New-York tribune., 1921-12-17
Lockwood to
Probe Light
Bulb Industry
S 100, 100000 Business Vir-
tually Controlled by Two
Big Firms To Be Ta-
ken Up Next January
Unions Meet the Demand
Electrical Men Abandon
the Permit System, and
Rules Will Be Changed

The business Of manufacturing in
candcscent electric light bulbs,e con-
trolled almost entirely by two big COM
panles and representing, at present
prices, $l0O000,OO0 year, will be
taken up by the Lockwood committee
at Its resumption of public hearings
IN January, it was learned yesterday.
According to information concern
ing the incandcscent bulb business
which the committee mas thus far OBJ
tanned 1T was said yesterday that the
cost TO the consumer of the lamps was
too high by as much as 40 per cent.
In It's inquiry the committee will as
certain whether or not the manufuc-
turning companies are making an un-
falr profit and also if there is any un-
derstandlng to maintain q fixed price.
Permit System Abolished
a prompt response to the committees
ultimatum to certain building trades
unions came yesterday, when the com
mittee was informed that the cleo
trcal union had abolished it's pcrNit
system. The committee had warned
the unions on Thursday that specified
abuses must be remedied if they were
w aNOiN SIilliIJlul I'fOScCUt1Ol.
In addition, there will be material
changes in the bylaws, rules and
practices of the Building Trades Coun-
Gil
The electrical union has been chang
ing non-members a weekly fee for the
privilege Of working. On Thursday
night this system was dropped, the
committee was informed, and the mem
bership books opened to all
Samuel untermyer, chief counsel to
the committee, said yesterday that
there was no intention of dropping the
inquiry into fire insurance affairs. In
the fire insurance underwriting com
mittce, Mr.. Untermyer has said that
the readjustmcnt of rates mas not been
satisfactory, and that no general re-
form on the fire insurance exchange
could be expected SO long as Willis O.
Robb is retained as manager. Mr.
Untermyer characterized the present
administration as "corporate manage
ment of quartes' of a century ago.
Among the readiustments mentioned
in Mr.. Evanss letter is Is per cent
reduction applying 70 theaters, lower
rates applica Bile to Offices on the first
to the seventh floor OF buildings, and
amendments of the sprinkler regula-
pliances and a lessened cost
The committee will investigate work
mems compensation liability rates and
automobile truck and plateglass liabi-
lty. 1T was said that the profits on
these varieties of insurance run from
800 to 5000 per cent.
Inquiries About Strike Fund
In a letter that came to the commit
tee yesterday from a member of the
Electrical Workers Union, it was said
that $4,000 had been invested in Lib
erty bonds by the union, that there had
been a strike fund of $500 900 and that
three men Who never appeared on the
payroll were employed in the office of
William A. Hogan, the financial secre-
tary, who, when witness before the
committee, was unable to account for
thousands Of dollars involved in
maze of money-making schemes.
The man who wrote the letter
wanted to know where the strike fund
was, who clips the Liberty bond cou-
pons and what was done with the 90
cents month assessment for the
unions $1,000 insurance benefit.
- There is a possibility that the COM
mlttee will tak2 an active part in the
prosecut on of material men under in
dictment in Buffalo, as a result of the
legal difficulties encountered by Dis
trict Attorney Moore of Erie County.
In behalf of the committee Mr.. Inter
myer has informed Mr., Moore that if
the men in question are too big to be
successfully prosecuted locally the
committee will relieve the Erie COUNTY
authorities of the responsibility.