The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 12

12 BROOKLYN F.AftlE. Till RSPAY. JUNE 22. 1939 One False Move and 111 Lei You Have If- Brooklyn Eagle Fminri'd bv Isaac Vin Andrn IfllU Trade Maris Eagle Registered' Vwlfoiiwf Whirligig Hay Tucker XV i i in Washington Ingersoll's Timely Plea One of the most serious blunders of the last Legislature was its failure to enact the Babcock Pension Reform Bill designed to place all the municipal pension systems on a strictly actuarial basis. In view of this, Borough President Ingersoll's telegram to Governor Lehman to put this question on the agenda of the special session called for tomorrow was a most timely appeal.

Under the constitutional amendment voted by the people at last Fall's election, pensions were placed on a contractual basis and unless the Babcock Bill, or a similar measure, is enacted by the Legislature. Mr. Ingersoll pointed out that "this city and a number of others will be in strait jackets with the wiping out of borrowing powers and drastic curtailment of both services and salaries." Common fairness demands the reform of such pension systems as the policemen's and firemen's, but no steps can be taken in that direction until the enabling legislation is passed. All this was explained by Mayor LaGuardia and other city officials this Spring and the leaders of the pension systems involved were ready to co-operate, yet for some inexplicable reason the Legislature refused to act. There is now a fine opportunity to r-.

i Ualc. A Fact a Day About Brooklyn must bear the signatures addresses of the but pen names will be at the discretion of Contributions should as short as possible, editor reserves the cut them down to requirements of space. THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1939 THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE FTMNK D. JCHFOTH. Presldrnt and Publisher CROWEIX.

secretary and Treasurer main orncr. Tagle Bitildintv Johnson and Adams Brooklyn, New York TELEPHONE MAln 4-S-'00 rvlraso North Mirhi'jsn Ban KrHiiriscn. 23S Mnnunrrery 8'iert Atlanta, Ga, Rhodes-Haverty Build. rig SIFSCTCIPTION RATES FY MAIL Yr 6 Mm. 3 Mos.

1 Mo. 1 Wit and Sunclas 1 1 00 6 00 00 1 .10 30 ri.ii Only 8 00 a so Only 3 00 I 50 10 10 Enlei-rd the Brooklyn Postntfice as Second Claw Mail Matter MFMBrR OF THS ASSOCIATED PHtSS Trie Assonatrd Press is exc.ustvely entitled to the use lepubl'ratlnn ot all news dispatches credited to it fir mi oinerxise credited in this paner and also the lr news nt siontuneous origin published herein A.I r.shts nt o( all other matter hereir. titt reserved. Heuewal of Budget Fight The action of the Republican majority in the State Legislature in disregarding the constitutional ban on "lump-sum" appropriations has, as widely predicted, made necessary a special session to draft a new budget. The State Court of Appeals was unanimous in declaring $7,000,000 of the lawmakers' cuts in the Governor's financial program void and Mr.

Lehman promptly summoned the extraordinary session in Albany for tomorrow. The prospect for a possibly protracted stay this Summer in the notoriously hot capital city is not a pleasant one, but the Republicans can blame only themselves for taking the risk involved in the lump-sum attack on various departmental budgets. They must now take up the detailed job of going through the estimates with a fine-tooth comb and make their cuts item by item. It takes more courage to assume direct responsibility for the actual reductions as they affect Individuals and services, but the unpleasant task cannot now be sidestepped, for we are convinced that public sentiment is against any additional taxes which would be required If the cuts were merely restored to the budget. In a sense the Governor himself is primarily responsible for the present mixup because of his original refusal to meet the growing demands for economy which have come from all over the State and especially from the little taxpayers.

He apparently failed to sense the new temper of the people and sent to the Legislature a budget requiring the raising of in new taxes. The G. O. P. program eliminated Ebout $25,000,000 of these, including the especially objectionable tax on real estate, which already bears the principal burden in the local communities of the State.

It is noteworthy that the Court of Appeals ruling upset the Appellate Division decision in one respect it held that the appropriations for State aid for schools and for highways are not affected, thus validating of the cuts made by the Legislature. In view of the widespread protests, particularly in New York City, over the reduction of nearly $10,000,000 in State aid, more than 'half of which affects this municipality, it is expected an effort will be made to reopen that part of the budget also. It is possible that the Governor may attempt to restrict action to the sections affected by the high court's decision. However, if the school funds come up. it must be borne in mind that restoration of all or any part of the rut means that a like amount of r.ew taxes must be levied.

It is easy to understand the attitude of parents who are vigorously protesting the elimination of kindergartens and other services of the schools. There is ample justification for that position. But there is a widespread feeling that there must be other ways of effecting economy in the educational system and that a serious effort should be made to find them. For instance, it. is well known that the number of pupils in the elementary schools here is now past the peak and decreasing each year.

