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[Music]

it doesn't take long to reach the depths

it doesn't take long to reach the

silence and from there you can look back

at the land you can study the

coast it's an error to believe that

swimming is a matter of strength it

isn't it's a matter of Rhythm it's not

clever to Splash around to spend a huge

amount of effort and not move I see

people do that I'm not

impressed the first further I swim the

happier I am at night best of all so how

do I feel when people say we were

worried you were gone so long we call

the Coast Guard how do I feel I tell

them why did you

panic nothing's going to happen to

me I'm Jane

Jacobs yeah I'm thing is for a long time

I wasn't interested in architecture why

would I be I came from Scranton

Pennsylvania where there wasn't

any when I met a man called Jacobs I

couldn't resist I'd been Jane Butner up

till then yeah but I was a journalist

and I had a weakness for alliteration

Jane Jacobs just sounded

right what made me think about

architecture was that moment when I

realized that I was going to die I

remember thinking what will be left of

us after we're gone and I remember

reading that only two things remain

cities and songs I was 100% unmusical so

that left

cities and one day the study of cities

became my

[Music]

life

sir I'm sorry to tell you this but

there's somebody at the

door at the door yes sir what do you

mean at the door the door of our house

yes sir how is that possible sorry sir

but he walked up the

drive

Uninvited and the gentleman's name his

name is Mr Moses a visit from the Old

Testament how bracing show him in Robert

Moses my friends say you're an

impossible man to me me and yet here you

are oh then I don't need to introduce

myself Fergus has announced you thank

you Fergus your reputation precedes you

I thought I had no reputation I'm in

public service I'm not out to make a

name for myself well then you failed

already do you need refreshment not

urgently then we can release Fergus

thank you sir they tell me you're a Yale

man yes sir I am class of 09 I was

admitted early why was that my

examination results were

outstanding h unfortunately a Yale

education is no longer a guarantee of

anything oh I believe you're a Yale man

yourself you make my point for me and

that is not the only thing we have in

common namely a shared love of the

exceptional quiet and beauty of Long

Island you will need to prove that if I

am to be convinced I swim down on the

Southshore on a beach 5 miles long I

know you've been seen it's the best

swimming of my life Come Away oh human

child to the waters and the wild that

stretch of beach brings Yates to mind

every time I visit and when you swim are

you troubled by other swimmers never

well then there you are I have a 5 Mile

sand spit all to myself and do you play

golf I do not sir I'm not surprised

Timber Point has just 100 members when I

tea off on a Saturday morning perhaps I

see one or two other players amid the

Red Deer and the Pheasant it must be

enjoyable my point

Long Island Depends for its exceptional

quiet and Beauty on its isolation seek

to share that beauty and the beauty is

gone I would agree with you sir but but

what well you must face the fact I don't

expect such a common cliche from a y man

nevertheless where are we not so many

miles from what was once a small Trading

Post 150 years on the city of New York

is the capital of the world its

population has grown by 7 million in a

little over a 100 years oh your friend

Henry Ford has instituted the practice

of giving his employees an annual

holiday I warned him against

it the working week has been reduced

from 70 hours to a mere 45 also Henry's

doing Mr Vanderbilt the people have

discovered a new occupation that's

called

Leisure and one day it'll be as popular

as

work I hope not the people will spill

out of the city in the suffocating

summer heat just as water spills from an

overfilled jug they will discover this

little Paradise which is Nassau County

is it better they come here like

indigents trampling down the dunes and

throwing off their clothes all over the

Strand littering and polluting or is it

better we build

facilities well thought out well

organized clean inspiring why do they

have to come here at all why did you

come here it's hardly the same question

isn't it no why not because the

Vanderbilts bought property here it's

ours it belongs to us my family has

owned it for many years I'm told 100 and

if you trouble yourself to read the

Constitution I know long passages by

heart you will find that the right to

own property is sacred landowners have

rights which other citizens do not enjoy

oh I have no problem with that access is

what we're talking about not ownership

access Mr Vanderbilt you know what our

governor Al Smith has said between the

few and the many I cast my lot with the

many you talk like a revolutionary to

the contrary the very opposite my aim is

to Forstall Revolution not to Insight it

how well the people will get to the

beach one way or another let's work

together to prevent them from doing so

by violence violence well this is a new

age people are waking up looking around

they want to swim play tennis and lay

out baseball diamonds yeah even play

golf they want exercise well if that's

all they want let them have it there's

plenty of space all I have to do is make

for the Setting Sun the American

injunction is go west going east is

unamerican it's only for a season Moses

you crawl into my living room like

Vladimir

Lenin your clothes tatter toon clutching

your hat and your hand spouting Irish

dogu and bringing with you it seems a

good part of Jones Beach oh I apologize

um you dare to tell me that we must bow

to the Mob well I've not said that I was

not sent the memorandum which said that

the people are now in charge well surely

you don't doubt that people have rights

certain rights but no rights which

overrule the rights of property another

thing Al Smith taught me the cure for

the evils of democracy is more democracy

if you believe that you're stupider than

you look that's always possible

you say the people will spill out to the

cities assuredly with their picnic

baskets and their songs and their filthy

children indeed why do they have to come

here Jones Beach is a mere 25 miles in

Time Square why are they not free to

enjoy it because they have Cony Island

they have uh Brighton Beach these places

are open sewers as well you know

presided over by locks and bagel

Merchants wash with TDY advertisements

and so-called amusements which amuse no

one if there's one thing I despise it's

a boardwalk and now Jones Beach you say

is to be a sewer too no not at all no I

am planning something much more

elevating why do you arrive at something

perfect and immediately set out to

defile it its beauty will remain

unspoiled I promise but only if you

consent to my arrangements now I am

proposing two highways I have heard the

Southern State Parkway and the Northern

State Parkway is that what you call them

New Roads free of traffic lights

sculpted among gorgeous woods and Parks

across gorgeous woods and Parks Mr M is

not among the great Scandal of long

island has always been the desperate

state of its roads kept clearly in

deliberate disrepair deliberate of

course what proof do you have it's a

strategy by land owners to frustrate

travel you accusing us are running them

down with whatever difference every

summer those few adventurous Souls who

dare to head this way are brought to a

halt as their overheated engines expire

on badly maintained tracks everything

possible is done to discourage them well

no longer my new Parkways will make

traveling as attractive as a ring we

have already met to discuss these roads

who was met the interested parties was

this a public meeting don't be

ridiculous you would know the names of

the families over there I can guess at

them go

ahead the really well I would Hazard the

Morgans oh certainly the JP Morgans are

present the harnesses yes the fcks yeah

the winrs yes Whitney the mackys the

fips the spreckles correct you are

dangerously well informed in fact all

the great landowning fam is of the North

Shore oh not just the north sir the

Southshore also and what was decided at

this meeting what you must expect which

which is impassion and in transigent

opposition to all your plans I see

unified organized and

unyielding at the meeting your methods

of seizing land were compared to those

of

Napoleon

Cy thank you are you leaving yes why not

we've scarcely begun to talk oh I had

imagined we would engage I came here to

listen I've listened you're done it's

part of the planning process henceforth

when I'm asked did you meet with the

critics of the scheme I'll be able to

say I met with them we call it

consultation if had to been here 10

minutes do I need more Moses are you not

able to defend your own proposals able

yes yes I am able not to brag but I was

president of the Oxford Union indeed I

may add the first American to be so

honored I excel at debate the question

is not whether I am able it's whether I

am willing given that the door is shut

against me

try very

well you seek to tell me what it is to

be an American but may I remind you of

the other principle of americanism and

what is that how is our country man

manag to advance so fast how have we

overtaken every other economy in the

world tell me the Dynamo of capitalism

is restlessness nothing is ever enough

for us nothing is ever settled we're

always on the move I agree you know yede

you know Yellowstone these are national

parks and very fine they are too but I

have a new idea I'll create Stak porks

huge SES of Untamed Countryside with

where you can hike all day fill your

lungs and then go down to the water how

do you think it's going to look how will

it appear to the broiling masses out

there if I go back to the city and tell

them that the plans I have for a

Beachside Paradise a place of vigor and

health and relaxation of being styed at

the will of a few old men is that how

you would describe us is it not

accurate remember sir you made your

Millions out of the despised [ __ ] and

wops living in the tenaments you own and

now you wish me to go back and tell the

workers that you intend to deny them a

day out in the country in our part of

the country if you continue to shut them

out you may find you have a fight on

your hands we welcome the fight good I

too am ready for it once the land owners

of Long Island realize they can no

longer go to bed at night for fear they

wake up to find their properties been

appropriated then we should be welcoming

anchy

no

democracy Fus whatever the matter will

be settled by law Fus Mr Moses is

finished here leave him at the end of

the

[Music]

