The power broker : Robert Moses and the fall of New York
Page 192
O'D desperate for money, trying to oust Rogers: Moscow. $3,000,000: Abrams. Parking garages: O'D Papers; various newspapers, Dec. 3, 1946.
State awards falling off: Author's analyses of newspaper articles and editorials, July-Dec. 1946. Mid-Manhattan captures O'D's fancy: Hamburger, p. 101. RM-Rogers joint announcement: NYT, Oct. 15, 1946. "Capital ... still in City Hall": Citizens Union quoted in NYT, Dec. 16. RM no comment: NYT, Dec. 3. Scene on ground floor: HT, Dec. 3. O'D's thinking during this period: Some clues from Coleman, Cullman, Lutsky, Madigan, Moscow, confidential sources.
United Nations: "The one great thing": O'D OHR, p. 191. Appointed RM chairman: HT, Dec. 3, 1945. RM fatherly toward Nelson Rockefeller: RM, Shapiro. UNO opened on site RM had selected: Moses, Dangerous Trade, p. 485. Maneuvering among different cities: Lie, pp. 107-14; Dangerous Trade, pp. 485-91; Zeckendorf, p. 68; O'D OHR, p. 192. Needed a "gesture": O'D OHR. Lie personally awed by RM: See next paragraph of Notes. "Unless they came up": Lie, p. 112. "Fervently": Zeckendorf, p. 69. "Working on Mr. Rockefeller": O'D OHR, p. 191. "Tense and exciting": Lie, p. 113. For every snag, a knife: Zeckendorf interview. "Would you sell it?": Zeckendorf, p. 70. Arranging the housing: Dangerous Trade, pp. 435, 485. Housing: NYT, HT, Apr. 28, 1946. $32,000,000: O'D OHR, pp. 191-93.
"My deepest thanks": Lie to RM, Dec. 14, 1946, quoted in Dangerous Trade, p. 490. "One of the greatest men of our time": Lie quoted in NYT, Dec. 17, 1949. On the occasion of his retirement as Secretary-General, Lie wrote RM, "Day by day, the United Nations Plaza acquires the appearance which you must have had in mind all along. . . . New York City is indeed fortunate that it has in you so imaginative and dynamic a planner and builder." Lie to RM, Apr. *4» I953> quoted in Dangerous Trade, p. 500. Rockefeller letter: Dangerous Trade, p. 490. O'D letter: Dangerous Trade, P- 495-
RM memo on highways: RM to O'D, July 21, 1947, O'D Papers. O'D tolerated
no further delays: NYT, July 17, 1947, was the first sign. Contracts to Federation-linked firms: Author's analysis of contract awards, through confidential sources. Joseph dispute: HT, Sun, Nov. 21, 1947. "Tuesdays": O'D quoted in Hamburger, p. 101. Few mornings: Coleman. Use of entree: Lutsky.
"The city's too big": Hamburger, pp. 91, no. "The scene": Paul O'Dwyer. "All decisions that mattered": Orton. HT editorial: Dec. 26, 1947. "On contracts, I'd rely": O'D OHR, pp. 546-57. "He has both": O'D OHR, pp. 182-83.
RM apprised O'D: He knew because Senator Taft was consulting him at every step, RM interview with author; Rodgers, p. 154. Allowed him to name most committee members: It included, besides RM, three long-time RM allies—his former aide, Philip J. Cruise; John C. Reidel, chief engineer of the Board of Estimate; and Corporation Counsel John P. Mc-Grath—and one opponent: Lazarus Joseph.
Power of a new immensity: Anderson book. May 1949 speech: Rodgers, p. 234. RM instrumental in draft movement: Coleman and confidential sources. Supporting O'D: For example, a "Battle Page" he wrote for DN, Oct. 24, 1949. Predicted solutions: NYT, Oct. 15. Win-dels quote: NYT, Oct. 13. "If there is anything certain": HT, Sept. 13. "We're talking about housing": HT, Oct. 19. RM's support helpful: Moscow. Quintessential ribbon-cutting campaign: For example, NYT, HT, Oct. 15, 19, 20, 25, Nov. 3, 8. Spargo to O'D: Nov. 22, 1949, O'D Papers.