It will be recalled that the Board of Regents, as long ago as 1933 when the amount of State aid was much lower than now, conceded that a 10 percent reduction "should not seriously impair the efficiency of the public school system." Why not go back to the records of that time, study the conditions then existing and find the basis for that statement by the Regents'1 We still feel that the main issue facing the State authorities is economy and that it should not be approached from the viewpoint of partisan politics. But economies should not be made at the expense of vital services. To claim that it is impossible to eliminate a penny from the appropriations for any department including education -facems to us preposterous. Public Asked to Protest Proposed Slnsh in WPA To the Editor of the Brooklyn Eagle: If the American people do not wish to see the breadlines returned, they had better put in their protest by writing to the House Appropriations Committee at Washington against the proposed cut and changes in WPA. I don't think most of the people realize the gravity of the situation.

To throw men and women out of work at this time will bring back the worst depression days, lower the morale of an already harassed people who have had to struggle desperately against all odds these past few years, and cannot stand much more because they are near the breaking point and It will retard the progress New Dealers on the O'Mahoney Monopoly Committee are slowly edging toward their secret scheme for Federal regulation of life insurance companies. They figure that they have proved the need of governmental control already. Committee charges that insurance prices are fixed coluslvely that premiums are exhor- bitant that only one out of four policiies survives the first year that high-pressure methods of salesmanship work hardships on the customers were simply designed to catch headlines and popularize the issue. Such practices hardly warrant a demand for supervision from Washington. It's the effect which billions of dollars worth of Investments have on the capital market the national economywhich they will cite Ray TucKer as Justification for control legislation at the next session.

When the insurance lawyers remind the reformers that the Supreme Court has expressly declared Paul versus Virginia that life insurance is not interstate commerce, they reply: "Oh, but we have a new Supreme Court now." Friendly rulings bv three New Deal officials have enabled Government purchasers to outwit the "cement trust' and save $1,500,000 in the east of construction of the Central Valley project in California. The incident reveals how laws in this case the Walsh-Healey Act designed only to improve wage and working conditions can be utilized for bigger purposes. When the bids for 5.800,000 barrels of cement ere opened, it was discovered that the old-line corporations had submitted virtually identical figures. They were thrown out, and the contract was awarded to the Permanente Corporation of California. The losers protested on the ground that the Walsh-Healcy Act specified that only "qualified dealers or manufacturers" could be given contracts.

They pointed out that the winning corporation had no lac tor' simply raw material deposits. But Gerard Keilly, Labor Department counsel, held the Permenentc crowd were "quali-lied" because of their promise to build a factory and make deliveries on the date required. Ex-Senator Fred Brown a Roosevelt man promoted to the Controller Generalship after his defeat last year upheld Mr. Reilly. So did the Commissioner oi Reclamation.

Through an unpublicized order centralizing Government purchasing power in three agenciesTreasury Procurement, War and Navy the Administration aims to impose even greater controls on corporations doing business with Washington. It represents an attempt to force icforms upon industry by indirection, Whereas every Government department had its own purchasing agent in the past, hereafter all material for PWA, WPA, AAA and in-1 numerable other Federal units will be bought through the Procurement Division except lor I naval and military supplies-, which will be I handled by War and Navy. Under the old system Government departments used to bid blindly, and olten against each other. There was no method of enforcing strict requirements because there was no cohesion among the pur-! chasing agencies. In wartime the new system will guarantee greater efficiency and economy, for World War transactions demonstrated that the Government was usually the loser.

Underlying purpose, however, is to make it easier to regulate and reform industry. With Washington providing a major part of many industries' business the.se days, the big industrialists must behave if they want to drag down handsome contracts. When and If Archibald MacLeish is confirmed as Congressional Librarian, there won't be so many references to Abraham Lincoln and other Republican saints in President Roose-' veil's speeches. One of the Yale poet's assignments will be to do a bit of "ghosting" for Mr. Roosevelt, Mr.

MacLeish was originally offered the post i of Assistant National Emergency Council Direc- tor, but he declined it. The N. E. C. has developed into an adjunct of the Democratic Na-J tional Committee, doing jobs and errands the White House doesn't care to hand on to Na-I tional Chairman Farley.

The Yale man saw no future in that post, however. But he can steal enough time from his new assignment to brighten Presidential orations with purple pas- sages of poetry. a President Roosevelt seems to have his i sharpest ax out for Senator Arthur Vanden-berg. The latter, however, regards F. D.

's attitude as a compliment, for it indicates that Mr. Roosevelt considers the man from Michigan to be the G. O. most formidable candidate for 1940. The latest evidence of the Presidential prejudice was exhibited at the White House dinner to Their Britannic Majesties.