drive he's a hard man to work for he has

high

standards that's what someone told me on

the first day and then they added and if

you think he's hard on you let me assure

you he's so much harder on

himself they always say that don't they

about the bosses he's so much harder on

himself as if that meant anything at all

because it's easy it's easy to be hard

on yourself on I am I should think you

are too because it's your own

choice but when someone else comes down

on you that's different because there is

no

choice you either accept

it or you step out of the way this is

not what I wanted this is not what I

asked for the route has been changed I

promise you sir nothing's been changed

porter porter yes sir please Porter I'm

closing my eyes can you see I am closing

my eyes do you see yes do you see my

eyes closed yes now observe my

arm what is that I have no

idea what shape am I making with my arm

in the air I am

delineating tell me what you see I just

see your arm moving I shall move it

again

well is it a machine no is it some sort

of animal all right enough stupidity

Miss Carell will tell us it's an outline

of Long Island correct correct Miss

Connell knows why don't you mon talk

Stony Brook Babylon idville I carry it

here in my head it's here in my waking

hours and in my sleep as it should be in

yours yes sir how can we call ourselves

planners unless we know what we're

planning the artist knows the canvas the

sculptor knows the stone and the root of

the plan Southern State Parkway as

follows say after me Hemstead H Oyster

Bay o bonon brooken Brook Haven you

think you can mislead me no you think

you can deceive me you traced this map

personally you drew it with your own

hand you copied it from my own

projections

and

and I was asked to make one small change

you were asked asked by who not by me as

I say when I was tracing it was put to

me that the Whitney were not happy the

Whitney unhappy who heard of such a

thing we should not go through their

Orchard by taking the natural Bend at

the southern perimeter of their property

by going with the camber it is possible

to skirt the trees and to preserve the

Integrity of their estate by the

smallest possible diversion look you

probably don't know this about me but

I'm a Country Boy myself oh I didn't

know that no born and raised no Oklahoma

really I have rural Origins you have my

sympathy and my father taught me that

it's a crime to kill a tree he taught

you

that well be clear I'm not dogmatic oh

thank God for that I'm not doctrinaire

well that's a relief because I was

myself doctrinaire for many years and a

fat lot of good it did me 10 years I

slaved in the Civil Service an idealist

a reformer and I achieve precisely

nothing I'm sure that's not true it's

true I set out sweeping reforms for the

New York Civil Service my intention was

to restructure local government every

man would be regraded and every man

would be assessed every aspect of his

performance would be judged not annually

but monthly Porter monthly imagine that

I'm trying idlers would be rooted out

backsliders identifi how wonderful there

would be real efficiency evidentially

based that's marvelous and at the end of

my labors what I left a civil service

exactly as I found it in every detail oh

I didn't know that a prototype of

incompetence and mediocrity that bad but

wasted my time completely I didn't know

that either there'd be many years Porter

when I might as well not have lived and

shall I tell you the reason do you know

why I failed I don't because I made the

mistake of thinking that if I proposed

something that was logical reasonable

and effective people would at once see

its merits and fall in behind it and

they didn't they blocked it at every

turn why because they always do that is

what they

do looking back I would say my

preparations were poor I was

insufficiently thorough my education had

left me ignorant of human psychology

human fear I was not prepared for their

behavior how they behave what human

beings do what they do when presented

with the unarguable what do they do they

Panic a panic Porter I learned some

painful lessons in those years lessons

neither Yale nor ever taught me lessons

about people you mean about

unreason unreason is wired into the

human brain really so I tell you Porter

at the end of all this if I happen to be

planning the optimum route for a highway

and I have to chop down a tree I will

chop down a tree yes sir and if it means

that somewhere in the godforsaken state

of Oklahoma your father drops dead in

mourning for the living

twigged that is a loss I shall bear with

fortitude now why did you change the

direction of the route why it's barely

changed I saw the change I noticed it at

once it's been changed by a matter of

yard give me the

reason the governor mentioned to me that

if we compromised we would have a better

chance of realizing our plans the

governor said that yes you spoke to the

governor yes in person do you talk to

him often he came by the office he came

casually thank you Miss Connell he

dropped by and this happens a lot we're

not saying a lot once or twice and he

engages you both in conversation well

you know how it is Sir quite often

you're out walking the shore oh oh am

I you're absent from the office because

you also like to take that little boat

and examine the shoreline from the

perspective of the sea you're right I do

like that I like to see how Nature has

sculpted the land it educates me we're

not at War with nature Porter I agree

we're going with the grain Porter not

against her sometimes your wife calls on

the telephone because you're out so late

and the dark has come down I don't know

why you bring Mary into this Mary is not

your concern just saying Mrs Moses calls

us here occasionally because she's

anxious sir oh she's always very warm

and polite Mary is an outstanding woman

a woman of outstanding character she is

the rock on which I build my life I have

no doubt of it walk through that door at

8:00 a.m. who I go home to is my own

Affair anyway as I was saying

occasionally when you're out the

governor calls by to see how we're doing

and he appraises the work not appraises

no more shoots the Bree informally F

also not to be indelicate but he

especially seems to enjoy Miss connell's

company oh is that so he enjoys banter

with her oh is that right Miss Connell

Al Smith is a very Charming Man oh he is

indeed as my mother would say charm is

his long suus there are good reasons

he's such a popular

Governor it's a special gift I think to

be able to talk naturally to people oh I

think so too to put them at the read oh

he does that yes and he does it

wonderfully I think if you run for

elective office you have to have that

quality don't you oh maybe you have to

make people melt a little I'll do this

for all people say because I really like

them oh they say that do they even if

it's something which in their hearts

they don't want to do he charms them

into it you know the trick of it I don't

he treats them as

equals when he's around everyone's

relaxed are they

so and when he's here he tears himself

away does he the Governor from bantering

with Miss Connell to take a look at the

plan from time to time does he comment

on them rarely when he does he makes

some very reasonable points in your

version as you had it he used the word

compromise I'm wondering did he use that

actual word compromise yes well or did

you put it in his mouth fena do you

recall his exact wording yeah Ariel I'm

sorry I don't it it doesn't matter does

it what's clear is the governor believes

there's no point in making enemies when

you don't need to does he does he by God

as a general rule why offend people when

it's not necessary oh perhaps you don't

realize I called round on the Vanderbilt

you went to see them personally

certainly did wow how was that I met the

Fricks I met the JP Morgans I bet they

were pleased to see you I've been on a

tour of the great families of Long

Island they told me their concerns and

what were those they were concern my

Sandy shoes might spoil their Persian

rugs oh I've seen some beautiful

Furniture chandeliers I'm sure Oh Come

Along Porter if you meet these people

you will know they are in transigent

that was your conclusion it was

unmistakable there wen't no roads

they're against New Roads on principle

yes but what the governor's asking is

something different what is that his

point is this if by taking a road just a

few hundred yards out of the way you can

win their trust why not do it make a

small

concession what do you lose what you

lose is your reputation for being strong

what else does an urban planner have

once you have have a reputation for

getting things done you can get things

done simple now take away the plans and

restore the original rot where through

the orchard Porter through the orchard

of your beloved Whitney and take them

out of my sight while you do it all of

you miss Connell stay ask yourself Porto

what have the Whitney ever done for

you and I hate even using the words what

words urban planner the very phrase

smacks of weakness why plan plan and

never do maybe that's how it

feels perhaps I could fetch you a root

beer root beer doesn't do the job I I

could put my hands on a real

beer nothing slakes my thirst so how

long since you joined us a couple of

months ah yes it's only 2 years since I

paced the beach the salt spray in my

face and I had the idea it came fully

formed

like a vision all at once like all the

best ideas faster than [ __ ] through a

goose I stood there taken back by the

beauty by the isolation and I thought

this

beach could belong to the people

yes to the people what a wonderful

notion thank you fola but for the moment

notion is all it is oh come that's

hardly your fault isn't it you're doing

everything you can I am fighting yes but

the forces of reaction are strong you're

trained you say yes at a school of

architecture night school where you

wouldn't have heard of it you see I'm

untrained I know and perhaps that's why

planning means nothing to me you love

planning pouring over Maps it excites

you no you're wrong I love mixing the

concrete and driving in the stakes

whenever I ventured among them I find

planners who do nothing but plan that's

their job oh Men Who swell with pride at

their pretty models their pretty model

buildings and the pretty model people

who walk among them for them when the

plan is made the job is finished because

they can go to their conferences and

boast boast to their friends boast to

their peers who cares it's in the world

we have to work I I'm a ditch digger I'm

not an academic clearly I put Academia

behind me it's for the young it's for

the

inadequate in ancient Egypt did anyone

plan I don't think think

so after Nero destroyed Rome by fire was

the rebuilding planned the great

medieval Cathedrals were they planned no

things were different then different how

in the obvious ways which are I hardly

need say no tell

me it it's my impression that in Egypt

before the birth of our Lord the views

of the people did not need to be

considered and now they do so they tell

me and you think that's right do you

certainly it's right we've Advanced have

we we're Superior are we superior to the

Egyptians more sensitive

perhaps have you seen the

pyramids I haven't no you should oh I

would like to they're magnificent so

I've been told and each pyramid

different each one an advance on the

previous oh I would love to see them

they learned as they went along refined

improving till the method was perfected

oh that's enviable everyone in our

profession should see the pyramids they

represent a a standard of achievement

unfortunately buying groceries has been

more in my mother's mind than sending me

to Cairo funny that or your family is

disadvantaged only in money or what

other kind of disadvantage is there I

meant

affection oh yes yeah in our house there

was no absence of affection would you

not those that there are always ways

around financial problems for you

perhaps well you think there's that

greater difference between us of course

there's a difference for goodness sake

no because of your

circumstances a woke up in the Bronx if

you have to know you just said it's you

and your mother your father passed away

how typhus so you still live with your

mother what do you imagine an apartment

of my own so how did you finance your

education I worked as a stenographer

admirable an 18-hour day seven days a

week in the Garment District to get you

here yes working as a draftsman drafts

woman more accurately and you're content

you're content just to plan you see you

are wrong about people and their views

it seems according to you I'm wrong

about everything oh yes oh was that a

brief display of Irish temperament no

that was me containing my Irish

temperament Oh you mean it can get much

worse than that much I'd like to see it

oh go on as you are and you will we saw

only a flash but if the flash is there

for God's sake be grateful fora put it

to you don't be ashamed not that flash

can power change temper is as much a

part of our Armory as intelligence

temper can build freeways you're angry

with me and I don't know why because you

swallow the conventional wisdom why

should that offend you you're suck it in

like a goomar vacuuming up spaghetti

well can you tell me what in particular

are you have done wrong if you were not

my boss I would tell you that the high

horse is an infuriating place to be

addressed from very well your principal

error is this to believe that the

people's views are of any importance at

all I thought you were a Democrat I am I

thought we were working to improve the

people's lives we are is our aim not to

serve them it is so we must Advance

their fortunes without having any

respect for their

opinions is that not a contradiction oh

our job is is to lead not to follow we

also have to stay in touch we have to

know what people want I don't agree

people don't know what they want until

they have it well how are you so sure

because nothing worthwhile has ever been

achieved without initial resistance and

is that resistance always wrongheaded

yeah I believe it is to build a road it

may be that you have to knock down a

house what happens a lot of screaming

and shouting oh that house has always

been there and then in the road is built

oh how much better this is how did we

ever manage without this road they can't

even remember the house the people lack

imagination the job of the leader is to

provide it and what if the leader HS

what if the leader makes a mistake

should he not be answerable answerable

to home why to the people oh heavens

fola I'm not going to make a

mistake I've waited so long 10 years 10

years trapped in the interstices of City

Hall watching the advancement of my

inferiors growing more impatient by the

day they offered me prisons can you

imagine

no do you want to run the prisons I do

not why would I want to lock men up what

do you want then I want to set them

free give me the means to set them free

what all of them why not I despise

incarceration my personality is not so

weak that I need to affirm Myself by

punishing others flawed I may be

vindictive I'm not Mr

Moses we know how much the Parkways mean

to you we are keenly aware all of us the

roads mean nothing to me it's the parks

which have meaning the roads just the

means of getting there and don't think

it's one park because it isn't I've

begun to realize that oh no it's not

enough one beach one state park no

that's what others have done how many

are you planning I want to create a

model for the rest of America so that

states and counties everywhere take up

our example I tell you what it is it's a

system of parks it's a system of roads

on what scale exactly well you you'll

keep this to your yourself oh do you not

trust

me very well a system of roads and Parks

all over Long Island once the principle

is

established there is no end to what we

can achieve where exactly why not

Monto why not Beth Page why not sunken

meal but these places are miles apart

yes with different topography oh not so

different you have all of them in mind

the land is there it's waiting but where

will you get the money tell you

something strange Fula it's much easier

to get large sums of money than small

why is that suggest a shed nobody's

interested build a bridge everyone's own

what's the reason because if a project

is large enough it boggles the mind and

Once the mind is boggled the pockets are

open you think it's that easy fola think

about it who will stand up and argue

against poor porks or motherhood an

apple pie who can be against hiking

fishing climbing breathing fresh air who

doesn't want to crack crabs drink beer

no one parks

are unarguable good parks

are virtue and by align myself with

virtue I can

achieve anything I

want one in calm set that's a perfect

spot another in Orient Beach not bad and

what about the landline fellow in hither

Hills have you thought about it as far

as that why not Long Island could be the

recreation area for the whole of New

York City and you see it all joined up I

do it's a pattern of opportunity and

when Long Island is secured then we move

west to the mainland to the rest of New

York State certainly to do what exactly

build more roads build more

[Laughter]