Finkelstein: Finkelstein interview, confirmed by Orton. Proof that Orton was right: "Request of the City Planning Department for 1950-51," Feb. 1, 1950. pp. 1, 8, 13, 115. Per capita: "Request," p. 7. Duplication: "Request," p. 4. Lunch with RM: Finkelstein. Sent Hodgkiss: Handwritten notes in ink on Hodgkiss to RM, Mar. 28, 1950, O'D Papers. "A last protest": RM to O'D, Mar. 29, 1950, O'D Papers. Went public: NYT, Feb. 8, 1950.
A lot of old men: McGoldrick, Orton; NYT, Feb. 2, 1950; Nathan Straus to NYT, Mar. 2, 1950; George Hallett to O'D, Mar. 10, 1950, O'D Papers. NYT editorial: Feb. 8, 1950. O'D pushed the Board: Orton.
"O'D loved Moses": Finkelstein. Other commission members support Finkelstein: Orton. UN site: NYT, May 11, 1950. Playgrounds: Deputy Mayor William
Notes for pages 785-792
Reid to Finkelstein, Apr. i, 1950, O'D Papers.
Real public hearings: HT, Aug. 8, 1950. Realtors' support obtained: Finkelstein, Orton.
Washington Square: NYT, May 11, 1950; HT, Apr. 12, 1950; Rodgers, pp. 274-75.
O'D's campaign contributions: NYT, various issues, 1951-52. "Real pressure," Moran burning retirement papers: Moscow, What Have You Done for Me Lately?, pp. 32-33.
IMPY
Author's interviews:
For the Impellitteri period: Victor F. Condello, Howard S. Cullman, Jerry Finkelstein, Monroe Goldwater, Mrs. Rudolph Halley, Vincent R. Impellitteri, Reuben A. Lazarus, Jacob Lutsky, Michael J. Madigan, Warren Moscow, Lawrence M. Orton, Charles F. Rodriguez, Sidney M. Shapiro.
NOTES
RM in South America unaware: RM,
Madigan, Shapiro; during this period his private memos to aides and in the O'D Papers show him utterly unaware that the Mayor might be planning to resign.
How Impy was chosen: Moscow, Last of the Big-Time Bosses, p. 63, says that the "Green Book" story was actually one devised to cover up the fact that Thomas (Three Fingers Brown) Luchese had ordered the ticket shifted around to make room for Impy, but three participants present at the last-minute reshuffling— RM, Lazarus and one confidential source —confirm that, improbable as it sounds, the "Green Book" version has it precisely the way it happened. Impy possessed, in fact, the ninth-longest name in the entire "Green Book," NYT, Aug. 27, 1950. "The perfect Throttlebottom": Moscow, Last of the Big-Time Bosses, p. 97.
RM's endorsement: NYT, Oct. 25, 1950; Moscow calls Impy's obtaining of that endorsement a "coup," in Last of the Big-Time Bosses, p. 97. "Even I"; leading Impy around by the hand: Lazarus OHR, pp. 405-06. Campaign analysis: Moscow, What Have You Done for Me Lately?, pp. 34~35-
"AH I have is three votes": For example, NYT, Oct. 10, 1953. "You think they'll come?": Condello. Too timid: Lazarus. Humming with the choir: NYT, Oct. 10, 1953. "You got any ideas?": Moscow interview. Wringing his hands:
A vivid picture of the Mayo I
of Estimate executive sessions t v by Condello, is kj Moscon and
ous other members ot the Imp) ftdm tration who wish to remain unidentified
"RM is actually running this town'. Lazarus showed the author this entry in his diary. RM dropping by at nine: Impy'l daily schedules, many of which ..' found in his papers, show that he erally left ninety minutes for his sessions with RM. "I didn't want them interrupted": Impy interview with author. "Marching orders": Wagner, Moscow. An example of the peremptory tone Moses used with Impy is a letter he wrote him on Nov. 2, 1951: "My suggestion therefore is that you call Bob Wagner [then Manhattan borough president] and tell him that the hearing should be held by the Committee and not independently by him, and, of course, he should be