The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1920-11-27

a slight rumble in 1919, fnvestiga-
ton of New York's building trust
has gained such momentum in the
last few weeks that its roar has been
heard from coast to coast.
Here are a few Of the results to
! date:
1. The city Of New York al
ready has rescinded several contracts
for public work reaching into the mil
lions and now has considered the ad-
visibility of caceling all contracts for
public building, lest the trust" had
a hand in the bidding.
q. One MISUNDERSTANDING per-
jury-has been returned blythe grand
jury and threats of more criminal
prosecutions r in the air.
8. Testimony already entered in
the record of the joint legislativecom-
mittee investigating the trust" has
given hints that combinations in re-
straint Of trade, charged by commit
tee counsel, be nationwide in scope.
A. Sensational disclosures have at
tracted the attention of the depart
ment Of Justice, which assigned a
special official to watch developments,
and the Senate committee on produc-
ton and reconstruction. which, with
subpoena power, has itself studied
the housing situation throughout the
country.
Samuel Untermeyer, who is con-
Quoting the investigation for the joint
legislative committee after claiming a
year ago that he had established a
clear case Of criminal conspiracy in
the building trades, is confident that
the inquiry soon will wider
scope. He has openly charged that
"the most important Of these criminal
combinations and secret agreements
in the building trades are nation
wide in their scope and cannot effect
lively be reached by local prosecu-
tions."
MI. Utermeyer first started out on
the trail of the building trust" in
1919 after he had grilled witnesses
who appeared at the time before the
mayors committee on p~roiteering.
One, a brick dealer, had testified that
a remarkably uniform" price for
brick and cement prevailed in New
York and that dealers who cut prices
had been quickly put out of business.
No legal action was taken at this
time, but when the housing situation
in New York and other cities of the
State became more discomforting the
legislature took notice of chargesthat
a combination In the building trades
was holding the construction situa-
ton in a viselike grip. and ordered a
sweeping inquiry.
Mr.. Untermeyer was asked to take
charge. Meeting in the city hall on
October 20, the joint legislative COM
mittee, to which he was appointed
counsel, proceeded to unfold from
witnesses tales of an alleged "contrac-
tor-labor combine" which recalled
the reign of Sam Parks. corrupt New
York labor leader. who died In prison
in 1904 after having been convicted
of extorting sums from contractors on
a threat to block their work II brides
were not paid him.
Stirred by testimony brought out by
Mr.. Untermeyer, who promised to
send prices tumbling by smashing the
alleged trust and putting these GRIM
inals behind the bars where they be-
long" New Workers are crowding
their way into the city hall each day
the committee sits.
All types are to be found there in
the aldermanic chamber. Affuent
bankers jostle grimy laborers while
watching an array of millionaire
builders, labor leaders and layers
pass in and out of the witness stand
under the merciless fire of the COM
mittee counsel.
Many of these witnesses are seen to
squirm under the volley of questions.
Once in a while one pleads for mercy
as Mr.. Untermeyer pins him down.
For Gods sake, Mr.. Untermeyer.
don't sacrifice me on this altar" i'm
plored one contractor, who had testi-
fed to domination Of certain inter-
ests. You don't want me to have my
doors closed with a million dollars
worth of business on hand. by answer
ing you here"
But, day after day, the investiga-
ton goes on before crowds of wit
nesses, and in ~seclusion a grand jury
goes over testimony from the hearing