The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-16

/ Poard of Aldermen, wanted to know II
Mr.. Unternyer was not going to fol-
/ low an Official graft trail" If he hits
one. Major La Guard a became quite
! heated as he talked He asked;
/ II will ask you to turn over to us
T RNy information you unearth showing
/ misconduct, or negligence, or crime. V
any has been committed by any memboi
- the city government"
Mr.. Untermyer said he might, but
more probably such Information woul
90 to the prescott ng officer In charge
Of the criminal cases. and added
When we come to picking out evil
dence end pieclng II together. bits OF
evidence necessary TO make case OF
criminal consp racy. then we hand II
over to the criminal DEPARTMENT of our
organization and they may come across
some OF those things which we would
perhaps not come across. If we were 10
undertake in each case TO fill out all the
details OF crime Il would take us a
week or two 70 make each case, and
where would we be?''
Not Seeking Criminal Evidence.
Then may ask you this in al
seriousness" sa d La Guardia, Gin the
course OF these Investigations. where
you come to the point where you have
information sufficient TO satisfy the pur-
rose of your investigation, il by going q
little further you can determ ne that
there has been misconduct on the part
of the city officials. will you continue
or drop II at that pointY"
I'VE shall drop II right there be-
cause that is not our business. unless II
Is so interviewer tn our case" said
Mr.. Unterinyer. For, instance. take
the court house. The limestone con-
tract was interviewer with the existence
OF ring OF nine contractors that had
got together for this express pur-
pose of designating one to bid. That
was so spec fic with respect to the city
work itself that we had to take that VI
as indicating the existence Of a ring
within ring. but that does not al
ways happen"
Exactly. SIR" said La Guardia. LET
us take the illustration. VIII you pur-
sue that further and see II any city
official was involved in that?
1--WE would never get through" said
Mr.. Untermyer. I'VE cannot do that
IT isn't within our power. We are not
organized or empowered 10 investigate
city departments and we do not want
20 DO It,"
~ suggested to President La Guards
that that appl es in every instance ex'
cept TO the Mayor" said the Mayor
"On the contrary, / think we have
been very tender with the Mayor saiC
Mr. Untermyer. I'VE did not finish Gun
examination by the way. Mr.. Mayor
We suspended on It,"
THE Mayor is prepared to go on any
day you are ready" said Hylan.
"Mr. Mayor. you had no right to in
teriect that remark" said Mr.. Inter
myer. I'VE found certain tn ngs II
/ connection with the court house ard 1
was our duty to expose the whole Het
I trick scheme. and there was no dis
( elimination, there was no favor abo
II. II we come across another case o
that with respect to anybody else, II VII
be our duty, as an element of the com
bnation and the way Il was worked. tS
point it OUT
wants officials scrutintzed.
II simply want to say, counsellor, as
n member of this board" said LIS
Guardia. mot hav ng the powers OF
~; hpoena, not having the enormous
bowers Of your committee, beg you 81
that point 70 pursue further and see u
any official OF the city is involved.
beg your committee to do that"
Mr.. La Guarda stood and pounded the
table as ne pieaueo'
Don't be vehement about It," saio
Mr. Untermyer. I'VE have often said
Sufficient unto the day is the EVIL
! thereof
Mr.. Untermyer suggested that tbs
"irrepiessiole industry OF the Commits
sioner OF Accounts might find opportu'
nifty in Investigating contracts. Annini
s. Prall President of the Board of Edu
cation. asked that the committee tak'
up all school contracts. Mr.. Pral sale
the school officials had no staff to d.
the probing
"Th.y have Gas men in Snyder'i
bureau alone" the Comptroller said.
ut is ridiculous: there are mer
enough 10 Investigate all the contracts
in the country" Mr. Untermyer said.
II am not going to let them have any
one from my cffice." the Comptroilel
said. IT loaned them some men Lac
year and then they said I was tryins
to interfere"
you qualified Snyder as an expert or
the stand and now you want to dls
qualify him." Mr.. Untermyer said.
'"Wnl the committee be satisfied K
have the Commissioner OF Accounts in
vestigate?' FIR. Pran asked.
"Oh. don't start n row here SIr
UuterTnyer said. in disgust.
Mr.. Pral said nobody could get In
formation from the Board Of Education
unless the Supcriu lndent OF Schools
gave permission.
IT think that f. scapdalous," Mr.
4 Cntermyer remarked.