present. This hearing should be held at City Hall in the room in which the Board of Estimate executive meetings are held, on Thursday, Nov. 8th, at 3 p.m." Impy Papers. "No use boring you": RM to Impy, Dec. 7, 1950, Impy Papers. "Moses* word was law": Condello. Moscow (Last of the Big-Time Bosses, p. 97) says Impy left "policymaking in the hands of Moses and the city's Bureau of the Budget," but Impy Papers clearly reveal that whenever the two disagreed, RM won by threatening to resign unless Impy ordered the Budget Bureau to do what he wanted. For example, memo, "Telephoned by Office of Commissioner Moses for Mayor Impellitteri," Aug. 14, 1951; and RM to Impy, Sept. 13, 1951, states: "The Budget director had withheld from the calendar . . . items [for] related repairs agreed upon with the United Nations. ... If this item is to be deleted or is to be the subject of debate and controversy I should like to be relieved of all future responsibility for completing the UN Program." Recommendations and blackballings: RM to Impy, Mar. 28, June 13, Dec. 6, 1951, on over-all reorganization of the Board of Education, with which RM ostensibly had no connection, and May 4, Sept. 16, 1952, Impy Papers.
Secret "understanding": Condello, confidential sources.
Point-by-point "suggestions
": RM to Impy, June 27, 1953, Impy Papers.
Shelter Cottage: RM to Impy, Mar. 9, 1951, Impy Papers.
Rezoning study: Finkelstein, Orton. Finkelstein and Impy letters: NYT, Oct. 5, 1950. "Dear Vince": RM to Impy,
Notes for pages 793-803
1224
handwritten note, Dec. 4, 1950, Impy Papers. RM recommends Bennett—and has Impy give Reidel a salary increase:
RM to Impy, Dec. 20, 1950, Impy Papers; confidential sources. Rodgers: Shapiro. Forcing out the young planners: Orton, confidential sources; memos in "City Planning Commission" folder in Impy Papers; for example, Jan. 29, 1953. Fate of rezoning report: Orton. "Now the city's built up": O'D OHR, p. 580. RM was back in control: So sure of Bennett was he that he didn't even object when—after eleven years—the commission finally published an annual report. The reason for his lack of objection becomes clear in the opening paragraph of Bennett's introduction: the report will deal, the chairman says, with "the steady progress of planning in New York City and the translation of the plans into public betterment. . . . One measure of this progress was presented in the report of . . . the City Construction Coordinator." "Planning Progress," p. 5.
Halley: Mrs. Halley. Lyons: NYT, Mar. 13, 1953. "Taken for granted": Moscow interview.
Summary of trends in Impy administration: Peter Kihss, NYT, Aug. 10-14, 1953; Moscow, Last of the Big-Time Bosses.
—WAGNER
Author's interviews:
For the Wagner period: Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Wagner appointees, advisers or friends: William F. R. Ballard, Henry Barnes, Peter J. Brennan, Peter Campbell Brown, John A. Coleman, Victor F. Condello, Timothy J. Cooney, Edward N. Costi-kyan. Howard S. Cullman, Perry B. Dur-yea, Jr., Julius C. C. Edelstein, Hortense Gabel, Monroe Goldwater, Luther Gu-lick, Saul Kahn, Reuben A. Lazarus, Jacob Lutsky, Warren Moscow, Paul O'Keefe, Lawrence M. Orton, Charles F. Rodriguez, Philip Shumsky, Paul R. Sere vane. Eleven Wagner appointees, advisers or friends preferred to remain unidentified.
RM aides or associates: William S. Chapin, Ernest J. Clark, William Latham, Michael J. Madigan, Sidney M. Shapiro, Arnold Vollmer, Arthur B. Williams. Four RM aides or associates preferred to remain unidentified.
Reporters: Fred J. Cook, William J. Haddad, Joseph Kahn, Mary Perot Nichols.