Parks but that's not sure per is

not yet you on the Long Island State

Park commission thus for Long Island

that's the limit of your power that's an

oversight I intend one day to

correct well I suppose I have to ask Mr

Moses is there no end to your ambition

why should there be I have waited so

long and as of this moment we have an

exceptional Governor Al Smith a man of

vision where I live we call him one of

us exactly a man like yourself born into

disadvantage brought up in the

tournaments and therefore like many such

men driven purposeful oh so you imagine

deprivation is good for the

character I can assure you it isn't Miss

Carnell you're living proof that it

is well I wouldn't know about I'm sorry

no no no forgive me nothing to forgive I

know you meant it as a pure compliment

and I take it as thank you and that's

why I am so interested to hear your

reports of the governor's visits yes

when he drops by you you want to hear

what he says I do and is that because

you need the governor you need him on

your side

perhaps am I right in thinking your

fortunes are tied to his and that if Al

Smith wasn't your boss the likelihood is

you wouldn't be able to do anything at

all all right I owe all advancement I

have enjoyed to the governor I was

languishing and he picked me out how

well we got along at once he saw the

point of me oh did he yeah he's your

Patron shut up you're in his death as

long as he's in office you're in

business all right that's a harsh way of

putting it uh but it's

true well what's put you in such a good

mood oh I'm thinking of going to the

local store and buying a little flag

what sort of flag a flag of

commemoration commemoration of what oh I

think you know no I don't why because

it's the first time I've heard Robert

Moses admit he needed someone else ah ah

Porter good we're back you've done as I

asked we've restored the original rout

oh such an effort to get one's way

especially with one's own employees is

that not right Miss Connell oh I

wouldn't know now let me see it looks to

me if everything is back in place there

is no reason we should not proceed

proceed yeah I'm sorry sir but I'm not

sure what you mean by proceed I mean

that the diggers can go in there's

nothing holding us back let the work

began why are you looking so doubtful

well just it's my understanding perhaps

I'm misinformed formed that there's a

lawsuit that's outstanding against us

yes you're right from the Taylor estate

it claimed you'd exceeded your Authority

correct we were not meant to use our

first allocation of money to appropriate

property and you used it to appropriate

property well you're well informed also

again maybe I'm in error here I'm sure

you're not Porter you seem to be a mine

of unhelpful

information there's a question as to

whether it's legal in the first place to

appropriate land do we have that right

use your spare time if you have any that

is reading section 59 of the

conservation law passed by US Congress

in 1884 that should put your mind at

rest it deals with the question of

appropriation yes but even if that

particular legislation applies in this

case and that is at issue so you have

read it even so what is clear is that no

project can be Advanced without the

governor's signature that's right and it

appears right now that you proceeded

without it and therefore and

therefore I'm just saying you're just

saying what I'd imagined we'd be

delaying construction until the case was

settled look you know much better than

me but isn't that the law don't we have

to delay until the appeal Porter let me

tell you something about building please

once you sink that first stake they'll

never make you pull it up Public Work

relies on one thing what's that impetus

but surely we'll get into trouble won't

we we'll be breaking the law and that

worries you bar housan didn't give a

straw for leg Galler he knocked down the

greater part of Paris that was a long

time ago yeah and on a much larger scale

I am concerned that if we proceed with

laying tarmac we shall be ordered to rip

it back up look I'm not being

pessimistic sir oh good I'm glad you're

not

pessimistic we lost in the first round

that was in a lower course on a first

hearing and from what I'm told I'm not

at all sure the appeal will go our way

really no I've got a

cousin he's a professional lawyer oh oh

well then he's worked in City Hall oh

surely he must be well connected and

he's been telling me that realistically

the appeal could take a very long time

I'm doing everything I can to delay it

delay it certainly why because the best

way to deal with any lawsuit is to snar

it up in the courts is that wise isn't

it better to get the things settled

isn't it better to know that way you

have certainty and certainty soothes you

does it I'm just pointing out my cousin

implies that at the end victory is by no

means assured does he say that he's read

the bill you drafted establishing the

Long Island State Park commission and he

detects an element of an element of what

Porter an element of Ledger domain

Ledger

domain yes in the drafting he's not sure

the state legislators quite understood

what they were agreeing to well if

that's the case the fault lies with them

not with me I pride myself on the

drafting of legislation is one of my

skills surely I certainly aim to be a

drit in the clauses in the wording AIT

yes if you make things too explicit too

clear when you draft a bill you may

provoke unnecessary

resistance and that's why a level of

ambiguity is called for I'm sure I hope

your cousin is not implying trickery oh

no oh thank the Lord my virtue is intact

but even so he still thinks that at the

end on the final appeal the case will be

in the balance Porter you have a lot to

learn I know that sir if we all waited

for litigation to be settled we'd never

do anything at all I can see that sir

anyone can argue about where a freeway

ought to be but it's pretty damn hard to

argue about where it

is right so what you're saying what I'm

saying is you worry about the tarmac and

I'll concern myself with the law and if

they put you in prison I promise to

visit weekly with apple cider and a

baloney sandwich yes sir it's

just go on Porter is just some of us

here sir we do read the papers on the

way to work don't we wow

and although you haven't mentioned it

nobody's mentioned it in the office it's

never come up in discussion nevertheless

yes when the court found us guilty of

illegal appropriation we couldn't help

noticing that you yourself sir were

personally fined

$222,000 in punitive

damages

so I hope that was correctly reported it

was

well

well are you proposing to pay I'm not

being selfish sir but if you don't pay

the fine you go to jail and we're all

out of a job is there no fight in US

Porter is there no joy do you not wake

up every morning with the feeling that

what we are doing is good does that not

sustain you the incorruptable pleasure

of being right liberating the land and

handing it to the people if that's an

offense it's an offense to be

alive and that's how it was working for

him like you were on Horseback and

Galloping across the

plane he'd been told by his mother that

he was going to excel so for him there

was no doubt about it it was his mother

who told him he wasn't Jewish so as far

as Robert was

concerned he

wasn't he preferred to identify with the

Protestants he didn't care to be a Jew

if someone said but your name is

Moses he'd reply I'll show you my pecker

there does that settle the

matter oh but if you're

wondering he never showed it to

me you could say my problems had started

before the second World War I was riding

for a Down Town magazine called Iron Age

it was

specialized you could write about iron

or you could write about

steel so the problem was this I found I

was being paid less than the men in the

office who did the same job quite a lot

less so I decided to join a union and

fight for my

rights eventually I got my money but in

the process I destroyed the atmosphere

at Iron

Age and intentionally thanks to me it

ceased to be a pleasant place to work

yeah if you think that fighting Power is

fun I'd advise you to think again I knew

that already when I went to war with Bob

Moses where is where is son of a [ __ ]

don't say he's out or me in the shore

well somebody tell him it's just the

beach it's a [ __ ] beach as you're

[ __ ] Irish I know you are so I don't

have to fake an apology that don't come

from my black feian heart people have

used profanity around me all my life

Governor you're talking about your

family they use that word then you are

inoculated more than my cousin's curse

every time they breathe or do they do at

lunch at dinner when they go to bed or

when they fall over their

shoelaces and when they go to church oh

inside the church certainly in the

presence of a priest I'm afraid so well

tell your cousins you only get five for

a priest you get 10 for a

n I'm going looking have you you met

Franklin Roosevelt I haven't no Franklin

D he doesn't Co and that's all you need

to know about the upstate [ __ ]

I've heard that yes he said the Boy

Scout movement did you know that no I

didn't actually yeah Dad that is stuck

up wife look at down their aristocratic

noses that a mick from the fourth ward

oh that would be you would it sir yeah

I'm proud of

it what the hell's all this the drawings

God every time I visit the PLS a f the

progress yes we've begun building the

parkway beg you pardon young lady uh

We've begun building impossible we

started which Parkway South Parkway or

North

both that's the first I've heard of

it oh I don't see how you could have

started because I haven't

signed I haven't signed the [ __ ]

