New-York tribune., 1920-11-17
City Inquiry
On Contracts
Called Bluff
Continued from page sne>


fed me that most Of those covering
equipment connected with the schools
were fraudulent in that they were the
result of collusive bidding.
81 produced list Of these sub-con-
tracts that was kindly furnished me by
the Comptroller and that was printed
for our convenience, on which appear
the names of those ub-contractors,
going into an investigation of all lines
OF building trades, and that in the
course of that inquiry evidence would
from time to tinre be developed that
could be made available to the city and
on which it could act, thus rendering
separate investigation of the contracts
at this time unnecessary
meanwhile the city would be amply
protected in proceeding with all con-
tracts, except those already exposed
as fraudulent by the plan Of guaran-
ties and withholding payments, etc,
which had been outline; by me and
was to be put in force
Thought Conference Ended
This plan apparently solved the
situation for the time being, and We
left the conference on The understand
ing that it was ended and that the
board would consider The question of
whether, with these safeguards thrown
around the city's rights, it would not
await the development of our inyes-
tigation, which would III tie end eff
fectively, til ough Incidentally cover all
city contracts.
NO sooner were our backs turned
than, If | am correctly informed as to
what happened, the measure Of your
sincerity AMI that of the CORPORATION
Counsel as your spokesman in de-
slrlng our a'd in real investigation
and in the solution OF this difficult
problem was made all too apparent
III am rightly advised as to what
occurred, the Corporation Counsel al
most immediately after our departure
took advantage of our absence to turn
the meeting into an attack on the Lock-
wood committee by belittlng its work
and by falsely asserting and giving the
extraordinary advice that the commit
tee had not yet presented the proof
that would justify the cancellation of
single contract with the city-all this
in the face of the fact that the city,
presumably on his advice, had already
CANCELLED millions in contracts.
The entire purpose Of our plan in
thus safeguarding the city pending
further developments was to avoid the
departments to investigate themselves.
Motive of Attack Assailed
When we accepted in good faith the
invitation of the Board of Estimate to
attend the conference. we could not
have contemplated that it would have
been turned into an attempt on the
one hand to justify the past action
of the city officials, or, on the other
hand, as medium for an attack on the
work of the Lockwood committee.
THE issues involving the city are,
However, so serious and farreaching
that. Notwithstanding this evidence Of
bad taste (to put it mildly), our com
mitments to formulate the documents
between the contractors and the city
nc cessary for the protection of the lat
ter IN the making of future payments
and to attend future meetings of The
board when SO requested will hold
good, but on the distinct understand
ing that the conferences will hereafter
b0 confined to the particular business
N hand and that they will not be used
tor the purpose of self-cxploitatio
defense or attack