NOTES
Unforgettable evenings: Wagner, RM, Cullman. His interest in city planning:
Hamburger, The New Yorker, Jan. 26, 1957. Insisted on using his own contractors: One on whom Wagner insisted, to RM's displeasure, was Del Balso, whom RM, in a 1950 letter to Wagner, calls "your contractor" (O'D Papers). "Bubblehead": The author has been unable to locate a copy of the letter, but many people around City Hall, including Lutsky, recall reading it. "I'm not going to let Moses": Among those whom he told he was going to "rein in" Moses were Coleman, Cullman, Goldwater, Gulick, Lutsky, Moscow. "A source close": Post, Nov. 6, 1953. The second leak: Post, Nov. 18, 1953.
Good Government strategy: Gabel, Orton. Left the interview believing: Orton.
The swearing in: Among those watching who noted RM's anger were Coleman, Cullman, Lazarus and Shapiro. Typing up own form: Lutsky, Shumsky. Moscow: What Have You Done for Me Lately?, p. 196. The NYT article on the swearing in, attempting to account for the fact that RM was sworn in publicly for only two posts but was later listed as having been sworn in for three, quotes Wagner as saying, "There is one more coming up but the necessary papers are not ready," but none of the persons the author interviewed recall the Mayor making such a statement, none of the other newspapers mentions it (all, in fact, say the announcement of RM's third appointment following the ceremony came as a complete surprise), and several other liberals, listening to the ceremonies over the radio—such as City Planning Commissioner Lawrence M. Orton—told the author that Wagner "passed right on" to the next appointee and that they began cheering because they thought they had won.
Authority to "represent" the city: RM to Wagner, Jan. 5, 1954; F. V. Du Pont, Federal Commissioner of Public Roads, to RM, Jan. 25, 1954; Wagner Papers.
Mitchell-Lama fight: Moscow, What Have You Done for Me Lately?, pp. 203-04; Moscow, Orton. RM's "own" housing program: Orton to RM, Oct. 11, 1955, Wagner Papers; NYT, HT, various dates,
1954.
"My friend, Bob Wagner": HT, Feb. 24, 1954. "He has been heard to say":
Hamburger, The New Yorker, Feb. 2, 1957.
Notes for pages 803-818
Port Authority: Cullman, Wagner.
Housing Authority: NYT, Jan. 9, 1954; Moscow, confirmed by Wagner. Cruise's swearing in: Post, Jan. 10, Feb. 11, 1954. "Well, I made my deal": Wagner quoted by O'Keefe, in interview. Mc-Murray friendly to Shanahan: Moscow, O'Keefe, confidential sources. Cruise making his divorce: Moscow, Shapiro, confidential sources.
Sere vane: Interview with author. RM showing up late: Costikyan. Gracie Mansion receptions: Confidential sources. "He does a lot of his work": Unidentified source quoted in Hamburger, p. 82. RM dominated the relationship: Among many, Barnes, Brown, Chapin, Cooney, Moscow, Screvane.
Wagner's attempt to gain fifth Housing Authority vote: Moscow. Day-to-day Authority affairs still dominated by RM: Confidential sources on Authority staff. Edelstein: In interview with author. Wagner never interfered with Title I: Lutsky, who was supposedly the Mayor's "watchdog" on the committee; confidential sources.
Wagner surrendering to resignation threat: Goldwater, for example, told the author that the Mayor agitatedly telephoned him for advice after many threats; each time, Goldwater says, he told Wagner that Moses' popularity made it necessary to give him his way—and each time, Goldwater says, Wagner took his advice. For a typical threat—and Wagner surrendering to it —see RM to Wagner, Sept. 1, 1954, and Epstein to RM, Sept. 3, 1954, Wagner Papers.
35. "RM"
SOURCES
Books and documents:
Herndon, The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven-, Lewis, The Day They Shook the Plum Tree; Rodgers, Robert Moses.
Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Audits and Accounts, "Draft Report" on LISPC, Jones Beach and Beth-page authorities. This report was compiled by auditors in the office of State Comptroller Arthur Levitt and never publicly released. It is referred to in the Notes as "Levitt LISPC Audit."
