New-York tribune., 1919-06-09
He Asks That Counsel for
Mayors Committee Be
Permitted by Legislators to
Cross-Examine Witnesses
Hearing Resumed To-day
Officials of Life Insur-
ance Companies Among
Those To Be Questioned

The legislative inquiry into rent
profiteering in New York City, sched-
uled to be resumed to-day in the AL
dermanic Chamber of City Hall before
q joint legislative committee headed
by Senator Charles c. Lockwood, may
be held up as result of the desire of
Mayor Hylan's Committee on Rent
Prohteering to participate.
Nathan Hirsch, chairman of the
Mayors committee, sent a letter YES
tcrday to Senator Lockwood asking
that his Investigators be allowed to
take part in the examination of wit
nesses subppoenaed by the legislative
committee. Mr.. Hirsch requested SEN
ator Lockwood either to agree to the
proposal by noon to-day or to postpone
the examination of witnesses. Mr..
Hirsch's letter, in part, follows:
II understand that your committee
has subpoenaed and is intending to
begin on Monday the examination of
officers of life insurance companies.
together with material supply men,
this inc onnection with your investi-
cation into housing conditions.
Has the Same Power
"The Mayors Committee on Rent
Proflteerlng, as you doubtless know,
has Joined ad is acting with the gem
eral welfare committee of the Board
of Aldermen. The latter has the same
right to subpoenae and to compel the
attendance of witnesses and also the
production of papers as has your COM
mittee.
"1nasmuch as all of us are striving
for the same end it would appear as
though there shoulud be close CO.
operation, to the end that all the COM
mlttees may secure for the people of
the city and state the benefit of the
facts gathered and elected by each
committee, and that this should be
done at the least possible expense to
the city and the state.
"Thcrefor | suggest that your COM
mittee permit counsel for the Mayors
Committee and the General Welfare
Committee, acting through the same
committee, to participat in the ex-
animation of all witnesses and that
the counsel be given opportunity for
the fullest cross-examination.
I'm order that there may be no tech.
nical objections on the part of wit.
nesses, as to answering questions put
by counsel of any of the committees
we suggest that our counsel regarded
as associated with your committee fol
that purpose, and that purpose alone
and that your counsel may be regarded
as associated with our committee.
Choice of Two Actions
AS our hearings are to begin on
Monday, l will ask you to be good
enough either to respond to this offer
by Monday noon, or, if that be imprac-
ticable OH account of the shortness of
the notice, that you either postpone
the examination of witnesses for q
day or two or suspend their examina-
tlon subject to the questions our COM
mittee may desire to put
Senator Lockwood could not be
reached yesterday. Assemblyman Thorn
as A. McWhinney, vice chairman of the
Lockwood committee, said he was sure
Senator Lockwood would be glad to ac-
cord every possible courtesy to the
Mayors Investigators.
81 think, however," he added, "that
the suggestion that counsel represent
ing the Mayors Committee sit with
our committee and participate in the
investigation would mean confusion
and the greatest delay in clearing ur
the inquiry. We want to get at the
facts as quickly as possible, so that we
may take up the question of the cost
| IF ic+