The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-20

to be able to prove and punish felonies
in the way of gross frauds practised
upon the city which there was no hope
of otherwise reaching besides securing
in this way evidence Of other and more
important unlawful combinations which
we have in that way secured.
fapInn Turns out tn BE Thorn.
ever since the duties of the COM
mittee required that we delve into the
peculiar relations between Hettricl and
the city administration Senator Kap1an
has been q thorn in our side. He has
been the one man on the committee who
has tried to give it political COM
plexion. which we have all indust-iously
and successfully sought to avoid.
"Of the ten members of the commit
tee senator Kaplan has at all times been
the sole disturbing factor. The purpose
and mainsprings of his actions have
been familiar TO us all. The fact that
he has been opposed throughout by each
and all of his nine associates, Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike. renders
further comment from me unnecessary.
THE offence to Judge McAvoy and
the contempt OF his. court that are in
Nolved in Senator Kaplans demagogic
criticisms of Il situation OF which he is
as Ignorant as the man in the street
are not likely to go unnoticed. II his
experience and performance az lawyer
did not make ludicrous his idle boasts
about having volunteered to try the com
plicated limestone cases himself 20 those
who know the situation. he would realize
something Of what IL means to secure
convictions in this class Of cases. in
which convictions have been so few and
far between
"The truth is that he never prosecuted
single one in his life and knows moth
ing of the difficulties that he so glioly
Ignores. On the other hand. the distin-
guished men who recommended this ac-
ton and have spent their lives in dealing
with this subject and who are members
OF the legal staff on the criminal side of
these cases. including Deputy Attorney
General Berger. ex-Dstrict Attorney
Perkins. Assistant District Attorns y
tombstone Mr.. Train. Mr.. Spence and
Mr.. Morton, not only approved but were
highly pleased at the result.
Greater Offenders Sought.
Business men do not lightly plead
guilty to such offences and turn States
evidence without even receiving immu-
nifty. as these men were required to dc
besides disbanding their organization
and paying heavy fines. Their testimony
Is expected TO aid In reaching the more
guilty culprits for whom these men were
largely catspaws.
Perhaps IL is the possible effect Of
these disclosures on the men higher .ip'
that is the milk in the cocoanut and thai
is so disturbing TO the peace of mind Of
certain gentlemen who are bent on min.-
MIXING the work Of the Lockwood COM
mlttee. We shall see
''rhe prosecution NJ ofrapcec diacloeo1
by the inquiry is no part OF the business
of the committee. That rests with the
prosecuting officers and the courts. For
that reason have not and do not intend
to consult the committee 1t does no.
desire to be consulted on that subject st
has distinctly and very properly SO
stated. Senator kaplan's injection Of
that foreign issue was designedly done
simply to create discord on a subject
with which he had no connection.
My activities on the criminal end
/ were. prompted by the determination to
break up these criminal combinations
and by the conviction that this could
only be accomplished by the organization
OF special corps of distinguished ex-
perts who would concentrate on this
particular work to the exclusion of the
routine OF the criminal courts.
1.-The service that / am performing in
! that respect is quite apart from my SER
vices to the committee. and the latter
| has no responsibility for or connection
with that work, as Senator Kaplan we'll
knew when he deliberately preciptatcd
/ the controversy.
ut was his last chance to SOW the
seeds of discord. which he has been 50
industriously trying from the very be-
ginning and in which he has met with
such dismal failure. Again he has
missed his mark and has succeeded only
in exposing his own motives"
Senator Abraham Kaplan gave out
tho following statement:
"I have been attacked as 10 motives
and have been accused of seeking TO in
tcrferc with the work OF the commit
tee I have repeatedly stated and voted
that the work accomplished by the com
mittee and its counsel wac wonderful
in the evidence produced. 7 voted for
that part OF both resolutions last Fri
day which expressed confidence in coun-
sci Of the committee and in the wonder
full results Obtained In public hearings.
But ! voted for recommending tho
Jail sentence for all found guilty OF
mulcting the public. What / was OPP
posed to- as cmphatically as knew how
to state IT, was the destruction OF the
value Of all these disclosures produced
after so much arduous labor as an abb
solute warning that these practices would
never again be countcnanccd.
my position was the same with re-
spect 10 all Of the law violators. in
Guiding those against whom any of The
limestone gang had any evidence suf-
ficient 10 convict.
81 challenge those who have attacked
me to justify the request OF counsel for
the committee that these wealthy law
breakers should be let go with fines.
The attempted explanation Of Chairman
Lockwood Is an effort TO shoot me Off
on n tangent and confuse the real ques-
ton. which Is:
"Why did not counsel for the Lock-
wood Committee recommend these self
confessed building grafters be given
maximum Jail senteQees7"