The New York herald., 1922-03-20
Counsel Says Chairman Was
Fooled by Lobbyists in
Last Minute Rush.
SPEAKER MAKES DENIAL
Machold Says Housing Bills
Got Good Show and That He
Spurred Sponsor to Act.

Counter charges followed fast yes
terday upon charges of responsibility
for the failure of large part of the
Lockwood committees housing legis-
lation to pass. They were exchanged
between Samuel Untermyer, counsel
to the committee, and III. Edmund
Machold Of Jefferson county, Speaker
of the Assembly, who was at the Com
modore Hotel.
Mr.. Untermyer blamed Mr.. Machold.
Speaker Machold put the response
bility UP to Mr.. Untermyer and fatty
accused him of uttering an untruth
in his charge that the insurance rate
regulation bill had been emasculated
at the behest Of lobby and with the
connivance OF the Speaker and others.
During the exchange Mr.. Inter
myer sent long letter by special
messenger to Gov. Miller at Albany
requesting the Executive to call a
special session of the Legislature to
reconsider the State trade commits
sion bill, which the Lockwood COM
mittee lawyer charges the Speaker
with throttling in the all powerful
Rules Committee of the Assembly
during the closing hours Of the ses-
sion, when. according to Mr.. Inter
myer, there were enough votes in the
lower house to pass the measure.
Withdraws One Charge.
The other developments of the day
included "A withdrawal by Mr.. Inter
myer of his charge. made in the news
papers yesterday, that Francis r.
StoddarG, Jr., State Superintendent of
Insurance, was responsible with Jesse
s. Phillips. former Superintendent, for
the restoration of jolSers to the insur-
ance rate regulation bill that Mr. I'm
termyer eliminated and which he
maintains make the bill worthless.
The charge against Mr.. Phillips, who
is now head of the National Bureau
of Casualty and Surety Underwriters
and who as such has drawn consid-
cradle of Mr.. Untermyer's fire, was
allowed to stand.
Mr.. Untermyer also makes the
charge that Senator Charles c. Lock-
wood, chairman of the committee, him
self had been fooled by the insurance
lobbyists into consenting to a reinser-
lion Of the alleged jokers during Mr.
Untermyer's absence from Albany
while the measure was pending. When
the Speaker learned last night that
even the chairman of the housing
committee had not escaped Mr.. Inter-
myers censure for the failure Of some
Of the pet measures to pass he re-
marked:
We'll, IL Mr.. Untermyer felt that
way about Charlie he shouldn't have
left him alone in Albany"
Assemblyman Thomas A. McWhinney
Of Nassau county, vice-chairman Of the
Lockwood committee. whom Mr.. Unter-
niyer charged Saturday had betrayed
the committee, received additional un-
favorable mention in the lawyers let
ter 70 Gov. Miller. Mr. McWhinney in
charged with lobbying against the state
Trade Commission bill and the insur-
ance measure when he had charge OF
them in the Assembly as a representa-
tive of the Lockwood committee.
Speaker Machold last night defended
Mr.. Mcwhinney and characterized Mr..
Untermyer's charges against him as
malicious" Efforts to reach Mr.. Nc
Whitney last night at his home In Far
Rockaway failed.
Reasons for Extra Session.
While setting forth three major roa-
sons for a special SESSION OF the Lcgis-
lsture in his letter to the Governor. Mr..
Untermyer suggests that should Gov.
Miller be impressed with the necessity
the scope of thc extraordinary session
might we'll be made to include consid-
grafton OF the question of establishing a
State monopoly OF workmen's compensa-
ton insurance along the general lines
of the Downing bill introduced at the
last session, and also of legislation that
would regulate public transactions In
securities somewhat along the lines or
the Katiin bill or the legislation recon-
mended by District Attorney Joab IL.
Banton.
In n supplementary statement Mr..
Untermyer denied knowledge OF any
intention on the part of tho Lockwood
committee 10 investigate the alleged
Insurance lobby against the committee
bills. The lawyer took occasion at the
Same time publicly to remind Charles
A. Peabody, president Of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company, who. In
statement on the proposed investment
by insurance companies OF 10 per cent.
of their assets in mortgage loans. said
mo intelligent person would take the