The New York herald., 1922-03-03
Ready to Build Expert
mental Block in Campaign
for Housing Relief.
FOR STATE TRADE BOARD
Committee at Odds Over the
Representatives, Sum-
mer Campaign.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
rhuv (

Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, March 2.
In a series Of bills presented to the
Legislature to-day the Lockwood COM
mittee summarizes the results Of it's
work in New York for the last year.
Laws are proposed which will aim to
suppress all illegal combinations in the
building industries; stimulate building
by casing the mortgage money sltua-
lion; provide punishment for the rent
gouger and building profiteer and gen.
orally strengthen the emergency rent
laws.
Some of the measures are drastic,
others are mild. They do not go as far
as Samuel Untermyer, counsel to the
committee, wanted to go. Mr.. Inter
mysr's report, sent from Palm Beach,
has been considerably modified in the
bills.
Members OF the Legislature were
surprised when the bills came In to-
day. ahead of the committees report
iustifying the measures, which is the
usual procedure, and the change is due
10 The need for haste in getting through
The hills in the few remaining days OF
the session and to beat the lobby OF
builders here waiting to attack the
measures.
The committee is not united on the
recommendations, some of the members
thinking that when Mr.. Untermyer sees
how thev have been modified there may
be trouble. One report prepared os
Robert @. Cummings and William NC
.-nry,icx az experts for which they re-
s.eived s.. 500 each, was discarded. Inc
aissension in the committee Is sur
restoration OF the full power of the
Donnclly antitrust act by putting BACK
provisions stricken out in 1913; proVis
ions for insurance companies ana saw
inos banks to invest in building loans,
,artber state regulation of building and
s,innression Of illegal combinations are
among the big features of the program.
or the eleven emergency rent laws
one Of the more important provides that
FOR the purpose of determining the rea-
soma abieness of rent the assessed valua-
lion of premises be presumptive evil
dence OF actual value.
Emergency Rent Bills.
The emergency rent bills are as fol-
lows:
Extending the operation Of these
laws until February 10. 1924.
Extending the tax exemption law
SO as to make the time to COM
mence construction to secure exemp-
ton from taxation until April !. 1923.
II is not contemplated. however, that
the period of exemption shall be
extended.
Providing for the return OF jury
fees that have been paid by tenants
whose c-ases are not separately tried.
Providing for the dismissal OF an
action with costs in favor Of the de-
rendant in cases brought in the
wrong district.
Providing that the defendant shall
he entitled to costs in an action *
the plaintiff does not succeed in re-
covering more than the amount pre-
viously paid by the defendant.
Clarifying the present provision Of
the law as to the payment Of three
monthly installments of rent
Clarifying the present law in rela-
ton 10 the deposit of rent I'm court
and the payment OF the same to the
landlord.
Requiring the landlord to give
rent.
Providing that after foreclosure OF
mortgage tenants may not be dis
possessed except in cases where sum-
mary proceedings are maintainable
Providing for the creation Of either
new court district or the appoint
ment of additional justices In the
Seventh District of Manhattan
jail Sentences Compulsory.
Another bill amends the State anti
trust law known as the Donnelly
act by repeating the provision giving
10 the courts the discretion 10 i'm
pose only fines upon individuals or
firms. or 10 suspend prison sentences
or the execution thereof. the purpose
Of the amendment being that wher-
ever individuals are convicted of vio-
latlng the act IL will be made conn
pulsory upon the court to Impose a
prison sentence of not less than three
months nor more than one wear In
addition TO fines.
The bill defines the meaning or the
term ANY article or commodity IN
common use" In the act so that IL shall
specifically include combinations among
contractors, manufacturers and dealers
In building materials used In the con-
struction OF buildings. though the sans
be used In connection with labor
The purpose is to reverse the rule OF
law laid down In the case or q combinn.
tion OF mason contractors who were in
dicted for fixing by agreement be.we. IN
them the prices n cubic yard FOR con.
structing and furnishing stone walls and
foundations 10 buildings. in when case
the court held that inasmuch as labor
entered largely into the performance .;
the contract this did not constitute
combination with respect to IAN ,rtictc
OF commodity In common use"
There Is separately submitted with