The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-17
G. @. P. PREFERS
. TANMANY DEFEAT
TO HYLAN PROBE
Leaders Here Will Oppose
Legislative Inquiry Into
City Situation.
LOOK TO ELECTION
Believe Mayor VIII Beat
Himself if Allowed to
Run Course.
BILL WILL BE PUSHED
Republican Sponsors Say They
VIII Turn Upstate for
Insurgent Support.
BILL WILL BE PUSHED

in the Robinson Steinberg resolution,
to be introduced in Albany on jan
uary 5.
Their opposition is grounded on
what they deem TO be political ex-
pediency. They hold it to be the prin-
cipal task of the citizens to beat Tam
many Hall In next years election and
they believe the surest way of doing
this is to let Mayor Hylan run along
in his own course to the end of his
term.
The Republican leaders will not,
however. attempt to discourage extern
sion by the Legislature of the powers
of the Lockwood committee, enabling
it to Investigate any or all depart
ments of the city government.
Whether a new legislative committee
or the Lockwood committee does the in
vestigating. If any is done. its counsel
is pretty sure not to be Samuel Inter
myer. unless he abandons his present IN
tentions. The services of Mr.. Untermyer
will most certainly be solicited. and. in
QeeQ, nave DeeH Dul NtuS AshA AiN Ai'N' ~
clined to consider anything except the
completion of his work in the housing In
vestigation.
Senator Theodore Douglas Robinson
and Assemblyman Joseph Steinberg pro-
fess to believe that by the time the Legis-
lature meets popular sentiment Will com
pel the passage of their resolution, with
the assent of the party leaders here
See support Upstate.
If not, it is indicated they will try to
get what they want by means of an in
surgent movement This means they
will try to get their resolution through
with the aid Of the Republican legis-
lators from upstate. who thus far are
strongly inclined to leave the business
OF saying whether Hylan shall be in
vestigated in the hands OF their brethren
from this city, who are credited with
knowing best what should be done.
Mr. Untermyer has fatty assured Mr.
Steinberg he would not act as counsel
in a general city investigation, although
according to Mr.. Steinberg, he said such
! an investigation should be made. as the
Lockwood inquiry with all its results
had barely scraped the surface.
Mr.. Untermyer yesterday told re-
porter for THE New York HERALD that
Wntn ne llniSHfu Allt liOuSul6 y
his task would be done and he could not
attempt another He expected the Lock
wood committee TO get through about the
end of January Then he will go tc
Florida. whittier his health requires him
to spend part of each winter. There, he
said he would work on the report of the
/ committee, and that completed. would
draft a series OF bills intended to remedy
50 far as law can do it. the evils exposed
in the Lockwood investigation. This he
regards as the really constructive par
of his work for the city and State.
He is anxious to have it understood
that the bills. when they are introduced
will be non-partisan and shall not b,
subjected to partisan squabbling in the
Legislature This explains Mr.. Inter
7 myers reluctance and refusal to becom'
1 counsel to a committee Investigating tn,
/ Hylan administration. His Lockwood
report and proposed bills will possibly
\ not be ready until some time in Marcel
About the first of April Mr.. Untermyel
intends to sail fo- Europe
G.. O. u. Opposition Explained.
The principal reasons for the opposi
ton of such Republican leaders a,
Chairman Samuel s. Koenig of the New
York county committee and Jacob A
Livingstone. executive chairman II
Brooklyn. to the appointment of a new
legislative committee are. first. tina
everybody knows what sort Of an ad
I ministration the Hylan administration |.
! without an expensive Investigation sec
ond, that the coming OF such a com
mittee would be played UP by the Demo
Gratis as FISHING excursion" for cam
4 paign purposes. and that In the end /
might possibly although not probably
result disastrously.
The leaders are so strongly Of tn,
opinion that Mayor Hylan has exposed
himself sufficiently and VIII continue e
do so that they regard his continued ad
minist-ation as better capital for tn,
Republicans in the election next fal
than would even his removal In case tn,
, findings OF an investigating committe,
4 justified the Governor in taking tha
I action.
AS to the Lockwood committee how
ever, they feel that they could not prop
erly protest against an investigation 4
4 Il was TO DO tho investigating body. Il
4 is recognized on all sides that this com
! mittee has come into contact with ~
Z many phases Of the Hylan regime Will.
following the main track of housin,
conditions that the enlargement OF III
work would be natural and logical ir
case a general investigation was needed
Must vindicate HyIan.
As things are going now, without any
evidence of real malfeasance on IN,
I part OF the present administration, Ia,
Republicans figure that the Democrat.
( Will be forced 10 wind icate" themselves
and Hylan next year by renominatinl
him for Mayor.
In this connection Il Is prophesled "
some quarters that If for any reason
such as might concevably arise from. q
! legislative Investigation Tammany hi
to nominate some other man than M.
Hyan, that man might be Al Smith
Mr.. smith, who Is man eating tiger
when ~ comes TO getting votes. would
be a more formidable figure than Mayor
Hyian Yet the Republicans now believe
that not even Gov. Smith. drafted
against his will 20 run FOR Mayor. could
stand against the anti-Tammany drive
which Is to be made next fall. For an
analogy they go back 20 1901, when
Tammany. In It's desperation nominated
the independent. ant-Tammany nj