New-York tribune., 1922-03-09

Counsel, After Conferring
With Governor, Machold
and Stoddard, Says AT
mo racrc, Is Clearing
Carries Fight TO
Senate Committee
Extension of Rent Statute
and $9-a-Room Apart
mcmillan TO 3dReadine
Fron, O stof Correspondcn

rom q Std0 Correspondent
ALBANY, March S.-Samucl Unter-
myer, chief counsel to the Lockwood
committee, said tonight after his first
strenuous days work since he returned
from Palm Beach:
Il feel confident that the real i'm
portant work OF the Lockwood commit.
tee will not be destroyed. have
talked with Governor Miller, with
Speaker Machold and with Supcrin
tendent OF Insurance Stoddard. do
not feel at liberty to disclose what
transpircd at these conferences. but 7
can say that the atmosphere is clear
ing"
Mr.. Untcrmyer spent nearly an hour
with each of these three men, whose
influence can mako or break the pend
ing legislation, which is designed not
only to relieve the present housing
shortage but to take care OF the
future.
The underground lobby, which re-
doubled its efforts to-day after MI
Cntermyer got on the job, has been
intendent Stoddard was opposed to the
remedial legislation which will make
available the moment the Governor
signs the bill, $100O00,OO0 for apart
ment houses to be let at a monthly
rental of not more than SO per room.
Stoddard Supporting Measure
The fact is that Superintendent
Stoddard, who comes from New York
Il y,
Of the poor there. is heartily in favor
Of this particular measure and, with
two exceptions. favors without qualifi-
cation every bill introduced by the
Lockwood committee
On the Assembly side all the housing
bills to-day went into the hands of
the Rules Committee, which is made
up Of Speaker Machold and four men
selected by him because of their proved
loyalty to him. Friends of the Speaker
declared that he would not turn a deaf
ear to the appeals of the Lockwood
committee for relief Of the ovcrcrowd-
cd rent payers of New York and other
cities of the state.
While neither Mr.. Untermyer nor
the Governor would discuss what
transpired at the hours conference in
the Executive chamber, those in the
confidence Of the Governor expressed
the belief that he would render sub
stantial aid to the Lockwood commit
tees housing program.
Mr.. Untermyers conference with
the Governor, Machod and Stoddard
preceded the hearing before the Senate
Cities Committee on all the housing
bills, excepting tho one permitting life
insurance companies, during the pres
ent crisis, to invest up to 10 per cent
OF their assets in $9-a-room apart.
ments and the amendments to the cx
isting rent laws. These last-namod
we're advanced to the order OF final
passage in the Senate to-day, And, on
The S9-a-room bill, Senator Lockwood
to-day served notice that he would
move at future date TO discharge the
Insurance Committee from further con
sideratioD Of the Dill.
Landlords Agents Disappointed
Therc was hearing on this last
named bill a week ago. Tomorrow
there will be hearing on all the
amendments to the existing rent laws;
A group Of reprcse natives of land
lords. who thronged the Senate this
affernoon, were disappointed when in
formed that only the new measures IN
troduced by the Lockwood committee
would be considered to-day. Several Of
them rose TO protest. They We're
silenced by Senator Leonard ". II.
Gibbs, of Buffalo, chairman, who told
them to save their speeches until to-
morrow.
The opposition consisted Of num-
her of lobbyists for insurance conpa-
nies, some gentlemen who professed TO
represent no one but themselves, and
Continued en- page four)