New-York tribune., 1920-10-15
Untermyer to
Aid Inquiry Into
Building Costs
Accepts Post as Counsel to-
Lockwood Committee on
Condition That None Will
Be Spared From Exposure
First Session Tuesday
Will Prosecute Witnesses
Who Refuse to Testify;
Other Lawyers MAY Assist

Samuel Untermyer will act as asso-
ciate counsel to the Joint Legislative
Committee on Housing in its investi-
CATION into the alleged conspiracy
among certain manufacturers and deal
ers to maintain the cost of building
materials at artificial levels. The COM
mttee will start work immediately and
the first public hearing will be held in
the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall
Tuesday.
The acceptance by Mr.. Untermyer Of
the task came after long conference
at his Office yesterday with Senator
Charles c. Lockwood, chairman Of the
committee, and two other members.
Despite the expressed desire of Mr.
untermyer, Senator Lockwood failed
to make public the correspo spondence that
passed between the lawyer and the
committee, although previously Sena-
tor Lockwood had promised to do So
1t is understood this correspondence
contains matter of utmost public i'm
pOrtance
No One Will Be Spared
It is understood that Mr. Untermyer
based his acceptance of the duty upon
the condition that the investigation
proceed with dispatch and that it be
continued to its logical conclusion ir-
respective Of the standing of the per-
sons who might become involved. In
addition to the building materials in
quiry the committee will investigate
the reason why some savings banks
and life insurance companies are neg
lectirg the real estate mortgage mar
ket and investing their surplus in Wall
Street securities
AS evidence Of the determination to
press the investigation to the limits,
Mr.. Untermyer has insisted that the
two paragraphs of Article 1914 of the
Criminal Code be invoked during the
hearings. These two paragraphs, 1929
and 1880, make it a misdemeanor for
any person to refuse to respond to the
call of a subpoena issued by legisla-
tiYe committee, or to refuse to testify
before such q body when called.
The committee will request the CO.
operation Of the District Attorneys
office and the office of the United
States Attorney, and any cases of
stubborn witnesses will be Immediately
placed before the State or Federal
Grand Jury, as the circumstances war
rant.
Subpoena Servers Busy
Between now and Tuesday subpoena
servers will be sent out to serve wit
nesses who are expected to be the first
TO testify.
An attempt will be made to secure
the services Of one or two other emf
nent lawyers to act with Mr.. Unter-
myer as associate counsel. Two prom
inent members Of the bar already have
been approached, and it is possible
that khey will accept. One is Repub-
lican and the other a Democrat, it is
underatood. Mr.. Untermyer is willing
to act with them.
The Joint committee was appointed by
the Legislature as a direct result of
charges made by Mr.. Untermyer that a
conspiracy existed to maintain the
prices of materials needed in the con-
struction Of houses at a fictitiously
high level. He offered to conduct the
investigation into this alleged con-
spiracy and expose conditions that
could be used for the purpose of pass
ing remedial legislation at the regular
session of the Legislature next winter.