In presenting the Senator to the King, Mr. Roose- velt said without the trace of a smile: "Your Majesty, this is the man who thinks he is going to succeed me in the Presidency." Then Mr. Roosevelt added with a snap: "But he isn't!" So intently was F. D. R.

thinking of Vandenberg and 1940 that he forgot to men-lion the Senator's name. On another occasion, when the President and the Senator were speakers on the same program, Mr. Roosevelt invited Mr. Vanden- berg to make a try for the White House. "I have a black suit that I keep for funerals, Arthur," said the Chief Executive, "and I will lend it to you on the day you make the race." NOTES Foreign service career officer will replace Daniel Roper as Minister to Canada now that British royal visit is ended.

A Brooklyn street names have undergone many changes in the course of its long history. McDonald Ave. (formerly Graves-end in the Gravesend section of the borough, for instance, has been renamed within the last few years in honor of the late. John H. McDonald, former chief clerk of the Surrogate Court.

Gravesend Ave. was named when it. ran through a section that was then the Village of Gravesend. and is now part of Brooklyn. The village was founded on the site of a settlement made by Lady Deborah Moody, an Englishwoman ruled out of Massachusetts Bay Colony in the lfiOO's, and her followers.

Lady Deborah's deportation was brought about by her opinions on infant baptism, which were contrary to the rulings of the ruritans. Wilson Ave. is another renamed street. Originally it was Hamburg and was renamed in 1013 in. honor of President Wilson.

The. present Empire Boulevard was, until 1920, Malbonc St, 2.i Years Ago In Brooklyn Monday, June 22, 1014 A crowd of 32.000 persons jammed Ebbets Field to witness Marcus Loew's first, gigantic open air carnival. Nearly 5,000 persons were turned away from the doors which were closed at 8 p.m. correct this situation in the special session, and it will be hoped that the Governor will accede to Mr. Ingersoll's request.

Lou Gehrig's Tough Lueh The sympathy of the baseball world and sports lovers everywhere will go out to Lou Gehrig, the "iron man" of the New York Yankees, following the announcement that his playing days are over because of a rare disease of the spinal column a form of chronic infantile paralysis. On May 2, when he voluntarily benched himself, the Yankee captain had broken all records by participating in 2.130 consecutive games. He knew that his old pep and power had gone and a trip to the Mayo Clinic has revealed the illness responsible for the progressive weakening of his muscles. Just as he was great in courage as well as ability in the hey-day of his career, Lou Gehrig today faces the reality of illness and misfortune with stoic bravery. It is a tough outlook for a young man of 36.

But the doctors believe that he may be able to hold an executive position, so it is possible he may wind up as a big league manager. Baseball can ill afford to lose completely the services of a star who has done much to increase its popularity in the past fourteen years. Realty Values Activity in realty and its trends in values are of so much importance here and on the rest of Long Island that it is very good news that an upward trend therein is perceptible. The National Association of Real Estate Boards, in its semi-annual survey, finds clearest evidence thereof in the renewed interest in new suburban developments and in reports from 55 percent of reporting cities that the demand for homes is expected to increase materially during the rest of the year. The importance of the above lies more in the stimulation of the construction industries and the apparent ending of a sense of defeat among property owners than it does in the actual details of revival.

No community with vast maasesrgf overhanging real estate is ever a healthy community, and it is good to note that signs of restored health are beginning to appear. The easy informality of our reception to Their Majesties might point a little moral, at that. This old world could be a lot pleasanter, if the mighty would shake hands instead of fists. Boston Herald. Jfe's Returns Bv EDGAR A.

r.l 1ST 'Life owes me life." one said, "And meat and bread: Beauty and friendships, too; Strength for the work I tin Then sat him down to wait Till Life should find his sate. But Life went marching on Till youth and strength were gone. Friendship had long sine fled The begging hand outspread. Beauty, disconsolate Had withered by his gate. Another said: "Each day My debt to Life I'll pay.

Some small return I'll make For every hour I take. With every hurt and blow Stronger I'll try to grow." His life became a thing As glorious as the Spring, Edged with achievement's gold V' And friendships young and old Eyes bright and hearts elate And beauty round the gate! a game fight, bruised, crying, fled in the direction Livingston and Clinton to me something should see that such an episode occur again. This feud about 9:30 and ended at nothing be done to stop boys from becoming criminals? Or doesn't anybody DISGUSTED CITIZEN. June 15. Repainted Trolleys of the Brooklyn Eagle: one of the older-type on the Putnam Ave.

line Q. T. last Friday. This repainted gray with a stripe around the car. To looked very attractive and do not know of any plans T.

but I hope they will paint all the cars in The interior of this the same, by which I that should have modernized, too. say, that the buses look in this color, also. June 19 H. N. ELLIS.

i of the country in general. I The 1937 recession was the result of curtailed spending, which dragged the country to the bottom of the ladder again, after things looked promising. Just as we begin to see a ray of hope, along come our misguided, selfish politicians, with the I aid of many of our newspapers who I never approved of the New Deal and do not now, and plunge the country into the abyss of despair and depres-' slon again all in the name of Economy! That is about the only time these legislators become econo-I my-minded when they are asked to provide funds for much-needed jobs for the unemployed It is up to the people to demand that additional jobs be provided, not i curtailed. If we make this known I to our complacent law-makers, the people's will will be done. I (Mrs.) EVA WILLIAMS.

