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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SUNDAY, JULY 9, 1944

CITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

TEXT OF MAYOR F. H. LA GUARDIA'S SUNDAY BROADCAST TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK FROM HIS OFFICE AT CITY HALL, JULY 9, 1944, BROADCAST OVER WNYC AT 1:00 P.M. AS FOLLOWS:


Patience and fortitude.


PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO CONTINUE

I have here in the office today the heads of City departments as well as of the Volunteer Services who are concerned with the protective services of our City during the war. I want to make a special appeal to the thousands of volunteer men and women who have rendered services to their City in the Air Warden Service, Fire Auxiliary, City Patrol, Emergency Repair, Medical Repair and the Housing and Welfare Departments. I want to appeal to all of these volunteers to continue their interest. You have done so much for so long, please continue that same interest and enthusiasm for just a little while longer. I do not think it will be very long, but there should be no let up. Surprise is one of the main factors in warfare and we have seen surprises happen in this war "" we have seen surprises of late "" and, it would be a pity, if after all that you have gone through, after the hundreds of hours of work and training, we should be caught napping. Remember, if there is any surprise on this side of the water, if there is any surprise in our City, we would have more to do than we would have had to do say, a year ago, or even as late as last September. And that is why I want to talk the situation over with the heads of those Services and Departments. There is no cause for alarm. The military situation in Europe is very satisfactory, and everything is going our way. In fact, it just could not be better. We are advancing on all fronts and the Nazi forces are being hemmed in. But, let me repeat, there is a surprise factor in war, and that is why we, who are on the job, and we who have rendered service, must continue to do so.


CRITICAL NURSE SHORTAGE

There is one special appeal I have to make, and that is in connection with the situation as to nurses in our hospitals, which is really critical. It is very, very bad. I had a conference with Commissioner
Bernecker of the Department of Hospitals the other day, and I am very much concerned and worried about the situation as is the Commissioner. We do not want to pirate nurses from other institutions, in other words we do not want to do what some of the Federal Agencies are doing to some of our City Departments. We want to cooperate. That is what every good American must do. But I want to make an appeal to practical nurses and registered nurses who have retired or who are not working, to see if they will not really render a patriotic service, a humane service, and report for duty to the Department of Hospitals. A letter to the Department of Hospitals, New York City, or to the Mayor, or a direct visit to the Department of Hospitals in person, will give you all of the information. The situation is critical and I cannot make this appeal too strong.


VISIT OF GENERAL DE GAULLE

Tomorrow New York City will be the host to General Charles De Gaulle. You know, I am looking forward to meeting the General. I think the situation is very interesting, and, after all, General de Gaulle was the symbol of Protesting France from the very beginning. You know, he is such a contrast to the Vichy Government. I always call the Vichy Government a coalition government "" a coalition of senility and rascality. Senility as represented by Petain, and rascality as represented by Laval. We expect to receive General de Gaulle here at City Hall at 2 o'clock, tomorrow, Monday. Time did not permit us to send out invitations, but everybody is welcome and invited to hear the General.

I will have to talk about food again. I have not talked about food for a long time, but there really was not much to talk about. The situation in food is really as satisfactory as could be expected in war time. We have reached a sort of a new normal and the supply is reasonably abundant. I think that most of the days of chiseling and profiteering are gone. With the very severe sentences imposed in the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York recently, the United States Court in the Eastern District of New York, and with the constant supervision of the Department of Markets in catching chisellers, the situation now is really well in hand.


MEAT SUPPLY

The situation in the supply of beef is much better than it was a year ago. A year ago, last week, we had 9,208,000 pounds of beef as compared to 14,570,000 pounds the comparable week of July of this year, and just about the same, this last week as we had the previous week. So the situation in beef is much better than it was a year ago. In pork, it is just about the same. There is a million pounds less of lamb and mutton this year than there was a year ago. We are now getting the steers right from the range and plains and of course the quality is what I would call good commercial grade. There is no use quoting the A A or Choice. If you find AA, or Choice, you are very lucky and will pay for it. The prices are, of course, fixed by OPA. What I do want to warn the consumers about, is not to pay for AA or Choice when they are getting A or Good.