legislation then perhaps that's

something you'll need to discuss with Mr

Moses oh indeed I will forget I spoke I

can't forget [ __ ] tell me it again he

can't be found where is he uh did you

tell him you were coming I don't tell

him I like to cat the bastard off guard

do you want me to send out a search

party what's he doing huh diddling in

the water or pacing out a blacket fean

[ __ ] houses for 20,000 holiday makers

one or two of us have been wondering if

if there's anything we can get you

Governor why not break the law and save

me a bottle of bbon funny we guessed

that as if I gave a [ __ ] about

porks don't you sir look at me do I look

like someone who hangs around

par no I'm not that

sad i' better thing to do with my time

I've never lifted a hiking boat in anger

in my life oh well it hasn't done you

any harm thank you you look well on it

Governor I'm 5 minutes shy of a cardiac

arrest I know that so don't soap

me it's the voters who like Parts not me

and surely you care about the voters the

lower class people they like Parks so do

the metal so there two handy groups a

lot of votes between them indeed and the

intellectuals sure they love Parks

because they think parks are progressive

[ __ ] those why maybe they feel it's

progress towards a better life yeah

maybe that's certainly what Mr Moses

believes you like him don't you who's

that your booss oh I I I neither like

nor dislike oh might keep personal

feelings out of it are you kidding me

it's on the side of the Angels that's

what matters on the side of the angels

and us it the methods of the Devil he's

starting to get things done then you

like him I like him enough you're lucky

because he doesn't need anything from

you that's when he plays you like a fish

oh it's governor govern act when I leave

the room I look to see if my father is

still in my

pocket well if you'll allow me I've

never once heard him say a word against

you oh is that so never behind my

back he says politicians are all the

same all frightened he has contempt for

them that's why he's not interested in

elective office no I'm sure he's not but

you're different he says you're the only

politician who's for

real does he say that

he does what spontaneous like oh he

respects you yeah what do you imagine

would be the reason for that Miss Carell

I tell you because he feels if he lays

the butter on thick enough he can wangle

anything he wants from an ignorant Meck

no why

then because he feels you're not in it

for personal Glory but because you came

from the streets yourself and you love

the people of New York

maybe but I love bbon more

you have it he keeps the bottle for you

oh I'm sure he does he says the bootle

is Top Class ah thank youhm oh you're a

good boy so what about

you what's your view of your Bo me sir

yes you I forgot the name Ariel Porter

Ariel yes what kind of name is that it's

a Hebrew name sir meaning Lion of God

who gave you that

name my father H where you from Oklahoma

many Jews in Oklahoma are there no sir

we strayed off

track and What feelings do you have

towards Robert Moses well I feel he's a

Visionary Visionary is a big word po but

he's lifting the people up and giving

them the opportunity for a kind of

Freedom they've never had before is that

right the New York Times is an important

newspaper you think so I do it's read by

some of the most influential people on

the planet yes so they tell me and yet

somehow Mr Moses has them eating out of

his hand reporters love him they do

indeed he knows what they want and he

gives it to them you might even say

that's where his Real Genius lies oh

he's a new kind of man Mr Moses the man

who believes the way you written about

is as important as what you

do all I can say it's a privilege to

come to work every day oh a privilege is

it oh I can see he controversial and

maybe he doesn't treat the law with the

respect we learned at school but it's

only once in a generation that a a great

Builder comes along and shows the way

that's when you're party to a vision

that's denied to ordinary men and you're

party to that Vision are you yes sir in

some humble way I wonder have you ever

heard the Sayan it is easier to be a

great man than it is to be a good man

no I've never heard that you've heard it

now I like the sentiment

yes I like it too for Christ's sake

Porter don't you know not to give the

governor bourbon Moses where the hell

have you been you have no sense the

governor's wife went down on her knees

to me on the carpet on the carpet saying

whatever you do don't let out near the

hooch and just bareface liar in fire

minutes will be asking me for favors I

never asked favors I asked my dude I

thought you one thing he's barely spoken

to my wife in his life we speak all the

I don't think so she says give him soda

water one an hour on the hour at the

very M my wife can't stand him Catherine

worships

me come here you dog come

here oh good while I was swimming in the

brine the governor here was swimming in

bootleg whiskey to judge for the smell

of him pure ride and after the thing

I've had why would that not be so oh

you're complaining well you would be

complaining of my shows running the

greatest city in the world in the

greatest state in the world I'd be

complaining I don't think so so you want

my job do you do I want it yeah do you

want to be Governor why Al tell me when

the bus is coming and I'll be there to

push you under it you'll join a [ __ ]

line and obviously Governor you know my

yeah I believe I do canola AR I've come

upon them once or twice of course you

have they tell me you visit occasionally

when I'm not here I do indeed yeah

dropping by to sneak a look at the pl I

admire young people they're handpicked

and aren't they as crazy as you about

causeways and Parkways and expressways

and all the other ways well they are now

I've taught them to serve the public and

to free the people from ugliness and

squalor to give them a view of something

better than the animal cages in which

they live we'll leave you alone no stay

with us are you sure sir you mind B no

not at all let them stay no it's good

for them to learn the Practical stuff if

that's what you're suggesting Governor

one day or another we all have to learn

how the the thing is done yeah perhaps

we do and they'll learn by listening but

are you sure that you yourself Bob have

ever learned how the thing is done me

you Bob yeah what makes you ask

that I'm about to fight a [ __ ]

election remember oh so you are a close

election which every vote is going to

count you know what that means I have to

crawl down the sidewalk on my hands and

knees begging for people to like me oh

they do like you Governor sure but it's

not an indignity you've ever had to

endure you see Team your boss far too

Grand to get himself involved in the

vulgar business of getting elected well

I've never tried he never has I've never

had to he because other people to stand

for election on his behalf Governor that

isn't quite the way it is uh wouldn't

take the risk another way put it I'm not

against risk aren't you just standing

for public office not my special day and

election's a terrible sort of judgment

you know mm a judgment on a man's

character there's no way getting around

that is frightening I'm sure it is yeah

you ask so many million people what they

think of you imagine it that's why I'd

rather not thank you and you're not

always going to like the [ __ ] answer

come on Governor what is this you've won

more elections than any man alive how

many times have you run for public

office I thank goodness probably 19 you

don't know exactly it's

19 and how many times have you won 19

well there you are you see that's the

difference between Bob and me so your Mr

Moses doesn't like to fight for power he

prefers to let others acquire it for him

with Mr Moses it's always the same why

way is it the same exactly he goes after

what he wants and so do you governor and

making enemies doesn't bother him he

feels free to go around Mak as many

enemies as he choses well I don't make

them deliberately oh don't you

no it's my experience that if your boss

see someone on the other side of the

street he can't resar crossing the

street to tell them that they are a son

of a

[ __ ] uh I don't think I've ever done

that should I tell you why he does that

because he knows he always has someone

at hand who's there to clean up the

mess and who is that person Governor why

that would be me Miss

conell are you sure you want us to be

here oh quite sure you see I've been in

politics for a while and I tell you how

things usually go the boss is usually

the public face he has to answer many

questions on many subjects and for that

reason the boss has St and I'll tell you

what their job is see their job is to

put right all the things the boss in his

haste or ignorance got

wrong only tell you something it's odd

when you have Robert Moses on the

STA the situation is reversed MOS is

[ __ ] up and it's the his job to clean

up the mess I wasn't aware I had [ __ ]

up as you put it oh weren't you no the

lawsuit an inconvenience Governor not a

[ __ ] up it hasn't shaken me oh no I've

noticed I'm sure we'll win in a superior

court will eventually if someone gives

you the money to get there isn't that

what you rely on the state that's

bottomless Pockets the individual don't

you're hopeing to wear your enemy down

is that it with the financial support of

New York State oh forgive me if I'm in

error but I always had the impression

that you you were going to back me where

did you get that impression B you want

these parks and Parkways as badly as I

do do I why sure you do well for your

own sake you better be right about that

and I believe I

am you wouldn't be taking me for granted

would

you again a lot of people talk to me MH

yeah they like to talk to me they talk

to me in the streets in The Barbers

shops help they even talk to me in the

Turkish beds because I'm approachable

you certainly are yeah and the Rumor

I've

heard is that your mother

has paid your personal fine is that

true tell me did you mother step up for

her little

boy it isn't strictly your business

Governor is it not my business it was a

personal fine I dealt with it personally

meaning your dear mama has covered it

it's not your business that is one of

your boys's virtues thing you could call

a mark of Honor that he doesn't even let

the money to cover his own fine because

what whatever you say about him and

believe me I say plenty he's not on the

take he has a

mother to reach in her pockets and give

him

$22,000 on this occasion only it

happened once

because well just remind me I'm relying

on my memory here is not always accurate

the reason you found yourself in court

was

because you went ahead and siize private

land for some Park without the

governor's signature I didn't seize it I

bought it at less than the market rate

so the owner claims it was a tayor

estate we both know it was a technical

offense technical oh purely technical it

was a matter of timing you were going to

sign but you hadn't at the moment of

appropriation how did you know I was

going to sign it well I had a fair idea

you hadn't even asked me correct you

hadn't even approached me correct at

that moment it had slipped my mind

perhaps I didn't know I needed the

specific permission out yeah

perhaps

except I tell you something funny I came

here today and I was looking around the

room as you do and you your mind

wondering making conversation with this

delightful helpmate of yours and there I

was staring at the Northern State

Parkway yes yeah the plans on the board

well there they are and I had the

question for a younger Patriot and how

did she answer Mr Moses I'm sorry not

your fault whatever you said car don't

tell me the truth as I would expect and

I would expect that also she told me you

start a building I did say that you had

waited for my permission you just set

the [ __ ] fers

in and not just the one Park either to

do and it seems incredible to me that I

once wanted to put in charge of presence

someone who doesn't know the meaning of

the words repeat the

fender I do know their meaning governor

well then I just don't recognize myself

in the description do

not take me for a [ __ ]