Brooklyn, June 17. Letters io the Siigtenlion Offered to Acl As Curb on Auto Accidents To the Editor of the Brooklyn Eagle: The placing of elevated platforms at favorable locations along our I main motor highways, properly camouflaged, for the use of police officers to observe traffic, would, in my opinion, do much to reduce the number of motor accidents on these highways. The platforms should be I about 20 feet high and placed about 10 feet from the roadway. A runway should be provided for the motor- cycle police to ride up to and down i lrom the platforms. The use of the platforms would permit officers to observe traffic for several miles and enable them to pick out the worst violators of traf- fic laws on the highways.

Nearly all good drivers dislike speeders, weavers, barbers and wobblers. A veavcr is a driver that con-1 stantly weaves in and out of traffic. A barber is a weaver who takes de-1 light in shaving other cars and wobbler is a driver that usually drives in both traffic lanes. He Ire- quently drives with one hand on the i steering wheel, his eyes on the per-1 son opposite him and he is usually in the slow traffic lane. Nearly all of the drivers mentioned believe they are the smartest drivers on the highway and nothing has much effect on them except plenty of summonses.

I The moral influence these plat-1 forms would have on the habitual traffic law violators should result in the saving oi many lives and much property. C. W. MITCHELL. Manhattan, June 15.

Curb on Yomiji Hoodlums Sought as Crimp. Deterrent To the Editor of r-c Brooklyn Eagle: On numerous occasions I've seen GRIN small boys running the streets on the Heights at all hours when most of them should be in bed for the sake of health at least. On a few occasions I've seen boys of eight or nine years smoking quite openly, Tonight's performance, capped the climax. About ten boys, all sizes and ages, picked on a puny little youngster of seven or eight. Why? As one boy related it to me, the gang first saw the youngster coming from the drug store, counting a dime.

Thereupon they pounced upon him, punching as they piled on tip of him. This happened on Montague Terrace. When he finally emerged, he was crying bitterly and begging for his dime. Not satisfied after they got the money, they kept on tormenting him. Seeing no policeman anywhere in the vicinity I tried to appeal to their sense of fair play but 1 it was absolutely useless.

I've handled a great many humans in my life but I never came up against such tough little hoodlums in all my life. They pursued him up Rem-; sen St. and I supposed had dispersed. However, when I returned from Columbia Heights, along Hicks, then Henry, I found the gang still tor-! menting the youngster, who was! in all directions to evade' them. I heard one of the bays say, "Aw, let 'im go now he's bleeding at the mouth and we got 'Is money." Another said, "Naw.

I'm gonna punch his head in." With one accofd they all dashed at him with their fists, pinning him to the ground. A sudden inspiration made me call "Police. There was a sudden scattering of boys in every direction and the little boy who had I i Letters and writers, permitted the editor. be kept but the rxght to meet put up such battered and of Streets. It seems be done to does not started 10:45.

Can these younsr hardened care? Brooklyn. Likes To the Editor I rode on street cars of the B. car had beer, broad red me this modern. I of the B. Q.

continue to that fashion. car remains was disappointed been I might quite attractive Brooklyn, "That's BvLichl' AND BEAR IT Two men were killed, seven severely injured and a score of men badly bruised when a 30-ton electric, crane crashed into an excavation for the new subway at 4th Ave, near 76th St. The police of the Poplar and Adams St. precincts are being an- mi epidemic oi injuries resulting from the use of blank cartridge pistols. 'Our Kilh ami Kin' IProm the Ottawa JfiurnaH We Canadians, In the past, have often been critical of the United Stales.

Liking Americans, and getting on well with them, we have nevertheless sometimes thought of them and spoken of them in a disparaging way. Because of last week, we shall do less of both in the future. For what this wonderfully warm-hearted American welcome to Their Majesties has told us. or should tell us, is that the United States is more than merely a "good neighbor." It has shown us that these people are, in heart, our very kith and kin; that thev walk with us in our -a ay of life. That, in these times, is a tremendous thing.

It is -too tremendous a thing ever to be met by anything from us other than warm affection. No matter wliat the years may bring, last week we can never forget. Wlion lo Have Hope I From the Richmond Times Oi.tpalrhl No hope is seen for Europe until the boys resign their various little i nationalities and take out a general membership in the human race. the last time you talk me into eating spinach-all it did was make me over-confident!".