COMMERCIAL BEEF PRICES

I am going to give you the prices of B or Commercial beef, because that is what you are getting in 90 or 95 per cent of the time. Porterhouse and T-bone and Club "" try and get it "" is 44 cents a pound; Rib, 10-inch cut, 31 cents; and Rib 7-inch cut, 34 cents; Sirloin with bone in and Pin-bone, 36 cents a pound; Boneless Sirloin, 44 cents. Now here is where you and I come in mostly "" Round, bone in, full cut, 57 cents a pound; Round, boneless, top and bottom and Round, tip, 39 cents; Chuck blade, 23 cents a pound; and Flank, 40 cents a pound. These prices should be posted in your butcher shop. I am repeating these as a reminder "" you know"" I just said everything was going so nice in the market. (Knock) Hear that, I am knocking wood because you can never tell when there will be a surprise "" so I just wanted to remind you of those prices. Now take Roasts: Ribs, 10 inch cut, standing, 31 cents and Ribs, standing, 7 inch cut, 34 cents; Round Tip, 39 cents; Rump bone in, 24 cents; Chuck blade, 28 cents; Chuck or Shoulder 36 cents; and English cut, 28 cents. These posters should be in every butcher shop so look for them. Now mark you, I want you to remember, I am quoting the prices in B or Commercial Grades. If you should have A or Good Grade, then of course, the prices are higher. You can check them on the OPA Poster in your butcher shop.


OPA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRICES

I want to ask OPA if they will not amplify their OPA Community Ceiling Price Charts for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. The meat price poster is very ample and full, but I find the fruit and vegetable to be too scanty. The prices for bananas, for instance, is 1 pound 13 cents; (I am not going to quote the prices of strawberries and sweet cherries, because they are still in the luxury class) Cabbage, 2 pounds for 9 cents; Carrots, 10 cents a bunch if it weights 1 pound or more. Now, look here, OPA, you give the price of carrots if it weighs 1 pound or more, at 10 cents for 1 bunch, then you go right down, saying bunches weighing less than 1 pound 9 1/2 cents. Now this is not clear and not easily understood by the average housewife. It should be clarified. I know this is just a little inadvertence that can be remedied. Onions, 9 cents a pound; and green peas, 21 1/2 cents a pound. Oranges "" buy your oranges by the pound - 5 pounds 8 ounces for 89 cents if they are very large ones, and 2 pounds, 10 ounces for 44 cents if they are smaller ones. I think, OPA, that if you would list more of the vegetables that are under ceiling prices it would be helpful, for you are doing a very good job.

I received a complaint the other day about fruit being sold in a 5 pound bag for $1.75. Well, I have examined the contents of that bag and you had two or three out-of-season fruits, so you are in a luxury class and we cannot really kick very much if we buy luxuries.


FUTURE MILK SUPPLY

It is a little too early to talk about milk today. As you know, we will hit the dry season around the middle of September and the indications are that we will be in a tight situation in milk in October. I just want you to know that I am working on the matter and have already taken it up with the War Food Administration. I will keep you informed later in the season and give you more details. Do not worry about it now; just let me do the worrying.


CEILING PRICE VIOLATIONS

Last week we had summonses in the Magistrates' Courts. We find now that the large number of retail violations is on certain staple commodities. For example, take milk powdered puddings, the tendency is to charge a cent a package more than the ceiling price; some teas, a cent a package more; and some packaged macaroni, a cent a package more. In tomato juices and canned beans and prunes and powdered or brown sugar, the tendency is to charge a cent a package more. Now this may be more than a cent a pound because some of these packages contain smaller quantities, so look out for that. The chiselling in cocoa is sometimes 3 cents a can more and peanut butter, 3 cents a jar more. I just wanted to call your attention to that.

PUBLIC MARKET WAR BOND PURCHASES

Talking about food brings us, of course, to the Department of Markets. I want to congratulate the Department for the fine work they are doing and also for their fine showing in this 5th War Loan in our 14 public markets. The merchants and tenants of the City, in our markets, purchased War Bonds in the amount of $134,000. That is good work. Of course, those merchants are really working on a small margin and this is an excellent showing.


TRANSPORTATION TAX DISCUSSION

Last week I talked about the transportation tax and the subway fare. I had hoped to provoke some discussion. Well, we have provoked discussion. Isn't it fine, isn't it great, that we are living in a country where public problems are really the problems of all of the people, and all have an opportunity to have their say and give their views, and if they have no views, an opportunity to abuse the Mayor. It is just fine, and I think the discussion is going along great.


