New-York tribune., 1920-03-24
" omen Ask
Lobby Inquiry
By Legislature
Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip, as
Head of League Of Voters,
Links Sweet, Lusk and
Mark DAILY in Charges
Governor Likely to Act
Propaganda Against the
Welfare Bills Alleged to
Warrant an investigations
From a Staff CORRESPONDENT

From a Stat Correspondent
ALBANY, March 23.--The New Yort
State League Of Women Voters to-day
invited the Legislature to make an in,
vestigation into the charges made b,
the league involving Mark A. Daily, the
Buffalo lobbyist; Speaker Thaddeus C
Sweet and Senator Clayton R. Lusk
The invitation was extended by Mrs
Frank A. Vanderlip, chairman Of the
league, who promised that all the
charges embraced in the report flee
by the league yesterday with the Gov.
ernor and the memocrs of the Legis-
lature can be proved.
"Other important revelations will be
presented BY the league at any time
members of the Legislature care to &c
into the matter" said Mrs. Vanderlip
Senator Lusk characterized yester-
days revelations as ''all bunk
"The league" replied Mrs. Wander.
lip, us ready to prove at any time that
its revelations concerning the Sweet
Daly-Lusk propaganda are rot all
bunk"
Governor May Act
Daily to-day declared he would well
come an investigation.
But Speaker Sweet had nothing to
say, standing on his statement of last
"Fudge!" was the Speakers chief COM
ment last night.
But despite the attempts of Lusk,
Daily and Sweet to ignore the charges,
there are rumors here that either SEN
ator Frederick Nj. Davenport, of Oneida,
or Senator George +. Thompson, of
Niagara, would introduce resolutions
calling for an investigation of the
charges.
There is strong likelihood of Gov
crnor Smith taking a hand in the af-
fair. He has had conferences with the
executive council of the New York State
League of Women Voters, but, so far,
he has withheld comment. 1t is said by
mis- friends that he probably will make
an important statement concerning the
charges on Friday.
Senator Davenport, who introduced
the health insurance bill, which along
with other welfare measures were
killed by Speaker Sweet at the last
session of the Legislature, has charged
on the floor of the Senate that there
ing by stealth to defeat the bill. This
was two weeks ago, when he introduced
he measure.
Davenport did not name Sweet or
Daily in his charges, but he had them
u mind.
Daly's denial of the charges made
ny the League of Women Voters was
1ade at the hearing to-day in the Sen
ate Chamber on the minimum wage and
eight-hour day for women.
mere are two of the so-called social
Welfare bills which Sweet succeeded
III killing last year after the Senate
aassed them. DAILY was the chief op-
nonents of the measures here to-day.
Opposition Heard First
The eight-hour law was introduced
by Senator Seymour Lowman, of Che
nung County, and by Assemblyman
William T. Simpson, of Brooklyn. The
minimum wage bill was introduced by
.enator Salvatore l.. Cotillo, of New
york and Assemblyman Theodore
..oosevelt.
Opposing Daily and the few women
vho also came there to urge the de-
cat of the measures were representa-
ives OF 242 labor organizations, civic
podies, aggregations OF church work
ers and reform associations.
The principal opponent of the meas
iires, outside of DAILY and the people
nc represents, was the League for Equal
Opportunity, which is composed of s..
900 members.
The opposition was heard first. Dal,
was the second speaker He said tha
Se represented the associated indus
sres OF New York State, which he sait
reputable manufacturers and mer
chants" He declared that the attacl
IN him and his associates was al
nttempt to discredt him and was psy
chologically timed to assist the pas
sage of the bills which he was oppos
ing. He then said that in justice tt
himself and the members Of his or
ganization he should make a state
ment, and, reading from a typwrittel
manuscript, he said:
II desire to say, first, that for 81:
years l have represented associated in
dustrles IN Albany as the general sec
retary OF the organization, and that M
one else, either directly or indirectly
with the exception of our experts OF
tax matters, had any authority to rep
resent the organization, nor has it, t.
my knowledge. been represented b,
another. If that constitutes lobby
then | am lobby
During that six years l never have
~ word or deed, used any furtive. ulte
i.nr, invisible or other illegal or lille
cltimate methods, but have present
sa the arguments of the people | rep
.ssent openly and fairly, either for o
against proposed laws, and have bee1
content to accept the decision of tn,
Legislature, or the Governor, whatevc
tnat decision may have been.
Daily Charges Malice
so far as the statement of tn,
League of Women Voters refers to M
OF TO the people | represent, it il
mailciously untrue, and l would wei
come any investigation that would fair
ly seek the facts"
Daly denied that there was any SIMS
yer aliiance between his organizatio,
ana the League for Americanism. whicl
mas been characterized by the New
YORK state League for Women Voter
rs an onshoot OF the Daily organization
and p:seudo'patriotic body whose rea
object IS to defeat the health insur
ance bill and other legislation whicl
is not favored by the insurance com
panies. wan
The two other principal sneaker
against the legislation we're Mrs, Nor
Blatch Barney and Mrs. Ada r. wolf,
Of New York City. Miss Clara Nor
tenson. secretary of the minimum wag
commission for the District of Colum
bia, told how we'll the minimum wag
worked in the national capital.
Commissioner Frances Perkins. o
the Industrial Commission. whose an
poirtmet was confirmed despite To
frantic efforts of Daily to prevent. sal
that the Industrial Commission wa