The New York herald., 1922-03-11
All Financial Measures, Except
S100,000,000 Loan, Headed
for the Rocks.
RAN oUTr SAYS GIBBS
Housing Committee Head As
serts Leaders Agreed to His
Leaving Albany.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, March 10.
Samuel Untermyer's fight for his
housing program may have saved the
Metropolitan $1oO,OO0,000 bill to re-
lieve housing conditions in New York.
but the other financial bills backed
by the Lockwood committees recon-
mendations appear to be headed for
the rocks.
All the financial measures, providing
that insurance companies and savings
banks invest larger amounts in build
ing securities, apparently will have a
hard time % get out of committee, and
this is due largely, the leaders say, to
Senator Lockwood, whose attitude to-
day has completely mystified the Leg
islature.
Developments indicate that the So
called Metropolitan bill will pass both
the Senate and Assembly. Speaker
Machold announced that he supported
the bill and that 1t would be reported
out favorably next week. There is not
a majority pledged to the bill in the
Assembly. but with the Speaker be-
hind it there is good prospect it will
pass the lower house.
Indications are that the Legislature
also will pass the five other rent and
housing bills now on the calendars.
That may be all These five measures
extend the existing emergency housing
laws and the tax exemption law.
Lockwood Accused ny Gibbs.
Senator Lockwood ran out on us
after insisting that the bills be reported,
and / arm at loss to account for his
conduct" Senator Gibbs. chairman of
the Cities Committee. said. when a
quorum did not appear at the special
meeting which Senator Lockwood had
demanded to take prompt action. Fall
ure ot get this action to-day is dis
tinct loss for the committee.
Senator Lockwood gave notice this
morning in the Senate that he would
move to discharge the Cities Committee
from further consideration of the Lock-
wood committee bills not yet reported
This sounded like a demand for a show
down. 1t placed Senator Lockwood on
the initiative in forcing the committee to
action. apparently against its wishes.
Next, Senator Lockwood filed with Sem
ator Gibbs, chairman, petition signed
by seven other members Of the Cities
Committee demanding that a meeting be
called forthwith and the bills reported
out. That was militant move to com
pei action. The petition read:
We. the undersigned members of
the Cities Committee, respectfully re-
quest that you report promptly for
the consideration of the Senate the
bills introduced by the Joint Legisla-
tive Committee on Housing.
Those who signed the petition were
Senators Lockwood. S. Seymour Low
man. william w. Campbell. Parton
Swift. c. Ernest Smith. James J. Walker
and Peter J. McGarry. Senators Walker
and McGarry are Democrats.
senator Lockwood Absent.
senator Gibbs called the meeting OF
his committee. which was held imme-
diateley after adjournment Of the SEN
Senator Lockwood was not one of them.
Three who we're present were Senators
campbell. Dick and Smith, who had
signed the petition. and the others were
Senators Gibbs and George n. Fearon
OF Syracuse.
Affor waiting for nearly an hour for
canator Lockwood the committee adj
iourned because there was not quo
rum present. II was not possible to
take action and this throws all the re-
naming bills. including the entire finan-
cial program. over until next tuesday
NJ the earliest. That II within five days
OF final adjournment. when hours count.
and 1t will take extraordinary pressure
10 rescue the measures in the last wild
scramble.
''The five members OF the committee
present did not constitute quorum and
we had no right to take action. espe-
cially with the introducers OF the bills
not present" Senator Gibbs said. There
was no explanation of why the
Senator ran out on the committee"
As the situation has developed It Is
easier now than al any stage during
the entire session to-. kill these bills,
against which the powerful insurance
and financial Hobbies have been conduct
ing steady fight. Senator Lusk said
the Senate probably will act on the Met
ropolitan bill next Monday night. There
is believed to be a scant majority for
the measure at present In either house,
but indications are that with the lead
ers OF both Houses favoring it's pas
sage IL will squeeze through. Speaker
Machold said he could see no objections
10 the bill and heretofore he has been
counted against IT, The changed att-
tude of the leaders of the two Houses
was regarded as evidence that Mr.. I'm
ter1nyer had convinced Gov. Miller In