RENT STATISTICS

In order to avoid more misapprehension. I would like to give some figures here that I think are interesting. For instance, on rents I need not tell you now after so many years that I generally know more about the pocketbook of the wage earner than most of the people who talk on this subject, and I had that small pocketbook in mind when I suggested something other than an increased fare. In making the comparisons, will you please bear this in mind: according to the United States Bureau of Census, there are 1,724,776 rent-paying tenants in New York City. Out of this total 157,756 pay from $5 to $19. a month rent; 107,247 pay from $15 to $19 a month rent; 358,536 pay from $20 to $29 a month rent; 470,285 pay from $30 to $39 a month rent. Don't you see what I had in mind? Those people would pay very little under the plan, while in these families two or perhaps more generally use the subways twice a day. See what it means to this large portion of our population, and also stop to consider that 77% of our tenants in New York City pay under $50 a month rent. Don't you see what I had in mind? Now, also bear in mind, that in making comparisons you can take any subway fare you like. It is very amusing to see some of the opposition to any sort of a tax.


OPPOSITION OF OUT-OF-TOWN OFFICIALS

New Yorkers, you will be interested in this. Of course, I'm talking to New York City people now. Here is some of the opposition in Mineola, Long Island. County executive, J. Russell Sprague, announces that Nassau County would oppose any attempt of New York City, * * * "" Oh, oh, Mr. Sprague! In White Plains, the Westchester County Board of Supervisors directed County Attorney, William A. Davidson and its Committee on Miscellaneous Affairs ""quite miscellaneous, I would say "" to investigate the commuter's tax proposed, and oh, yes, an executive, County Executive Herbert C. Gerlach said the tax was too controversial for him to comment on at this time. Across the river, Mayor Hague will offer vigorous opposition. It is getting to be quite an international matter, isn't it, I say!


COMMUTER ATTITUDE

Here we have the authoritative "Journal-American". They present some good authorities and I am reading from their issue of July 6, 1944.

For instance, Mrs. Fleur Conklin of Bronxville, says: 'It sounds like politics'. Mr. A. G. Sweeting of Larchmont, says: 'It's a high-handed idea'. Miss Marjorie Holloway of Chapaqua says that she'd sooner buy War Bonds. Who wouldn't? Harry Smith, Buckingham Apartments of Scarsdale, says that he may stage a strike. Alright, we will try to get along without you, Smith. Miss Judith Matthew of Mt. Kisco said, she just can't imagine such a tax, while Miss Rita Corrig of Jersey City says she doesn't use the subway. Well, what are you worrying about, if you are not using the subway?


REPLY TO MRS. HINTERSTEINER

Mrs. Hintersteiner, I want you to know that I think you have analyzed the situation very well and what you say is quite true. I, too, want to improve the subways, and what you say about the value of property in the proximity of subways is also correct. But, your conclusions are wrong. I am glad to have your interest and also glad that you are listening in. If you will follow through on your ideas, perhaps you will find that we are not very far apart.


REVENUE SUGGESTIONS OFFERED

The correspondence has been very interesting. We are trying to separate it now and to classify it. There have been many suggestions made for other sources of revenue, but I want you to know, that every one of them has been considered. Most of them are entirely preempted by the Federal and State Governments. Other sources we are prohibited from taxing. The suggestions, however, are appreciated. We have received many letters suggesting that if the firemen and policemen did not ride free on the subways, we would not have any deficit. Well, you are several million dollars off on that. It is to the advantage of the service and protection, of course, to have the policemen and firemen riding in our subways on our rapid transit system and in the trolleys and busses. You must remember that police-men and firemen are on duty all of the time, and being on duty all of the time, the least the City can do is to provide the means of transportation when they are not on actual assignment. Experience has indicated that it is well worth while to have the policemen and firemen ride on the public transportation system, and I can assure you that the cost is infinitesimal.


REAL PROPERTY VALUES GOOD

Talking about subways brings up the subject of property in New York City. Why is property in New York City so valuable? The answer is very simple. With its great area, there is no such thing as distance. Distance is entirely conquered by our rapid transit system and real property is in good, wholesome condition. I do not care what any of these fakers say. Of course, some of the Chicago boys do not like the New York situation in subways.


TAX COLLECTIONS HIGH

You know the Chicago playboys. Who pays any attention to them? I don't. The real estate situation is in fine shape. In my message to the Council I expressed the hope of collecting 93 1/2 % of the taxes. Well, Tax Collector William Reid informs me that we have collected in the entire city, 93 3/4 % or to be exact 93.71% of all our taxes. Borough of Manhattan has already paid 97% of its taxes; Brooklyn, 92 1/3%; Queens, 90% and Bronx, 92.39%. In other words, out of the $489,499,000 we have collected all but about $30,000,000. When I took office in 1934 they had collected only 73 1/2% of the taxes for that fiscal year. Just think of that! Well, some people would like to go back to those old days. There is also an improvement in the collection of
arrears of taxes. We collected $36,111,000 this year and last year we collected $27,000,000 in arrears of taxes. That is an indication that real estate is in a fine, healthy wholesome condition and getting better, too.


