Evening star., 1934-03-30
Public in No Mood to Have
Bills Killed in Commit
tee, Says Governor.
IMPEACHMENT MOVE
REPORTED STARTED
New York State Committee Ac-
cused in Trade Commission Tes.
timony Welcomes Inquiry.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
ALBANY. N. Y, March 3o.-The
Thayer incident brought a warning
from Gov. Lehman to the New York
Legislature today that the people
of the State are in no frame of mind
this year" to have utility legislation
again killed in committee rooms.
Ihe Governor expressed his warm
ing shortly after report was pub
lished that the Impeachment of State
Senator Warren T. Thayer, former
chairman of the Senate Public Service
Committee. would be sought.
The Albany Evening News said that
Senator John j. McNaboe, New York
City Democrat, would, on next Mon
day night, institute Impeachment
proceedings. The newspaper further
declared that McNaboe also would
present resolution asking for a leg
islative investigation of the utilities
situation as it affects the State
Senate.
The Governor challenged each
member Of the Legislature to show
where he stands on the utility ques-
ton by voting on the Lehman utility
bills.
The Governor continued to show
great interest in the letters purport-
ing to have been written by Senator
Thayer to utility officials which were
introduced before the Federal Trade
Commission yesterday. He declined
to comment on a statement by Sen
ator John j. McNaboe, New York
Democrat, who was quoted in the AL
bany Evening News as saying he
would move for Thayer's impeach-
ment Monday night. Senator Thayer
said he would welcome any investiga-
ton.
Confident of Passage.
Discussing pending utility bills, the
Governor said.
Il have been confident-very conf
dent-that they will pass. This de-
velopment directs the attention of the
people of the State to the situation
to the whole question of public util-
tiles legislation
There can be no question" the
Governor continued. that all my bills
must be brought out on the floor OF
the legislature and voted on, so that
the widest publicity and discussion
will be given each one"
The Governor said that such a pro-
ce6ure would make the views of each
individual legislator known"
They must vote on them," he said.
The people of the State are in no
frame of mind this year to allow the
smothering of ills in committee
rooms"
Municipal Power Bill.
The Governors principal bill is one
to permit municipalities 10 60 into
the power business. Power companies
have said this legislation would ruin
them. Senator Thomas F. Burchill
New York, Democrat, the present
chairman IF the Public Service Com
mittee in the Senate. said several days
ago the Lehman bills would be re-
ported out next week. He declined
to say whether they would be re-
ported favorably.
Threat of a Senate investigation
into Senator Thayer's relations with
the company stirred the Capitol.
There were reports that a move
for an inquiry would be made Mon
day, when the legislators-home for
Easter vacation-return.
Letters purporting to bear Thayers
signature and written in 1927 and 1923
were laid before the Federal Trade
Commission yesterday. One, written
to a vice president of the utilities
company, submitted an expense ac-
count in connection with village
election.
The letter spoke OF bills killed in
the Senate Public Service Committee,
of which Thayer was then chairman, j,
and said he hoped his work during
the past session was satisfactory to
your company"
II the Senate declines to look into
the records Of Thayer, Assemblyman
Maurice A. Fitzgerald, Queens Demo-
crat, will seek to investigate the ex-
penditures of all public utilities.
Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, who is
fighting to tighten restrictions on
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