idiot

Governor I have the greatest respect for

you Jesus Christ Moses if this is how

you treat the people you respect I D to

think how you treat the people you

despise which as far as I can see is

more or less the rest of the human race

none of us coming up to your stands of

Brilliance and [ __ ] int you lost a

[ __ ] case not yet you lost it it's

going to appeal now you're charging it

again with yet more Appropriations which

are illegal and don't authorized you

believe your brain can get you out of

every situation your ego get you into

every family in Long Island what they

hanging from a lamp post upside down and

that bothers you does it [ __ ] it well

does they are voters just like everyone

else that's a problem for you is it the

mick from the fourth ward cares about

the Vanderbilt does he he cares about

the the Whitney he cares about the JP

Morgans because my impression Governor

is that they're not going to vote for

you anyway so what does it matter if we

anger a few plutocrats who were never on

our side in the first place course they

have influence that's why influence with

who I am asking Governor influence with

who yeah you want a word with advice

leave the politics to me you're don't

[ __ ] death to it you get out with the

building God in heaven Governor that's

what I'm trying to do sometimes you make

it hard for me I make it hard I don't

think so you make it hard for yourself

I've got some urgent work I need to

attend to no I don't want you to do that

M cand I would like to be excused

nothing you have in hand could be as

important and what you are about to

hear and what is

that Mr Moses backing

down Mr Moses telling me he's going to

OB obey me in

future when you hog the bourbon for

yourself do

you no have some give some to your

friends no oh no thank you drink drink

for Christ's sake get into the spirit of

the

meeting

Here's to You Governor to you to

you you say to ignore the politics yes

but the building is the politics I'm

handing you a popular cause my if I

should be this run with it I'll run with

the cause the cause is fresh air even if

I hate the stuff myself but I won't run

with the methods I won't you're breaking

the law I'm in a hurry and I'm in a

hurry to help to help the millions out

there who have no access to a good life

and if a few fences get kicked over in

the process does it really matter please

so what do you suggest I suggest you

appear in court on my

behalf are you out of your head I don't

think Governor never appear in court

never I know it's that's why I want you

to do it in 3 weeks we have a hearing an

appeal where Riverhead that's at the end

of Long Island I suggest you gather

together a party of reporters oh

including the New York Times now oh

never for getting the and you all travel

together all friendly all chatting so

that there's plenty of publicity when

the previously unknown happens who's the

judge and that's the point of it the

appeal hearing is in front of Justice

dun

James dunny I believe you're already

friends we know each other yes I believe

you play cards yeah from time to time at

your Club po dun is going to be

flattered to see you in his court true

he will and then maybe afterwards you

might take him to

lunch given that you're well acquainted

and both have an appetite around

noon and if I did that what argument

would I be making it's pointless to

dispute whether the tailor estate is or

isn't a pork because if he goes there

Justice Done will find picnic tables he

will find changing rooms he will find

children from the slums playing

contentedly in the Sun and given that

facilities have been provided and that

all summer long visitors have been

enjoying the place does he really want

to go down in history as the judge who

stole a pork from the people of New York

does he want that Mark against his name

and so tell me please if that's the line

of argument it is that's our case in a

nutshell yeah but the Pok already exists

why take it away that's the case then I

suppose I would want to know why it

would be me having to make it rather

than you obvious because it can't be

said in the court but it can be said in

private over

lunch just so and also and and I make no

secret of this um I'm a bad witness

really on the stand when I had to appear

it was not advantageous why not

people take against me what people

everyone in the

court why something in my manner what

sort of thing they think I'm arrogant

what on Earth will make them think

that well you're likable I'm

not well that's a hell of a thing for

any man to say well I've said it many

men may think it but it's R to say it

well there we are and to say it in front

of your Juniors too even R oh I have no

secrets from them I make a poor

impression in court it's not my natural

field of operation if you can swing this

thing Al if you can charm that judge

then you have my word you will have

cleared your path to your reelection and

I don't know any right thinking man in

the state of New York who won't throw

their hat in the air when that

happens I'm going to think about this

good yeah I'm I'm going to think about

what you suggest thank you Governor

that's kind of you we are in your depth

oh yeah one another thing anything I

nearly forgot uh the train train yes the

Train the Jones Beach remember oh yes

yeah when you open up your beautiful

beach your Masterpiece you need to

provide public transportation how the

plans coming on well they're

embryonic you're going to have to say

that again they're advancing oh good but

I still imagine the majority of people

are arriving by car yeah I'm sure you do

Governor the car is the future I believe

in the motorc car yes but I'm talking

about the poor people bob the people

can't afford cause the colored people

bob the Hispanics how are they going to

get to the beach people want to travel

alone not to have to suffer other

people's mess and noise some people

don't have a

choice you don't come from the workers

Bob I do and I know what they like they

like mess of noise they think that's the

noise of life I think you'll find the

majority prefer to go under their own

steam in their own own contained space I

want a

train I want my voters on this beach all

of them it's an order trains buses cars

or

three oh no

beach I'll bear that in

mind give my regards to Mary certainly I

will are you taking enough care there

are times I wonder do you take enough

care of her no I promise I do good a

porter will see you on your way it'll be

a privilege and thank you

Governor hard to leave a meeting with

Moses without feeling you've been

robbed just as hard to know what the

[ __ ] you've been robbed

off goodbye

everyone well that went off as well as

we could have

hoped L the s mood I'm not sour you are

sour

why because specifically yesterday you

said no train I did say that and I'm

still saying that and I'll continue to

say that whatever the governor requests

you work for me fola not for him you

have a problem with that I want a clean

Beach I want unspoiled Beach unspoiled I

want a

non-commercial Beach so let me get this

Stace we're building a beach for the

masses correct but the masses won't be

able to get there by train and if we

stick to the current plans you're not

even giving access for buses so remind

me again which masses exactly is this

beach for they arrive by

car or they don't arrive and the people

who can't afford a car don't you start

Fula don't you

start

doubting

[Music]

so that's how we

began Al Smith took the judge out to

lunch today if a person is driving on a

road anywhere in New York state which

has the word Expressway in its name they

are driving on a road built by Robert

Moses eventually we would build

627 miles of Highway early in the 50s I

moved from Iron Age to architectural

Forum I was still a

Scribbler by then Robert Moses was

everywhere all over the state and all

over the city I only knew what everyone

knew that he was straight line

crazy like so many planners he wanted to

put a straight line between any two

points and build where his ruler went

now he drew a line for an

expressway straight down the middle of

the

city the moment had come to rip through

Manhattan

[Music]

itself

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

the next

speaker the next speaker is a friend of

ours she's lived in the village for many

many years it's her home as it's been

mine for oo a long time she lives on

Hudson a friend said of her what a dear

sweet character she

isn't and she's writing a book about

well it's not for me to say you tell us

Jam kind of City things there it is kind

of City things what what is a

city what should it be

why why do we live in

groups what do we want from

cities and who

decides Jane knows

everything and the one thing she really

knows is she sure as hell doesn't want a

road straight through Washington Square

Park she does

not what well what I do know cities grow

up they just happen bit by fit hand a

city to the planners and they'll make it

a desert hand it to the people and

they'll make it habitable Robert Moses

looks at the West Village and he sees a

slum I look at the West Village and I

see a healthy neighborhood I see life

right Bob Moses he loves government I

don't I don't trust it in the last 25

years Moses has moved

250,000 people out of their homes to

make way for his

roads and he's built lifeless Labs the

people who live in them hate them you

can build ovens but you can't expect the

loaves just to jump

in I don't understand why it's progress

to destroy things people love and if

you're thinking that I'm too sure of

myself I can only say you're right yes

I'm sure of myself but unlike Robert

Moses I'm not full of

myself we need War

full out and flat out to stop this

hideous violation Moses is

planning he just destroyed the Bronx now

he wants to destroy the

village now people say don't fight dirty

that's what the enemy does but I say if

the fight's in the mud then it's into

the mud we go and it's in the mud we

win

[Music]

