuba while Harvey was giving the District Attorney derails bf the attempted bribery by members of the sewer ring ($200,000 a year if he would "play ball" and let them continue to plunder the people in future sewer contracts...
...But you know how it is with us big men...
...and as a sop to what shred of decency thej think exists give themselves labels pretending that they are doing public jobs...
...Consequently, labor has always been oa guard lest through its neglect state constabularies be established on some innocent-looking pretext that will appeal to the average citizen, in country and town...
...That's number one...
...Miss Agnes Nestor pointed out that she had only attended a part of the organization meeting of the Association...
...Illinois Association Created ****aptovers have leaned to ask for the creavwn ^Mteto constabularies or the extension of their ptetona of the workers...
...When Clark's nomination was made known it was calmly asserted that he was not an enrolled Republican 1 Today the Grand Jury is investigating the charge that the election officials of both parties tempered xvitk...
...They are trying again la the 1829 legislature...
...On the Board of Directors of this outfit are such capitalists as SeweS L. Avery of the United States Gypsum Co...
...Thus far they nave failed...
...Organised workers in Illinois are igain involved In a struggle to prevent the enactment of a Cossack bill which has been introduced in the Legislature by State Senator Dunlap who is a perpetual sponsor of this legislation...
...Walker finds vacancies on the Magistrates' bench, far example, and hands over the appointment of judges to »man whose only official position is Clerk of the Surrogate's Court, naflfely, Boss McCooey...
...For some mysterious reason a city that runs a school system at $100,000,000 a year and a water system that is the marvel of the world cannot be trusted to operate a few autobuses on the streets...
...Connolly was tried and on the witness stand he made a spectacle" of himself that no spectator will ever forget...
...To be ¦'wrtfrf to fill an Aldermanic vacancy a citizen must be an m*re$tol§ member of the party of the former member...
...When he was elected Bar* ough President he resigned...
...Somebody is always kicking...
...The people of Queens stood for it long enough even •for they knew all about it, and even after the unspeakable Connolly was under a jail sentence nearly half of them voted far Us viceregent, who was to keep his chair warm until *» jail term was over, when he was to return in triumph to ** scenes ot tne plunaw...
...Other bidders had buses, equipment, experience They didn't count...
...What's the ase...
...a few words...
...James A. Fatten ot the Citizens Committee to Enforce the Landls Award...
...I understand he's still there waiting to be tried for shooting Rothstein...
...MATTHEW WOLL—THE STATE CONSTABULARY ¦'' This U the eeventk of a eerie* of article* te which The Neu> Leader is considering *he policies of Matthew WoU, vice preeiof the American Federation of Labor, **d their relation to the policies of the American trade union movement QSGANIZED labor la opposed to state con•tabularles...
...They decide who is to be named for office, who is to get what job, what contracts are to be awarded, what laws are to pass...
...It didn't need to...
...J'HESE are the things that have occurred within the last few weeks...
...JJAVE the people had enough...
...In the course of the revelations three noble men laid down their lives and were gathered to their fathers...
...Five nateers rhaigid] wtth the attack were acquitted after two trhu...
...He looks good to your two devoted public servants...
...Thomas B. Donnelly, the big open shop printer...
...They even insist on taking my picture when I'm going in bathing...
...Not modest, old Grover Whalen...
...State Constabulary Is Urged The Illinois Association for Crfanhtal Justice cooperated wtth tee Chicago Crime Commission and the American Inntlliilo of Criminal Law and Oimlnology fat making a survey of crime conditions...
...The Grand Jury found he was murdered but no one was indicted and no one is (at least officially) suspected...
...Our intermittent Mayor fought like a tiger for granting the franchise to the Equitable...
...On the Survey Committee of sixteen members the tame labor representee** was Matthew WoU, Vice-president of the American Federation pt Labor and Acting President of the National CMe Federation...
...Not a wheelbarrow, not a kiddie car...
...NEW YORK: A PLUNDERED CITY Bus And Sewer Scandals Involve Tammany And The Republicans HAVE the people of New York Gty had enough ? Have they endured all they can of spoliation, plunder, insalt and humiliation...
