The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-01
'CAFFEY GETS FACTS
ON BUILDING TRUST
L. S. Attorney COnfers With
Representative Siegel in
Materials Inquiry.
CITIES TO BE SURVEYED
Hirshfield Tells of Combina-
ton of Profiteering Con-
structiOn Contractors.

Information tending to show that an
Illegal combination OF dealers in build
ing materials is keeping prices up and
preventing building was laid yesterday
before United States Attorney Caffey
by Representative Siegel. whose charges
led to n Federal investigation being or
dered by Attorney General Palmer.
'Mr. Siegel has given me important
information, said Mr.. Caffey after the
conference. Gle has furnished the
name Of a man who is expected to give
valuable additional evidence. This office
viii welcome any information anybody
can give on the subject under investiga-
tion. We are going ahead"
The man whose name was mentioned
by Mr. Siegel as having important facts
proving the existence OF the alleged
building material trust probably will
appear before Mr.. Caffey to-day. His
story will be investigated fully.
Dr. Royal S. Copeland. Health Com
missioner, has ordered a survey of
housing conditions In this city and has
asked the health authorities in other
cities to make similar surveys He be-
lieves that critical conditions will be
found in many places besides New York.
ION the strength of the last survey l
made here" said Dr. Copeland, II told
Senator Calder of the committee on re-
duction and production that the shortage
of houses constitutes n serious menace
to the health Of the people of New York
and that the Government would be justi-
fled in officially recognizing it as des-
perate situation.
II know there is opposition to national.
State or city governments starting any
building of homes except as a last resort
har CHI a.
time of last resort has arrived. Living
conditions are daily becoming more dan
gerous. The figures in certain sections
Of the city are startling"
David Hirshfed, Commissioner of Ac-
counts delivered himself Of an opinion
on the housing situation declaring that
there are combinations in just about
everything.
There will be little or no change In
the situation" he said, until the COM
bines which exist to fix the prices In
building and housing material are COM
PEELED to reduce their prices. ] am salts
fed from my investigation that there is
combination to boost the price of lime
stone. the price Of brick and the price OF
granite-that there are combinations to
boost the price of every other article
which goes into the building of homes.
i also nave WHICH
Gates that there is a ring of contractors
which sits and decides which one of its
members is to get the next contract. The
State and Federal governments with their
broad powers, can certainly go after
these profiteers and send the guilty ones
to Jail If they really desire to do 1t. That
would be a speedy and effective way to
bring prices down. to make 1t possible TO
resume the building of homes on large
scale and to provide decent places for the
people to live
Senator William NJ Calder will speak
on The National Aspects OF the Hous-
ing Situation at a mass meeting to be
held tomorrow night at Carnegie Hail.
AS chairman of the Senate Committee on
Reconstruction and Production, Senator
Calder has collected much information
on the extent and causes of housing
shortage Gov. Alfred Il. Smith also is
expected to speak on the situation In
this city and give his ideas on both
temporary and permanent relief for the
shortage.