New-York tribune., 1922-03-07
Housing e Bills
Lost Unless
Miller Acts
(coniInued from page ONO

rived here from Palm Beach yesterday.
prepared to go before the Legislature
IN support Of the various measures sug-
gested i'll the committees report for the
relief of the housing situation.
While Mr.. Untermyer declined to
make any comment on his plans with
regard to his appearance at Albany, it
is generally believed that he will not
permit the Downing Bill, giving the
state monopoly on workmen's compen-
satlon insurance. to go unnoticed In
the course of the committee hearings,
evidence was produced tending to show
that control of this business by the
state would save the states workers
millions of dollars a year. 1t is one
Of the suggestions, however, upon
which there is some difference Of opin-
ion among members of the committee
and the subject was not urged in the
report.
Watches Insurance Law Amendment
Another bill expected to be given
particular attention by Mr.. Untermyer
is the one amending the state insur-
ance laws authorizing life insurance
companies to invest 10 per cent of
their assets in real estate, now appar-
entity marked for defeat.
Another bill not referred to in the
committees report but which Mr.,
Untermyer is known to favor. is that
resembling the exemption of dairymen
and farmers from the provisions of the
Donnelly antitrust act. 1t is expected
that Mr.. Untermyer will draw atten-
ton TO the advantages of his proposal
upon his appearance before the Legis-
laturc
Aside from the legislative action
toward which the committee Is look
ing for assistance in solving the hous
ing problem, it is known that close at
tention will soon be given to the af-
fairs of the Building Trades En-
ployers' Association. The chief prob
lem here is the bringing about of an
agreement between the employers and
workers in the matter of wages and
working conditions. The last agree
ment expired March /. The men are
wages, and are to continue to do so
until April 1, pending new agree
ment
The extension of the life of the COM
mittce for another year, it was point
ed out, will enable it to keep a close
eve upon the workers and employers,
and so bring about a better under
standing for the general benefit OF the
industry and the elimination Of evils
tnat were SHOWN 10 nave DfeH ItSpoll-
sible in a large degree for the present
housing crisis.
Lockwood Scores Burlingame Bill
Senator Charles c. LOCKWOOD chair
man Of the Legislative housing commit
tee, announced yesterday that the com
mittee had voted unanimously against
the Burlingame bill, which sought to
create four new municipal court JUS
ticcs in Brooklyn. The Senator assert
ed that the jobs we're sought solely tor
patronage purposes and were not war
ranted by the amount of work before
the Brooklyn courts.
Mr.. Lockwood further pointed out
that the number of rent cases IN the
seven Brooklyn courts had decreased
steadily during the last year and sub
mitted figures showing that the number r
of cases had dropped from 40,067 IN
1920 TO 25 .S32 in 1921, a reduction OF
40 per cent Referring to the I'd DIS
trict. one of the places where the new
justices were to be placed, the senator
said it had tho smallest number OF rent
cases of any district in brooklyn ana
the second smallest number OF amy dis
trict in Manhattan or the Bronx
10 iulge Of the I'd District mas
= .... ,or more judges" remarked Mr;,
Lockwood. "The request for additional
ones is wholly unwarranted except TOR
nolitical patronage, and it is astonish-
ing to me that this bill should have
been rcported out of committee with
out n puhlic hearing. 1t looks toward
nothing. but the creation of a useless
and unwarranted drain upon the city S