is he back no sign of him lunch with the

mayor it's always endless he can't get

away it's quarter to 4 that's lunch for

you you Robert Wagner makes him drink

martinis which he hates and then Wagner

talks forever Mr Moses hates everyone in

Authority doesn't he oh he didn't hate

Al Smith he worshiped him I'm sorry to

ask this it's okay but just remind me Mr

Smith was Mr Moses's first governor 30

years ago is that the Al Smith that ran

for president when was that in 1928 I

wasn't

born he was

unsuccessful why'd he lose he was a Cath

Catholic you think a Catholic could

never be president all I can tell you

it's the only election Al Smith ever

lost Mr mosa says when it comes to

politicians Smith's the only one he ever

worked for all the others he worked in

spite of that's funny he still calls him

Governor he died in

1944 why was he so fond of him similar

kind of personality maybe was Mr Smith

the bully is that how you characterize

Mr

Moses oh it's all right you can say

anything you like I promise I won't get

back to

him I guess Mr Moses is a man who's used

to getting his own way he's very sure of

his own ideas and you don't agree with

him oh look Miss Connell I'm starting

out I'm just out of school I've never a

practiced

architecture

but okay well since you

ask it is all a

little

disappointing why a school we were all

on fire about wal to gropus and the

carier you know about them I do sorry of

course you do Bow House people wanting

to make architecture modern it's an

exciting time a student the sky the

limit and when I got my first job

helping out here look I know what a

Pioneer Mr Moses is New York wouldn't be

New York without him the the road

systems the Westside Highway and there

he is all over the state he is indeed

the parks playgrounds swimming pools but

just the housing schemes getting the UN

for New York everything there's never

been anything like it the scale but it's

just working with

him I am surprised are you in what way I

was expecting an exchange of idas

okay I know I'm the lowest of the low

not quite but I haven't heard much stuff

being bounced around that's true with

Bob there's not a lot of bouncing

around

also oh it it's it's complicated

um I had family who lived in the

Bronx okay uh you've never mentioned

them no close family uncles aunts

cousins they got moved

out to make way for the Cross Bronx

Expressway only that's not what my

family call it what's their name for

it they call it the Heartbreak

Highway and now they're 15 miles out Way

Beyond

Queens so I don't go around telling

everyone where I work I understand I've

only been here 8 months I'm pretty sure

it was you who wanted me for the job not

him but I've never once known him to

change his mind no about

anything does he

ever from what I've heard if you

disagree with him you don't last very

long that's not fair are you saying it

isn't true Mr Moses has built an awful

lot of stuff that means he's encountered

an awful lot of opposition that's tiring

it can make you a bit scratchy sure

someone has to lead it's impossible to

plan by

committee I don't believe anyone ever

called your Mr Kuser flexible no but

Kuser contacts people and keeps in touch

with how they live and you feel Mr Moses

doesn't you know him better than me yeah

you wouldn't have spent your whole life

with him would you unless you saw his

virtues no I wouldn't would

I Mr Porter says he's never heard you

say a word against him

when we argue it's buying closed doors

did you never work for anyone

else did you never want

to yeah sure I I would have liked to

have been an architect but it didn't pan

out like a lot of things you know apart

from anything there was the crash if you

had a paying job you held on to it but

that was a long time ago oh even after

the Depression was over the Mind Set

remained inevitably that that kind of

experience marks you also

so I got way laid by personal Misfortune

there you

are but you don't regret spending your

whole life here one thing working

here there's always

excitement and at the end of it oh let's

hope it's not the end

yet and if someone can tell me what the

point of lunch is I'd love to

know

you're happy enough to lunch when you're

the host I hate it when I'm a guest you

like to be in control and I despise the

21 Club Manhattan smug Elite eating

hamburgers and pretending to be European

forget that do you want the Pepto Bismol

urgently it's coming did you drink

Martini to be sociable I left most of it

the mayor had three no I see enough

drinking at

home I know and see he's a salad what is

that lettuce coated with

slime you really had a good time didn't

you liquid or tablet

both the mayor works the room he says

hello to the party in each Booth it's

like having lunch with a

hooker you wouldn't do that no well I

wouldn't stoop to it here the mayor for

Christ's sake respect the office let

them come to you you keep saying how

much you hate lunch but if you remember

was a lunch which got us where we are I

don't know what you're talking about oh

you know perfectly well sending Al Smith

to eat with the judge oh where was that

you know where it was at Riverhead oh

that was 30 years ago sure well it was

no big deal if we hadn't done it we'd be

nowhere it all started there everything

oh that's your opinion that's just your

opinion and there's a reason is there

you're standing there like a

lemon yes so what is it Washington

Square what about it I was asked to take

care of it you delegated Bob it's

Mariah's patch what do I need to know

well sir there's quite a strong

residence group for me that I don't know

already a group who live in the village

they're getting together women are they

mostly thought

so this group is well educated they're

literate they're extremely well informed

I meant to be in proc and if you

remember we promised them a public

meeting a meeting for them to put there

objections they want to keep the park

apart it will be a par well they don't

think so they think the road's going to

change the whole feeling of the square

it'll be different well of course it'll

be different it's going to be dissected

by a sunken Highway exactly have they

missed the word sunken no and over this

sunken highway I will place a pedestrian

bridge so the nursing mothers may push

their baby carriages and Veterans May

roll their wheelchairs Life Will Go On

as before I have promised that the two

parts of Washington Square Park will be

satisfactorily joined they don't see it

that way well that's because they're

troublemakers and they can't read a

technical drawing who can they're also

worried about noise well if they're

worried about noise they shouldn't live

in the city they want a public meeting

yeah I know what they want I've asked

you a few

times I don't think we can put them off

any

longer I need you to give me a

date tomorrow say what at 10: in the

morning if they want a meeting give them

one h a hall a hall well we can't hold

it in the street Mr Porter will go with

you the two of you can have breakfast

anything you want scrambled eggs bacon

half hash browns I don't care on

expenses and uh will you be coming in

person I think not I'm delegating

remember but sir are we really going to

call a meeting that soon why not

tomorrow morning what's wrong with

tomorrow how to notify the interested

parties how they make themselves free at

such short notice well call the

organizers they must have a figure head

there's a woman what sort of woman she's

an actress have I heard of her her

name's Charlie hay well then I'm sure

she has time on her

hands and there's a journalist helping

her whoa call them up put up some

posters isn't that rather aren what what

what is your problem exactly Miss Herer

I'm just saying you seem to have a

struggle with the English

language you just said these people

people were well informed well educated

they live in the village well with all

their degrees and their qualifications

surely they can read posters can't they

but we have to give them Fair notice

don't we legally yes as it happens not

it's our right to hold the meeting

whenever we want and they can all bring

their guitars and their poetry books and

all the other clutter of their well

stocked Minds I'm sure they can make

themselves free it's not as if these

people have regular job I'm I'm sorry

but it seems

underhand the protesters have wanted a

meaning from months and suddenly we

throw one together so fast as to wrong

with them so where's the dishonesty you

keep reporting to me that they've been

complaining about the endless delay well

they have oh now they can't complain

anymore can they am I right fena any

objective Observer would say we're

tackling the matter with commendable

dispatch I I really don't think it's

right you going to tell me

why well for a

start I've read about your early days Mr

Moses opening up Long Island mhm you

were an activist activism made you and

now these people are also activists also

in a cause they believe in now it's

their turn and they deserve our

respect Mariah it is isn't

it it's Mariah Mariah I've given you a

simple instruction to organize a meeting

for tomorrow I know so please go and do

it I'm not at

peace well then I'm going to have to ask

you a question whose side are you on

Mariah that's my question whose side are

you

on forgive me for saying this but your

way of thinking is extremely

oldfashioned oh you think so do you the

planner sits in the office and imposes

his will nowadays people don't want to

be told how to live they want to choose

how to live and they have that

right you know as well as I do that the

traffic flows freely on Fifth Avenue

until reaches 8th Street yes and Below

8th Street it's hopelessly congested am

I right it can be congested yes on

occasion I plan to serve the population

yes serve it by liberating that traffic

with a well planned Highway which will

funnel drivers straight through

Washington Square and onwards into L

manh I know the

intention all I can

say I've noticed in the month since I

started that you seem to th thrive on

conflict and on confrontation oh do I we

were taught at school the issue is never

about winning or losing it's about

what's best for the community and if

with the help of the community's input

we can improve our scheme well in my

opinion that's a good thing worth doing

very well Mariah you've given me your

opinion and I value it now if you would

please find Mr Porter and call the

meeting for tomorrow

morning I'll do what you want that's

kind of you I've registered my objection

it's noted

thank you for hearing me not at

all well done

Mariah get rid of

her sorry she's not with us oh Bob let

her call the meeting for tomorrow and

then she goes Finola she's in the wrong

job she'll never be any good Mariah is

exactly what we need here she puts us

back in touch and you think I'm out of

touch no but she's younger she's closer

to the

ground 20 years I know it's been 20

years I know that for 20 years I've

planned a highway which would take

traffic downtown I remember and onwards

remember and onwards and now finally the

prize is in our grasp what I'm to throw

the plan of a whole lifetime aside in

favor of a group of minstrels and

artistic women with

handbags outside the city fola we

thrived we've transform the landscape on

Long Island Upstate down state a network

of roads and bridges

unparalleled the Romans built roads

which have lasted 2,000 years who's to

say ours won't last as long and even

inside the city itself countless slums

destroyed tenaments gone to be replaced

by efficient clean housing blocks

pleasing to the eye and hygienic for the

purpose of living CLE clearance urban

renewal but in one aspect in one aspect

of all work we failed we fail to give

the borrow of Manhattan the road system

it deserves it's as if they want us out

there and to stay out there Outsiders

forever and never inside the Citadel

itself we break

Manhattan or it breaks

us Bob you exaggerate no I don't think

so you take everything too hard and if I

didn't what would New York be just one

more provincial City a static port on

the Eastern seab board between a couple

of

rivers unbridge you take it personally

it isn't

personal it's personal no no it's it's

the mood of the time all that excuse

it's not an excuse a leader makes the

mood he is not a victim of it I provide

contracts I provide jobs things AR that

simple anymore Bob people want have a

say they want have a state and they

think they're qualified do they as

qualified as anyone really yes qualified

to manage a huge Metropolitan arterial

complex are they not as qualified as you

are no no as you say who provides the

vision who provides the

overview once Americans cease to believe

they can remake America better well then

it ceases to be America and the worst

thing is to see the change in

you what change well you know what I'm

saying on this occasion no oh yes you do

how you once believed and now you don't

I still believe so tell me why are we

not firing that girl you can fire her

what and live with your disapproval oh I

can move to another office no I don't

want that I I like you in

here time was you'd have got rid of her

before I even asked time was and you

brought her in I was always against her

you you can tell she gets on my nerves

everything gets on your nerves B you

would once have fired her and now you

won't why is that you know very well the

reason she reminds me of

me when you were starting out exactly

when you were a girl well she has more

money than I did oh and less humor she

has a better background her father's a

professor I might have known Misfortune

is not yet marked yeah she's young but

she's in it not for herself but for the

people and you think I'm

not why trample on a flower when you

don't need to is that what she

is is that what you

were tell me something Fula would you

ever resign from my employment me yeah

would I ever drive you to

that oh just tell them to fix the

meeting for the

morning I

will

we saw what

happened we saw what happened in the

Bronx a great brutal carving knife

slashed through the heart of a community

a community of the poorest and most

powerless people in New York shipped out

of town to God knows where all for a

road which was at a standstill on the

very first

day if Mr Moses thinks he can pull that

same trick twice he's got another think

[Applause]