...That is one of the little things these people do to bam* string what appears to be the first honest attempt in Queen* history for members of one of the old parties, to extirpate thievery and dishonesty...
...Florida is a swell place to spend the winter in...
...So did the agent...
...Where is the leader of Harvey's own party...
...In the fight to elect the first Republican borough president in the history of Queens the DeBragga—the official Republican—organization spent $750...
...And Boss McCooey appoints heal district leaders, qualifications being not ability or infcgrily but the size of the vote in the district at the last ejection...
...Like Sam Koenig in Manhattan, his Republican organization is...
...At least these rulers of ours say so...
...That bang the case, what was Jimmies terrible sweat to give the Equitable the franchise...
...However, the direct cause for sending troops was due to the laxity, Inefficiency and cowardice of the local officials and their inability to enforce and maintain law and order, and thereby afford protection to life and property...
...That the closest friends of the super-boss of Tammany, Al Smith, have become contractors is no accident That the present Mayor of o* city and his illustrious predecessor found their closest | aeociites among enormously wealthy men who want to make ibmetaing out of being at the seats of the mighty is no coBodeBce...
...Well, the people stood for it—they voted for it...
...One was Gentleman Jack himself, who drank himself to death on July 4th...
...A gang of thieves, headed by the late Jack M. Phillips (you should see the American flags on his tomb...
...Maybe he has not got the...
...They are shocking because they art to natal that they have been taken, as a matter of course INo one cares a damn any more—or has been caring lor ten years...
...I'm glad to hear that...
...Harold H. Swift, Vice President, Swift & Co., and James B. Forgan and Frank Wetmore, anti-labor banker...
...goods on bis opponents...
...2. THE BRIBERY CHARGES IN QUEEN'S...
...They offered the city better terms...
...Not even a word of denial of me charge mat members of the DeBragga organization—Harvey's own party—were among those who attempted to bribe him...
...He had a cold and a complication of diseases consisting of 'bus franchises, five cent fares and what not, so the doc looked him over and said, "I prescribe ten rounds of the Stribling-Sharkey fight," and down came Jimmy...
...Hence, the persistent opposition t C the asde radons to state coasts Nrtsrie...
...Witness Queens County...
...DeBragga...
...rather than wtth arbitrary tludtstk— upon tto power as a peace maintaining agency.** The report farther rates* by name te labor leader* in Chicago and calls them a> "bombing trust agates* churches, residences, stores and barber shops...
...We are now hearing about the attempts to bribe Harvey...
...The third was William L. D'Olier, of whose death the less said the better...
...It Is believed that tins provision represents tee fan effective limit to any restrtcttoD...
...Organized labor's ¦niagonlam to state police springs from bitter **"l«nce...
...Perkins claimed he did not even know he was a Director, so far as we know Matthew Woll made no public explanation...
...this payroll patriot, who is clerk of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (at a heavy salary), damned the only executive his parry ever elected for not playing ball with him and passing out jobs to hi* followers I Not a word of appreciation «f hi*^ tight agaiait dishonesty...
...But toft there a time when the patience of a people cracks, even *tu*UJ1ued to being made doormats...
...Clary* enroll* ment ballot and erased his X, a felony under tht eltction laws...
...This gentleman was found dead of acute alcoholism appropriately enough in a Harlem gutter...
...Organized capital has fought ** their establishment...
...The Republican county boss is the DeBragga hereinbefore mentioned...
...That is, that it was never intended to operate, but merely to get a franchise and peddle it at good terms (the profits to be borne by the riders) where they could...
...Signs are not wanting that the patience of people is becoming just a little exhausted, that tilings are cracking...
...Hylan used public offices of the highest importance as jobs to reward friends and relatives...
...gEVERAL "incidents have occurred lately to indicate something of what the people have willingly, cheerfully, idiotically stood for, casting their votes-for people who do little favors and indulge in big plunder...
...J"OR over a decade New York City has been ruled by a string of Tammany Hall clubs in Manhattan, and of rjapocratic district clubs in the other boroughs...
