New-York tribune., 1921-01-27
Lock wood Is
Beaten; Aid
Deserts Him
McWhinney Shifts Front
and Opposes Measure
That Gave Committee
the Power 1t Sought
From a STAFF Correspondent

ALBANY, Jan. 26. - Assemb1yman
Thomas A. McWhinney, Of Nassau
County, who is ce-chairman of the
Lockwood committee and has been one
of the leaders in the movement to
broaden it's powers to enable it to in
vestigate money-lending institutions
suddenly shifted his ground this after
noon and began fighting the unamended
resolution which would have given the
committee the very powers which he
had advocated up to that time.
Senator Charles C. Lockwood, chair
man of the committee, later character
lied as amazing and wholly unfounded
the statements made by McWhinney
and called attention to the fact that
the report of the committee which was
embodied in the unamended resolution
had been approved in writing by Nc
Whitney.
During the debate on the resolution
in the Assembly. some Of the oNpuo-
lican members from New Y n Jity
hurled sarcastic questions at N4~ Whin-
ney' while Asseemblyman Charles D.
Donohue, the minority leader. was un-
sparing in his criticism of the con-
duct of the committee member.
Amended Resolution Adopted
The original resolution was defeated
by vote Of al to 80, and the amend
ed resolution, which Senator Lockwood
declared would cripple the committee,
was adopted by viva voce vote.
Only nine Republicans from New
York City voted to support McWhinney
in his tight for the emasculated Lock
wood resolution. They were Aronson
Di Pirro, Jesse, Rayner and Miss
Smith, of Manhattan; Wells, Dough
erty and Mullen, of Brooklyn, and
Halpern, of Queens.
The New York City Republicans who
voted for the resolution in its un-
amended form were: Clayton, Carroll,
Caulheld, Crews, Druss, Gempler, Gil
accone, j. G. Moore, Moses and War
rem, of Brooklyn; Steinberg, Fox, Haw-
kins, Lieberman, Reiss and Wallace,
of Manhattan, and Neary and Petite, of
Queens. The Democrats and the three
Socialists also voted for the unamend-
ed resolution.
Lobbyists from insurance companies
and savings banks have been hard at
work for weeks to bring about the de-
feat Of the unamended resolution. Some
Of them were present when they saw
the cause Of their fears put to death.
The debate was begun by Minority
Leader Donohue moving to substitute
the resolution in its original form Tor
the emasculated resolution reported
out by the Assembly Ways and Means
Committee.
Majority Leader Adler explained
what the amended resolution did. He
said that it not only permitted an in
vestigation of banks and insurance
companies in SO far as it related to
housing, but that. the Lockwood COM
mittee, under the new powers, could
investigate stores, loft and Office build
ings and apartments in addition to
dwellings.
Hints at Conspiracy
Then Mr.. McWhinney rose and urged
the defeat of the original resolution.
"There is an organized effort to di-
vert the Lockwood committee from its
housing inquiry to an investigation of
banks and insuranc. companies" said
important work in our inquiry into
housing conditions and | do not believe
we should be diverted from that sub
jcct There is an organized effort to
bring about that diversion, but the in
quiry into housing should go on. The
members of the Lockwood committee
do not want an inquiry into banks at
this time, believe"
When McWhinney was asked to say
where this organized effort came from
Continued on next paus)