Author's interviews:
Harvey Aronson, Bernie Bookbinder, Henry Barnes, Ernest J. Clark, Ralph
Clark, Jane Most- Collins, IVnv H
Duryea, Jr., N
Hazleton, Joseph I Inpaham
Kahn, Lee Koppelman, William Latham,
Reuben A. Lazarus, Jacob Lutsky, M
chael J. Madigan, General Harry 1
Meyers, Lawrence Orton, Sidney M. Shi piro, Mae Smisek, Hazel Tappan, Bertram D. Tallamy, Arnold Vollmer.
NOTES
Authority meeting: Rodgers, p. 179. First play in years: Ernest Clark. Mary's chores: Jane Moses Collins, Shapiro. Asking for a dollar: Ingraham. The manila envelope: Shapiro. "A dynamo": Green-berg. The letters: Tappan, Greenberg.
RM on the Sea-Ef: Mae Smisek, daughter of the captain. Dictating at 7 A.M. Madigan. Propped up in bed: Tallamy.
"You're just a swabbie": Shapiro. Throwing the inkwell: Confidential sources.
Bringing breakfast to Mary: Jane Moses Collins. "Protecting" him in relays: Latham. From Palms to Pines: Vollmer.
Learned Hand letter: A copy given to author by Shapiro. "He never got tired": Confidential source.
Hetty Green bequest: Lewis, p. 311, says he "merely endorsed his $10,000 check and turned it over to charity the day he received it!" This recollection does not conform with that of Shapiro, Madigan or several confidential sources. Used commissions to buy other men: Madigan; confidential sources.
"A feeling of isolation": Bookbinder. Air-conditioned car: Lazarus. Three personal chauffeurs: Shapiro. That car alone: Meyers. Telephoning Randall's Island; captains on call; network of pools: Meyers, Smisek, Ingraham.
Frenzy in the offices: Author's observations. Subservience: Barnes, Kahn.
RM's hospitality: The author was a recipient, and part of the following section is drawn from his personal observations. The scope and the cost to the public of this hospitality RM dispensed is found in Levitt LISPC Audit. Boardwalk Restaurant: Levitt LISPC Audit, Sec. A, pp. 8ff. New Boardwalk Restaurant: Levitt LISPC Audit, Sec. D, p. 6.
Marine Stadium: Not for general public: Shapiro. Rearranging his schedule: Author's observation. Phony "vote": Author was standing with Shapiro when he made the comment. Attendance figures: Levitt LISPC Audit, Part II, unnumbered
Notes for pages 819-836
1226
pages. The audit also states that, between 1967 and 1971 alone, "it cost the Authority almost $1,600,000 more than the revenues it received to present entertainment. . . . This does not include our estimate of $574,000 for the amortization of the cost of the facilities. . . . We believe these subsidies would be better expended on entertainment which would be more attractive to a larger segment of the public."
Guy Lombardo: Levitt LISPC Audit, Part II. Other producers would have paid: Shapiro, Ingraham. "One bottle of Scotch": Herndon, p. 220. However, to cite one item out of many found by the auditors, Guy personally received a "producer's fee" which, in 1964 for example, was $51,000 and a fee "paid ... for use of his band for dancing in excess of the amounts paid to band," which, for 1966 alone, was $70,000. Costs to taxpayers: Levitt LISPC Audit, Part II, unnumbered pages; Sec. D, p. 6.
Limousines, etc.: See "RM's hospitality" above. Wainwright: Confidential source. Typical tour: Schedule provided to author. Yale class: Ralph Clark. Planners' tour: Koppelman. Niagara excursion: Aronson. "How could you turn the guy down?": Lutsky. Bookbinder's pass: Bookbinder.
Made disagreement difficult: Many of his guests—most perceptively, Orton— noted this.
"In the year 1999": RM, "What will New York Be Like in 1999—Not so Different" NYT Magazine, Feb. 6, 1949.
"Make him give his name": HT, NYT, Sept. 27, 1958; Shapiro. Left because furious: Shapiro. Beach grass: Hazleton; confirmed by Shapiro. Trujillo: RM related this story—with pride—to John Lord O'Brien and others.