...When some one in one of the old parties tries to do something honest, to ferret out corruption* his own parry unites with its ostensible opponents to hamper him by fair means (if they can recognize them) and foaL They don't want honesty...
...There is no hope for relief from this slimy, vile cormp* tion in die old parties...
...As their deputies a group of so-called elected officials—actually selected by these arrogant usurpers as their on handymen—draw salaries and go through the forms of governing...
...Edward E. Gore and John W. 0*Leary of the Chicago Association of Commerce...
...Julius Rosenwaid, chairman of the Board, Sears Roebuck & Co...
...Now they say that die Equitable never ran any buses and never intended to...
...By the way, don't get lathered up about the Equitable bus stuff...
...r|THE boroughs need bus services...
...Only the Socialist party has had the honorable burden, in addition to its Socialist mission, of fighting the corruption that has plundered the city and the cynicism that has permitted it...
...merely a friendly pseudo-rival to the Democratic thieves...
...The franchise was awarded 18 months ago...
...He convicted himself by his own testimony...
...And every citizen of New York knows it»knd generally speaking, shrugs his shoulders when teanndetj 'bf it, and says in effect, "What the hell...
...The state police recruited from different parts of Illinois, would have had no sympathy with the strikers, while their centralized state command would have eliminated local influence altogether...
...Maybe he is not on the level...
...Still, D'Olier is dead with a bullet in his brain...
...In a primary- scrap in Queens Phillips used to spend $25,000 and up upon a single candidate...
...Similar to Matthew WoiT» experience in associating with business interests in the National Civic Federation and the Sportsmanship Brotherelation for Criminal Justice of Chicago, HI...
...The franchise was awarded to a mysterious entity entitled the Equitable Coach Co...
...The Equitable," the Queens bribery on top of the thievery, and the political attitude of party leaders there, the appointment of ward heelers as magistrates for political purposes only—theat have been the Pelion piled upon Ossa in recent weeks...
...After tern astrnwa ware killed, tee strike-breaker* and gearae war* the wounding *A others...
...It is now half past one and Jimmy has just phoned for me to come over for breakfast...
...Herrin Miners Arm Denounced struggle of 19X1, where strJha brtakers neaa kay ported under armed goard...
...These labor leaders were Matthew WoU, President Jchn H. Walker of the nhnois State Federation of Leber, who is honored with a vice presidency hi tee Association: Preside** Agnes Nestor of the Women's Trade Union League of Chicago and former President George W. Perkins of the Cigar Maker* Union...
...I think that we have him pretty scared now...
...What more do you expect for a couple of hundred thousand bucks ? Well, so long...
...If any of you boys happen in at The Tombs, give ray best to McManus...
...The fundamental reason however, is the desire to create a centralized state force whose personnel win have no sympathy with the Inhabitants of the strange localities ha which, they operate and who, therefore, become ideal for breaking strikes before employers can be brought to terms...
...Attention la directed especially to the Massachusetts provision requiring that tee state police shall not be used or called upon for service in any industrial dispute unless as actual violence/ has occurred therein, and teen only by tea- governor...
...It now appears from the complicated agreements dug up by The World that the Equitable is merely a fist full of cards to do business with...
...It speaks of **he direct aettenlst leaders ot the building trades' council, which caused bombings, slugging*, murder* and to con diary Ares In Chicago...
...The Survey Committee quotes wtth uppswael mm* report of tee Adjutant General for te* tern yearn winch stovalspsd te tela county and whteh assda It necessary tq send military feres* tete teta county may be charged to a coatfaeee tion on the part of the inhabitants of Williamson county to disregard the requirements of duly constituted law...
...Some night a couple of years from now, who knows but what he will get pinched for jay-walking ? It's pretty subtle stuff but that's the way I work...
...Of course, you realize that I'm here resting up after all the heavy work I did fixing up the traffic system so we could catch the Rothstein murderer...
...Hence a franchise must be issued to some other agency, specifically an operating company...
...They got one of me under a shower bath...
...They liad an office, didn't they...
...Let us take them in order...
Vol. 8 • February 1929 • No. 6