coming is there no end to his

vandalism where will it

stop do you know what this place is I

think I do do you know what it means not

just to the people who live here do you

understand it's historic import import I

certainly hope

so this is New York's quintessential

meeting place and your boss intends to

destroy it with a four lane

Highway if Washington Square isn't safe

where is well said excuse me you asked

for this meeting and after 20 minutes

we've barely got a word out what do you

want Anarchy no democracy

that's right this is our third

year this is our third consecutive year

of opposition I don't think you've ever

understood the anger I understand the

anger very well do you yes indeed I

could hardly miss it Miss heler and I

wouldn't be here if we didn't want to

listen Mrs Jacobs you have a question

perhaps you can tell us why Mr Moses

isn't here in person I don't know why

you want to personalize this because it

is personal the highway is the policy of

the whole Planning Commission Mr Moses

is the Planning Commission we all know

that why does he never meet his critics

he meets his critics all the time get

out he he he's up in an ivory Tower he

won't even interview LS has tried I've

tried he refuses to talk to us he'll

only speak to people who he agrees with

him oh yeah he'll talk to the New York

Times twice during the week three times

on Sunday M's ideas which are being

copied all over the country in every

city in America it's roads roads roads

yes if he's influential it's for good

reason then tell me this why is Mr Moses

so hostile to Rapid

Transit is he hostile explain to me why

he's built hundreds of miles of roads

and not a single Subway and not a single

rail track not a single one in 25 years

do you want to take this Mariah no oh I

would you take it very well are you sure

I'd rather you just tell me Mrs Jacobs

I'm happy to debate with you but

honestly what does Mr mos' attitude to

mass transit have to do with Washington

Square everything I'd have thought

because Mr Moses is a man under

hypnosis he got hypnotized at the age of

25 by two ideas and they're both

delusions and what are they but first he

has the insane idea that the answer to

the problem of too many cars is more

cars and second he's convinced the

answer to the problem of congestion on

our roads is more roads Mrs Jacobs you

and your friends can hardly deny New

York has a problem with congestion and

uh what will you do by building a new

road except move the whole problem

further south right it won't go away the

jams will just happen further downtown

but haven't you people learned anything

in the last 30

years you have to listen to Mr Porter

you really do

why I'll tell you

why I only joined the Planning

Commission eight months ago but I

realized on the day I arrived that Ariel

really is a man who is utterly sincere

and dedicated in making the city as

livable as he

can

please

oh thank you Mariah that's

kind thank

you Mrs Jacob well every time Mr Moses

builds a new road he says it's going to

free up the highways and make car

Journey shorter and get us all home so

we can look after our children and be

saintly to our wives and you know what

happens in reality please go ahead I'd

love to know oh cars cars in New York Mr

Porter they move slower than the horses

they

replace and to make his precious roads

Mr Moses smashes ahead by

violence that's what he's done in the

Bronx with his disastrous Expressway oh

you think the tenements we knocked down

in the Bronx were worthwhile do you Mrs

Jacobs you think slums are worthwhile

she's not saying that you want to

preserve them do you that's not what she

saying people Mr Porter people lived in

those slums you're right they lived in

those uninhabitable places full of rats

and dark and dirt and you want to

preserve them because you don't have to

live in them it's very easy for you Mrs

Jacobs to wave a privileged hand and say

oh these slums are so picturesque if you

think Jane is privileged you know

nothing about her truly there is an

element of snobbery in all this a city

has to change if it's to live look I can

see you all want to set up an opposition

here planners bad people good but it's

not as simple as that in Washington

Square you have something special right

people can stroll they can play chess

they can make music and sure if I lived

here among other educated folk I would

want to defend it too but doesn't it

concern you that the city will die if

the lucky few just hang on to their

favorite corners and don't make any

arrangements to help people elsewhere oh

so we all have to live at a common level

of ugliness yes no that's what he's

saying everything has to be dragged down

to the level of the world no I'm not

saying that I'm saying a good road will

help people less fortunate than you

speed down to their own quarter and

unimpeded movement is in everyone's

interest can't you be more generous to

others can't you think of the good of

other people not just the people in the

nice parts of

town look I've worked for Mr Moses for

over 30

years Mr Moses never claimed the car

would solve Mankind's problems any more

than the the refrigerator or the

dishwasher would but whether you like it

or not the car is the

future we have no future unless we work

with the grain of progress not against

it that was a funny tone to that meeting

I noticed it straight away for a start

mother's B their kids it wasn't just

people saying no it was people who

actually had different ideas we've never

heard of Jane Jacobs who had she looked

like a housewife that's why no one had

noticed her Robert Moses had driven an

Express way through the South Bronx and

he'd opened up Long Island so he had

history he'd beaten the slum dwellers

and he'd beaten the

aristocrats but now he was taking on a

far deadlier

enemy the one no one ever

beats this time he was fighting the

middle

classes you waited for me yes how was it

as bad as you would expect I'm sorry I

don't want to talk about it I didn't

mean to intrude and you miss heler you

stayed also yes yes I'm wondering do you

have a young

man I do as a matter of fact he waits

for you in the evening he's studying to

be a doctor so he works late also but

who works later almost always me

good we have bad news is that the only

reason you stayed no now I stayed to be

sure you were all right I'm all right

why would I not be I was concerned for

for you pork your

concern and also to bring you up to date

Eleanor Roosevelt has joined the

committee Mrs Roosevelt yeah which

committee has she joined to save

Washington Square oh isn't that what

we'd expect maybe is there a vexatious

cause In America which does not attract

her support as long as Mrs Roosevelt can

display herself as virtuous thereby yes

well then but she's also written a

column where the New York Post it

appears tomorrow will you have a copy

you want to read it oh hardle Gera yes

Schiller yes Aristotle regularly but the

Roosevelts no never in my life so what

does she tell us just give me the gist

she says the highway will destroy the

essential character of the neighborhood

and it should be postponed and the more

important question yes has Mrs Roosevelt

spotted where it's going

no nobody has I never seen that woman

without wanting to punch a stupid

liberal

face and is that it sorry you feel we

can just leave it at that what would you

prefer me to do I'm asking if you want

to reply to the pulse to a woman with a

grievance not sure what her grievance is

the world is leaving her behind her

husband was unfaithful nobody likes her

take your

pick she points out the Paradox what

Paradox is that says you made your name

creating parks and now you want to

destroy one sure for me I'll still be

ahead won't I I've doubled the green

space in New York City by 35,000 Acres

I've added zoos recreation centers ball

fields 17 miles of Beach and 658

playgrounds tell her my conscience is a

peace and to go [ __ ]

