The New York herald., 1921-01-11
us. JUDGE ORDERS
EXTRA GRAND JURY
FOR HOUSING WORK
Federal Court VIII Start
Building Trust Probe in
Important Cases Next
Monday.
ALBANY OUTLOOK BAD
Opposition to Giving More
Power to Lockwood Is
Still Considered. to
BE Menacing.
BRINDELL TO BAR TODAY
Untermyer to Be Chief Prose
cutor Of Labor Gar in Trial
on Charges of Ex-
t0rtiOn.
BRINDELL TO BAR TODAY

With the Lockwood Committee bat
Ting for power with which to conduct
a thorough investigation of the insur-
arce and banking companies, and with
the trial of Robert p. Brindell, So
called "czar' Of the building trades
unions, scheduled to begin to-day. Fed
eral authorities prepared yesterday to
commence their own probe of housing
conditions by calling a special Federal
Grand Jury for next Monday.
The special body will be impanelled
by Judge Learned Hand in the United
States District Court and its time will
be given over exclusively to the pres
entation of evidence by William Rand
and Isidore j. Kresel, appointed by At
torney- General Palmer to launch
nationwide drive against unlawful
combines, some Of which already have
been exposed by Samuel Untermyer be-
fore the Lockwood Committee.
With the return of Mr.. Rand to-day
from Washington, where he has been
talking over the situation with the At
torney-General, an announcement is ex-
pected confirming the appointment OF a
special legal staff to assist In the COM
nnencernent OF the inquiry mere and IN
carrying 1t from State to State as 1t
broadens Its scope.
Big Sum Reported Held Back.
Meanwhile. in support OF the Lock-
wood Committees plea for permission
to overhaul various financial institu-
tions. II was asserted yesterday that be-
tween 100000. 900 and $400.c0o,oo0 could
be turned into the building ,oan market
to the material bettcrnent of housing
conditions IL the financial concerns
which the committee is aiming at were
disposed TO throw their new reserves in
to this field 1t was stated that the
whole object of the committee in seek
ing authority 10 get after the banks ana
insurance companies is to inquire into
the reason why more money is not
dumped into the building loan market
Althogg, the persons associated with
the committee feel that it wouli be dis
astrous to disturb present investments,
Il was said that they are heartily In
favor of legislation which will compel
Insurance and banking concerns TO put
more cash into real estate. and that
they believe an investigation of the
business nr these concerns would fur
nish material TO warrant such legisIa-
tion.
Mr.. Unternyer was steadfast in MS
refusal TO comment upon reports that he
may quit as volunteer counsel In event
of refusal by the Legislature to give
the committee all of the powers that
IL is now asking. but persons in close
touch with him expressed the belief that
ne would stand by his guns TO the end.
They said that although n change In the
resolution now before the Legislature
might make Il futile for counsel to go
ahead with certain proposed phases OF
the Investigation, they did not believe
Mr.. Untermyer had any intention OF
abandoning the ship at the present time.
would Spoil Inquiry Results.
AS the mortgage loan situation, how
ever. is regarded by Mr.. Untermyer and
members of the committee as the cry
foundation of the building trades situa-
tion, they are OF the opinion that the
refusal of the Legislature to let them
20 into this field would preclude all
possibility of the thorough housing in
vcstigation which they set out to make.
Mr.. Untermyer will appear as volpn-
teer chief prosecutor to-day when the
trial OF Brindell on charges OF extortion
growing out OF the Lockwood Commit
tees investigation begins before Justice
John V. McAvoy In the Supreme Court.
Samuel A. Berger. Albert Blogg Unger
end Stanley Richter will assist him.
This trial. for which special panel
of 100 talesmen has been summoned, is
expected to last more than two weeks
end II Is scheduled to be followed by the
trial of John T. Hettrick. head Of vnri-
Gus contracting rings and author OF the
~code of practice by which prices to be
asked in bids for big contracts were
fixed In accordance with confidential
agreements.
Martin W. Littleton will represent
Brindell.