New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-27
Wagner's Demand Is APP
proved by Unanimous
Vote
Mayors Pro-German
Talk Called Insult
Sage Gives Figures on
Rockaway Land Want
ed for Fort
rFrgn st.1 Correspondent Of The Tri5unel
Afh.,,- March o6-The Senate vote


Albany. March 26.-The Senate voted
unanimously tonight TO subpoena
Mayor Mitchell before it TO substan-
tate his insinuation against Senator
Robert F. Wagner's loyalty to the
United States. Lieutenant Governor
Edward Schoeneck, President of the
Senate. was directed to appoint a COM
mittee OF FIVE to report on Wednesday
draft Of rules to govern the procedure
when the Mayor answers the Senate's
summons. The Senate may dispose of
the incident this week.
The chamber was more thronged to-
night than on any occasion in recent
wears. Cheers greeted the clerks an
pouncement of the vote. Henry NJ.
Sage, chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee. in the debate on the reso-
lution offered by Senator Wagner or
dering the Mayors appearance, deliv-
cred war speech.
ut has been said" declared Senator
Sage, in an attack upon the Mayors
defence Of the original Rockawsy Fort
land bill, "thst we are on the verge OF
war, and the man who says such
thing as the Mayor has said at this
time is doing an unpatriotic act.
Calls Ii Insult to Foreign Born
ut is not only charge against him
it is an insult to all foreign born
citizens in the person Of Senator Wag-
ner. He added TO the insult when he
spoke sneeringly of the gentleman
from Prussia
I'VE have not said much about war
in this body, or about patriotism. We
have thought that the people of the
state knew that we were loyal and
patriotic take this opportunity OF
saying that believe every man in this
chamber, and when ] say that ] am
glad 10 stand beside Senator Wagner, is
willing to contribute the last man and
the last dollar in this great state for
the preservation of the honor and dig
nifty Of the United States"
Senator Sage produced data from
state records to refute the Mayor and
the Rockaway- Pacific Corporation, own
er Of the land required by the Federal
government for the Rockawsy fort. The
purport of this was that the Mayor ap-
peared TO be defending the Rockaway-
Pacific Corporation in demanding an
enormous profit for land. which, in the
corporations sworn statement TO the
State Tax Department in 1916, was
worth far less than the value now al
legged
Sage Draws Conclusions
From this" said Senator Sage, "wt
can only come to one Of two conclu
sions. Either the company's sworn
statement in 1915 and 1916 was abso.
lutely false or else the enormous IN
crease in the value of this land was
due 70 the fact that the United States
needed il for a fortifcaticn TO pro-
tect the City of New York and this
company took advantage of that situa-
ton"
Senator Sage's figures show that the
Federal government required only one
third Of the Rockaway Pacific Corpora
uon's land, which was valued by the
eompany's sworn statemen. in 1915 At
H56,500. OLe-third Of this total would
be less than 100000 Senator Sage
pointed ou, that the company now
sought by hiunction TO prevent the
lands condemnation by the state, on
me ground that the appropriation OF
Sl,OO0,000 TO pay for the oLe-third re-
CURED was not enough and that con
tequential damages would total 81
100000.
This" declared Senator Sage. "is
little statement Of who is holding this
tang up. The things the Mayor said
about Senator Wagner apply equally
% every member OF this body"
Not a dissenting voice was raised
against the Wagner resolution when
ne Democratic leader called It up.
senator Wagner again branded the
Mayors assertion that ne (Wagner) ap-
pesred 20 be working in the interest OF
Germsny in the Rockaway Fort land
cesl. as a vile, scurrilous attack upon
bis honor and patriotism" This das-
iArdly charge" he said, sis malicious
lie" he demanded retraction, said he
needed not TO proclaim his patriotism
and loyalty, but when his honor and
Patriotism we're asssiled he left the
natter In the Senate's hands.
Committee on Rules Named
senator Brown offered the amend
h.ent 10 the Wagner resolution
gNing Lieutenant Governor Schoeneck
authority 20 appoint q committee on
rules for the Mayors appearance. Tne
Lieutenant Governor announced later
me following 10 comprise the commit
zee: Senators Newton. OF Livingston;
lakewood, Of Kings; Walton, OF Ulster.
Republicans. and Foley and Walk
tf, o. New York, Democrats.
ihey are directed 10 report on
Wednesday
! cannot help joining in censure Of
NE Mayor" said Senator Brown, "for
making 20 unjust a charge. There IS
absoi0tely no foundation for II in fact
Inc action Of the Senate was unani-
nous. am only anxious that the mat
tf should be conducted with dignity
and with fairness, without screening
any one for the purpose OF preserving
NE dignity Of this body and for the
purpose Of giving Senator Wagner rca-
sonzole satisfaction, 10 which he Is en-
titled"
Senator George =. Thompson. Repub-
mean, Of Niagara. branded the whole
isnd deal ~ land sharks effort 20
fst control Of Plum Island and that
re Mayor was helping the scheme
he said Mayor Mitchell hsd reverted
70 his old habit Of using poison gas
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