herself well I'd like to but I can't why

not because she says something else what

else she

suggests closing the square to traffic

all

together that's her plan is it yes

that's her idea

yes it's

doomed it's ridiculous I fear it may

capture the public imagination she

believes cars are strangling the city

and that certain areas should be closed

to them oh does she indeed she says all

Mr Moses wants is for cars to flow what

she wants is for people to get out of

their cars and walk what is she out of

her head I'm almost inclined to letter

her half her way does she have any idea

what will happen on 8th Street she deals

with that point can she imagine the

level of congestion she believes on the

contrary that once people are told to

avoid a particular route they will take

care not to find themselves anywhere

near a potential trouble spot she

believes that does she far from

increasing the traffic in the areas

around the square she believes closing

the square will actually have the effect

of thinning it look I'm just reporting

but what is her suggested evidence for

this Theory oh she has none she simply

believes people will behave sensibly

once warned of a closure they will avoid

it so I I've learned something there

exists on earth a human being who has

achieved three score years and 10 and

who still believes in the natural good

sense and intelligence of the common

people once warned of a closure they

will avoid it does she have any idea I

fear not no I don't know whether to Envy

Mrs Roosevelt her Gul ability or to

despise her for it as if the people will

never do what we

want let's just press ahead no we can't

as of this

moment well we're still waiting yes for

the mayor to sign off on the whole

scheme doesn't he realize doesn't he

know how important it is we have

developers private developers building

hundreds of Apartments develop in

Washington Square Village and these are

business people people from the world of

Commerce I promised them access I

promised them a

road I gave them my word then you'll

just have to break it won't

you

well what

I what are you doing here you you went

home I came

back why Ariel called me you've been to

the

Asylum no I guessed you'd come on here

well you were right does Mary know where

she

is has she been s dated

yes how was

she how was she and we say Psychiatric

clinic but it's the same thing what have

you been doing continuing to work what

else should I do is there anything I can

get you no and in the circumstances

thank you a drink least of all seems I'm

suddenly an object of sympathy and

that's not a role I relish you should

all just go to

bed well as it happens it's getting on

for when I said I'd see David oh you're

you're meeting your medical friend

tonight yes where in a bar

downtown greenage

Village it's it's cozy there how nice no

it's it's a nice area have a drink with

your nice young man and be grateful that

your life is just starting have a good

evening Mariah I

will and may I say something before I go

please do

you're no different to anyone else Mr

Moses sometimes you're

right and sometimes you're wrong thank

you Miss H I sat through that meeting

about Washington Square and I can tell

you right now you're

beaten there's a new feeling in the air

and it's going to change things you've

lost the

argument and when you refuse to admit it

you make us all look

undignified good night

it's pay

Whitney I'm sorry but Mary's at pain

Whitney no yes yes it's not a weakness

Bob to talk about your wife in front of

strangers we're strangers now are we you

me and Ariel what a hundred years of

work together between the three of us I

meant the colored girl she's gone well

that didn't stop

you Mary is an alcoholic what can I say

she's lost control the drink has gone to

her brain it's eaten her away how long

will she stay well the doctors as of

this moment that they don't believe she

will

leave you know how we were together you

know she paid my bills she bought my

clothes hell she you know she cut my

hair there's nothing in my life that she

didn't didn't do for

me there it is you know it's oh a

lifetime oh there's nothing to be done

except to absorb the blow and continue

to build you know I owe it to well

perhaps if you'd like us to cover for

you cover yes just for a few days so you

can be with Mary no that won't be

necessary I was just suggesting so fola

have you heard our

news what news about Mrs Roosevelt and

her her journalism yes I heard what do

you think I'm asking what what do you

think truthfully how else it's only the

beginning the tide is turning it's

turning slowly but it's turning worse is

to come well you know something I don't

why do you say beginning I came here I

promised myself I'd spare you why

because your wife is lying drugged in an

institution after 40 years of marriage

that's why I thought you were about to

say after 40 Years of neglect I was not

all right you think I don't feel your

rebuke what rebuke a silent rebuke daily

unspoken I sit in this room with you I

feel it no you blame me no you think her

illness is my fault I have never said

that implicitly no because I work and

work and care for nothing else cover for

me would you you think I don't know what

you say about me behind my back one to

another please if you feel guilty that's

your business you think I'm a brute I am

not don't blame your own misgivings on

Ariel or on me I have no guilt good I

have no remorse I can't be bullied into

feelings I don't have I would never try

apologies are for cowards only how

you've lived your life is your own

Affair as is mine as is Ariel's too

leave me out of

it all these years you've watched Ariel

suffer you've worked with him side by

side you've watched him fall prey to a

terrible disease but that's what

happened without once as I remember ever

won so much as remarking on it not in my

hearing ever I have not asked to be

remarked upon that's nothing to do with

this when the moment arrives when I can

no longer function I will leave it's

multiple sclerosis Bob I know that's

what Ariel deals with every day I know

that perfectly well every hour do you

think I don't know that first day he

came through on crutches what did you

ask nothing you didn't mention it later

in a wheelchair again all you ask oh God

will we have to widen the door I did not

say that that's what you said I remember

it as if it were yesterday I don't ask

for pity oh I I'm not talking about pity

I'm talking about consideration and that

Mr Moses has never given you I've never

complained see he's fine oh I know we're

all professional colleagues no more than

that God forbid we should think each

other friends I've never asked for

friendship indeed you have have not I

have preferred respect and that you had

had

yes

had I'm saying let's leave this whole

sorry business for tonight for Mary's

sake no if You' have something to tell

me tell me I can take

it well if you really want to

know the mayor has been in discre

accidentally he has spoken to Shirley

Hayes actress yes unintentionally she

leads the protest so why did they meet

she asked to see him and why did he

agree the mayor is elected unlike us he

has to listen so tell me what did he say

too much

specifically I fear he has revealed the

real purpose of the highway through

Washington

Square I can't believe it I'm afraid so

well how could he do that what

foolishness made him do that God am I

surrounded by idiots you might as well

face it you can't keep everything under

wraps forever oh can I it was bound to

come out people aren't stupid they know

your ambition they know your track

record and now they have proof it's

simple it's perfectly simple I'm

addressing a logical discrepancy which

it is my civic duty to set right look at

the map I've looked look at the network

I've seen this many times vertical

observed the horizontal ignored

look look we don't need to look Bob how

many times have we stared at that map

what kind of City have we created where

the highways run up and down but

everything gets stuck trying to get

across we've discussed this we've

discussed it many times our work is not

finished it's barely half done we know

north to south on either side the west

side Highway the East Side Highway

Traffic carried efficiently and with

speed to its destination but across the

city nothing east to west nothing it's

an offense against logic and against

reason the need is there clearly for

three elevated expressways here here and

here like Staples like Hoops of Steel so

that sideways movement across the city

becomes par possible the expressways and

Parkways of Long Island will connect

directly to the expressways and Parkways

of New Jersey and at last New York state

has opened up one piece one entity in

the city itself becomes an authentic

grid what could be more desirable than

that Manhattan will shrink to become a m

Island which it is possible to cross and

put behind you one borrow to another

Manhattan will no longer be the sinking

sand in which lateral traffic spins its

Wheels aimlessly in mud please tell me

who would not be happy with that well

since you ask it seems quite a lot of

people like who like the people who live

in Manhattan for a start what all of

them fola no is everyone against me no I

I can't say that but if it's all so

logical and desirable as you claim why

did we not published the scheme in the

first place I'm not ashamed of it if

that's what you're implying aren't you

no then why did you forbid us to speak

to this why is it such a great secret

that no one outside this room even knows

us oh it will be published you promise I

don't need to promise when at my own

speed why not now why not tonight why

not respond to this Misfortune by coming

clean because as you know people

characteristically revolt against any

Innovation is that right when advancing

any plan experience teaches us to be

strategic is that the word what word

would you prefer for the way we behave

the word I would use is

dishonest what other word might to use

in the circumstances ask Ariel oh I'm

staying out of

this all

right you put Ariel out there to defend

a scheme to the community when he's not

allowed reveal what the real purpose of

that scheme there was no need to reveal

you sent Mariah with him she's a girl

her head full of me vandero Frank Lloyd

wri you forced her to lie I did no such

thing in public at her first public

meeting Ariel we were both compromised

yes it's true thank you obviously we

were in a difficult position we

described the highway as best we could

but we could not reveal the reason for

it we were walking on

eggshells you sent them out there to

talk about relieving congestion as

though that were the purpose of the road

oh well in part it is no no the the

purpose of the road is to carry downtown

traffic towards a new cross town

Expressway that is the sole reason for

its existence it's the principal reason

yes another way of putting it you intend

to turn Washington Square into an onramp

something has to be done is there anyone

else who will dare to take the city's

problems in hand who else can do it for

every dozen men with bride ideas there

is a one who can execute them you intend

to send an expressway along between

Groom Street in Grand correct knocking

down some of the greatest industrial

architecture in America oh please do you

really fall for that stuff what stuff

conservation f for it's a racket oh in

your run by women to put a break on

progress what's its purpose what's its

Point what's its Point yes to hold on to

everything that's best no it's a plot

it's a conspiracy dreamt of by liberals

to make sure the United States is emomed

in asig forever oh really you doubt me

here here it is the most developed

country in the world with Limitless

resources and all at once fashionable

opinion tells us we can't build we can't

bring prosperity to those who need it

because those who already enjoy it don't

like the noise they have a pleasant life

for themselves and they wish to deny it

to others it's not about that isn't it

no I look at SoHo I see one thing

decline yes we may have to destroy a few

useless Lofts and abandoned premises so

what things must exist for a purpose

Soho has no purpose Vitality is

dependent on function and when function

decays so does life and you really never

look at anything anything at all and

consider it might be beautiful in

itself the principle purpose of planning

is to improve people's lives Soo

improves nothing it's one big fire

hazard well as of this evening it no

longer matters why not Everything Has

Changed things are out in the open I

welcome the fight I have fought all my

life yes with the wind behind you now

the wind is in

front you didn't hear Mariah did you you

didn't

listen it's a shame because she was

trying to tell you something surely

Hayes and people like her they're new

they're different

you call them liberals because they

dress in rain coat and have untidy hair

but Washington Square isn't a movement

it's a coalition of all

parties and it's hard to admit it Bob

it's hard for you and and it's hard for

me because we've staked so much on being

right when Mariah arrived I disregarded

her of course I did she's just out of

school what does she know then slowly I

realized what she

knows she knows what's going

on and I'll tell you what I hear when I

hear her

speak so young so

fresh it's a sound of my life going

by I've waited for you to

change and you

don't

you should go to the meetings Bob and if

you don't it's as Mariah says you lose

you think I deserve to lose do you

relish the prospect of my defeat does it

give you

pleasure I'm sorry I have to go

home uh yes if you have to my driver's

outside and he doesn't like to be laid

back to his wife well that's fair enough

he has a

life well well then he's for forunate go

please I'm going

Ariel I hope you don't feel that I am

ever callous with your illness no you're

not callous thank you not at all good

you never even notice it so how can you

be

callous well no forgive me sometimes I'm

aware I can be a little distracted yes

my mind is not always on the other

men lucky you've still got time to work

on that

then night fola good night good night

Bob good

night and uh and

suddenly it's bad between us

yes it's

bad I've always feared lassitude I've

feared inertia life has to go

forwards once you believed in cars

because you thought they would liberate

people

now you force people into cars and you

force cars onto roads because you want

to be Vindicated it's no longer about

the people it's about you people like

cars you own something and you're in

control that's a nice feeling when I was

young America was sitting there like a

10 can the car was the can opener it

still is then I'll ask something sure

why have you never learned to drive

yourself oh no so many miles of Highway

we've build so many hundreds of miles

and in that whole time you've not driven

one well I had no need to drive I had

someone to drive for me not even for

pleasure then no not even for Mary Mary

again you see I never worried at first

why you were so against public

transportation when we built the bridges

over the road to Jones Beach remember

mhm and you built them so low buses

couldn't go under what was the

reason oh you must have had a

reason you can tell me now after all it

was a long time

ago all right then why didn't we build

Rapid Transit why have we never built

Rapid Transit you could have built a

train in fact Al Smith and you worshiped

Al Smith I specifically remember the

governor ordered you to build a train he

did then why

not oh and such a fuss we made about the

ocracy I seem to remember we were

building the Democratic Beach well and

so we did oh yes sure we built a beach

for the people two Splendid bath houses

in Barbers and brick an Egyptian relief

and a Campa to set them off a theater

for 15,000 just like the Coliseum the

finest people's beach in the world but

only for the kind of people you like I'm

not sure what you mean by that oh clean

people Bob well off people

bob wh

people what we've been doing these past

few years look at this what about it oh

when we went through the Bronx knocking

down buildings and destroying

communities do we ever stop and think

who's in those communities slum

clearance we call it I'll tell you what

slum clearance really means getting rid

of the Negroes that's what it means it's

just a fact the poorest people live in

the worst houses their color makes no

difference to me we move people out so

we should we take them out of dirty

places and we move them to cleaner

places we cut out the cancerous tissue

if you leave things as they are they rck

there's a bias in everything this office

does and it's a bias towards the better

off canola you know for well people may

not like me but they need me oh they

have needed you yes and now of course

it's suddenly fashionable to dislike me

because I am the Dirty Bastard who

pushed through the things democracy

needed but Which democracy couldn't

deliver and secretly people know that

they know I'm necessary and as long as I

go on doing what they need you could be

sure I'll be taking the

RP you're

stuck you're stuck with an idea you had

30 years ago and you can't move

on I'm leaving Bob leaving yes but you

said I know only a few weeks ago when I

asked you so tell me what what have I

done what have I done wrong is like that

I'll make it up to you that's not what

I'm saying whatever it is it's not one

thing but what is it then

Finola I mean you've given your whole

life to this work

yes yes exactly I've given my life maybe

that's this

well I've learned a lot yes in the 30

years I've adapt

adapted you've adapted yes but you

haven't

changed and I've lived half a life yes

no I know

that I lost a child I

know

Liam was 6 months old and my husband

left me well you you're not blaming me

no

and now Mary is ill yeah as you say

Beyond curing I fear lost to

you don't you think the moment comes

when we need to put down our maps and

our plans and maybe look around

us I'm going to lose you fola I know

when your mind is made up and that's

going to be a hard blow and I don't

quite know why you want to deliver it on

the day that Mary goes into the hospital

oh don't you see that that's exactly why

I want to deliver us if this is the end

of it then I tell you IID rather be

right and alone than be soft and with

other people IID rather that by God IID

rather that Oh They'll call it the

Robert Moses Expressway and the Robert

Moses pork they'll say Robert Moses the

architect of modern New York while

working all the time naturally to

undermine me to get rid of me for no

other reason but that I am

right I did what no one else could do

and it stands providing a frame for the

way New Yorkers live giving them a

structure that's going to last and all

of you fall away as we do

it yes even you f are not able to see

things through I

alone I alone see things through and

don't talk to me about life because that

is the life I chose oh yeah maybe

fashion will blow my kind of thinking

right away but I tell you one thing

about fashion one day it'll blow right

back

in so please come in one day clear your

desk when I'm not here I don't want to

see you leaving fine choose a time when

I'm out on the job God knows such a

moment won't be hard to find you'll be

as busy as ever

busier I'll be out on the George

Washington Bridge planning out a double

DEET sure or I'll be out to see where

the Burgen County Expressway should be

and the Throgs Neck Expressway and the

Clear View Expressway and the Cross

Bronx Expressway extension and the ganas

and the Flo lakes and building an Arts

Complex at Lincoln Square because who

else can they

ask if you want to

leave won't be hard to find a

time

good I'll do it

Bob I'll leave the stair light on for

you thank you

and you'd better have my

key if you need a reference I'll be

happy to give you

one well that's kind of you after all we

had good times we certain they did they

were fine

times any idea what you might be going

to honest to God I hadn't got around to

thinking maybe something which doesn't

involve knocking things down well I can

call a few people if you like call in a

few favors God NOS people owe me I won't

need that

thanks I'd rather do it on my

own

a couple of years later the city sealed

Washington Square Off from traffic alt

together nobody

complained then by Community Action we

stopped the cross town expressways and

Soho

survived survived and was reborn when

the 1960s came Governor Rockefeller got

rid of Moses it enjoyed 40 Years of

continuous power and his name had had

been on 13 different jobs I stayed with

him to the end me I moved my family to

Toronto at the end of the 60s because I

wanted my sons to avoid the

draft I was done with the US by then the

World's Fair in 1965 was kind of a

fiasco because Moses refused to build a

Subway extension to get people

there after all a Subway would have

transported just anyone at all vitality

is dependent on function and when

function decays so does life Bob Moses

never lived to see the day when the car

became Man's enemy not his friend I

became an

architect later at endless planning

meetings over the years I would hear

someone sigh in Despair and say what

this city needs is one man to take a

strong

hand and I think m

[Music]

maybe I was

lucky I'd known New York when everyone

from all backgrounds lived

together but our efforts to preserve

Greenwich Village and Soo succeeded in

transforming it into the most expensive

piece of real estate in the

world what was once a community was

cleansed of everyone but the rich The

Village was saved but it was also

destroyed whether that was Robert Moses

fault or whether it was mine I really

can't say the city

changed but Bob

couldn't I'd worked

enough and after all nobody could say we

hadn't left our

Mark life is not great for a lot of

people a drive in the country a day out

at the beach and you may forget I walk

the Strand I love it I take off my

clothes and I swim I swim as far out as

I dare and then when I begin to get

frightened I swim

out

further

w

wo

[Applause]