The evening world., 1911-04-01
POLITICIANS WON'T
LET HIM ENFORCE
LAW, SAYS MILLER
Tells Employers Liability
Commission Building De-
partment Is lnterfered With.
SHIFTS RESPONSIBILITY.
Wants Police Given Authority
TO See That Human Life
Is Protected.

Rudolph y. Miller. Superintendent OF
Buildings. admitted lis inability to en-
force the law fos tho protection o, hu-
man Ike a: n secret hearing Of tho
Employers Liability Commission hcid
Al the commissions Offices In .hc Met
ropoll,1n Towcr.
Miller pleaded that the Influences
brought to boar by district leaders and
politicians had . great deal TO Do with
the non-cnforceneij ~ the law. and
he asked that the responsibility be
taken away from Dis department and
placed IN the hands OF the police.
This hearing was bchind closed doors.
&, was explained to-day. because the
commission wanted - get At the real
conditions in Now York city and md
out just where the responsibility for
loss of life in such disasters as that
which occurred a week q really be-
longcf Miller was assured by the
Commissioners that he could talk .ree-
lb as there were no reporters present.
investigating Life Protection.
The hearing was conducted by n sub
committee charged with the inyestiga-
ton of the subject OF protection OF
human life. Prof. III. Il. Soager OF CO.
lumbia University. who Is a member
OF the commission. presided at the meet
ing. n other commissioners present
were Miss Crystal Eastman and George
W. Smith.
supt. Miller took n brief respite from
his task OF drafting a report intended
to explain that his department is not
responsible for the conditions which
caused the death OF nearly 100 girls n
week ago 10 20 before the Commission
Other witnesses at this secret hearing
we're Fire Commissions Rhlnciander
Waldo. Chief Croker and Otto NJ. Ed
litz. representing the builders OF the
city.
The commission asked supt. Miller II
he considered the city had adequate
power to compel the installation OF
prope protective devises. He replied
that he thought the code gave suffi-
Client power to the officials, but was in
clined to evadS the question when asked
II the orders OF his department were
enforced.
Politicians Interfere.
whsn ras'o osasrs sNs 'ss"~'
~. A'nsr toid 'hs oo"mis''on'
"psopAe VINO nave ihnuenos 'Fy W
nave snsm moained' Ths owners
OF buildings resort TO every mems
possible to have the orders changed
70 CONFORM 10 tns'r V'e"' Vi no"
things shouid be. The district
leader a-d the politician are ap-
peaisd 10 ana tnsy wieia tneir IN
nuenoss The resuit - thst tho as-
partment 10 hampsred In the per-
formanos OF It's work.
This amazing confession that distri''
leaders ana political ward heelers ~
shnl'leht influence In oflclal quarters to
laiertere win the work OF protoctinh
human NE started Inc commission
superintendent Miller was asked VIVA
remedy ne had 10 suggest lie declared
iAat "hl'e ne thousht the buililns he'
Ia''"'eH' S''u'n ""N' we power w pass
upon l"A"S u"' p'"'c'''' "eN'''s 'h'
Lesisiatuie shonld pass a measure TAX
lhs tne Enforcement out Oh TIE hahus 4"
MS department anu make 'ho ioHc'
Dsp'''neht ''sPohs'"'e'
Waloo ana Croker opposed.
Some of the commissioners SCENE,
to think such "A chance ,uld open M
a fertile field of graf ..r the police
Fire Commissioner waldo, who wa
present. was asked his views on tina
po!nt, and both he and chief Croke