JUVENILE AID COORDINATING COUNCILS

Thanks to the Coordinating Council of the 81 Precinct for your very encouraging report. I want to call attention to these Coordinating Councils. They are under the auspices of the Juvenile Aid Bureau and all organizations, churches, clubs, business men in the various precincts are eligible to join. Their purpose is to bring about a better community spirit and also to look after the welfare of the children of the district.


ILLICIT SALES TO MINORS

The Coordinating Council of the 81st Precinct calls my attention and asks me in turn to call the attention of retailers to the law which prohibits the sale of cigarettes and liquor to children. That is the law, and all retailers are cautioned not to violate the law.


FBI MEMBERS OF PAL

Talking about PAL, I am very happy to report that the 430 members of the FBI stationed in Now York are all members of the PAL and have paid their dues. Thank you FBI for that very fine cooperation.


PRIVATE WELFARE ORGANIZATION

Talking about children, of course, I am always worried about the proper way to take care of them. There was a time when all of this welfare and protective work was done by private organizations. You know, I hope that that continues. I think that religious organizations, and welfare associations, and philanthropic organizations can do a lot of work. We welcome their cooperation and ask them to do more. I found a tendency, though, of late in many private organizations willing to do work, to expect the City to pay the entire cost. If the City pays the entire cost, we will just have to take over the work. I also want to appeal to the Protestant Organizations. Many of them have the funds and are well financed. I think they ought to do a little more than what they are doing at this time. It is rather unpleasant to single out any one, but I think a great many will understand what I mean. I have warned about this for the past two years. Where a private organization wants to cooperate with the City, the City will be only too happy to give its cooperation. We always pay our share and are willing to pay a little more than our share, but we cannot be expected to pay the entire cost.


FIREMEN'S BONUS

I want to assure the Firemen that there is no foundation or justification for the report that they will not get their checks on July fifteenth. That is not so. You will get your check on July fifteenth. This false rumor is just a little more propaganda. I want to inform you that you will get your check on July fifteenth and every two weeks thereafter, so do not assign anybody to get your check and pay a commission for getting it. You know what I mean. Watch out for that. All those who have signed the waiver will get their cost-of-living bonus as of July first "" all those who have signed the waiver. You will not get it in your July fifteenth check because it takes some time to make the plates "" perhaps six weeks "" but after the plates are made, on that payday you will get two checks, one for your regular pay and one for the arrears cost-of-living-bonus commencing July 1, 1944. Thereafter, it will be included in your regular check.


PENDING LITIGATION TO STOP FIREMEN'S BONUS

The action pending in court has nothing to do with this and, say, Firemen, take a hint, the same guys who are bringing the action now, are some that provided the brain trust in opposing what your City and your Government were trying to do for you. I just thought I would call your attention to that. Do not worry about that action because no matter what happens, I think I will find a way to finance the cost-of-living-bonus for the Fire Department. Just don't worry about it, and don't sign any retainers or promises of commitments to pay any part of that or any other money for commissions because it isn't necessary. You are going to get it.

I have something here on gambling but I think I'll leave it until next week.


MRS. M.L.

Oh, Mrs. M.L., we nailed the Greek for you. Thank you. Your information was absolutely correct. I hope the children are all right. Let me know if the kids are not all right, won't you, and we will see what we can do.

QUEENS TAVERN KEEPER

Look here, Mr. Tavern Keeper on Sutphin Boulevard, Queens, I am Very much interested in what you say but you must give me additional information. We will protect the source.


LEAGUE OF COMPOSERS CONCERTS

I want to call your attention to the fact that the League of Composers Concerts will start Tuesday, in Central Park on July eleventh and I am very grateful to the League for their very fine contribution, making our City so pleasant in the summer time.


SEAMEN'S BLOCK PARTY

Servicemen, United Seamens Service will have a block party, Andrew Furuseth Club, 30 East 37th Street, Monday, July 10, 7 to 11 P.M. We are all welcome there and I hope to have a real nice time. I think that is about all for today. The other stuff I have for you would take too long, and take me over the time, so I'll be talking to you next week.
In the meantime:

Patience and Fortitude.