Evening star., 1934-04-01
THOROUGH PROBE
ASKEDBYLE LEHMAN
New York Governor Con.
VinCed Public Wants
Light on Utilities.
By the Associated Press.

by tne Associated freSS.
ALBANY, N. Y, March 3l.-Gov.
Herbert H. Lehman tonight asked the
New York Legislature to undertake
a "thorough-going investigation Of
the relations. past and present. be-
TWEEN public utilities and any one in
the service of the State government"
His request was the result Of let
ters read before the Federal Trade
Commission in Washington and pur-
porting to have been written by State
Senator Warren T. Thayer to the
Associated Gas & Electric Co. in
1927 and 1928. Thayer. Republican,
then was chairman of the Senate
Public Service Committee.
The Governor issued the following
statement:
Il am convinced that the public
interest requires. and that the pub
lie conscience demands. complete
and impartial and thorough-going
legislative investigation of the re-
lations, past and present between
PubAC uIAlIlco anu ally OIlC LII I41c
service of the State government.
Favors Full Light.
when the present charges were
first revealed, I publicly stated that I
was in favor Of letting in the light
on all public transactions and that
government should never be conduct
ed in the dark. In the interest of
good government, and for the purpose
Of preserving the peoples confidence
in the integrity of government, I
strongly urge that the legislature un-
dertake at once searching inquiry
SO broad and so fair that there can
remain no further doubt whatsoever
that all the facts have been devel-
oped and brought into the open with
out favor or fear.
This is the plain, inescapable duty
Of the legislature. If confidence in
our government is to be retained that
duty cannot be avoided. The light
must be let in. The investigation
must be bold, vigorous and thorough"
A member of the Governors Demo-
cratic party. Senator John j. McNaboe
Monday night present two resolutions
asking for the investigation into Thay-
er's position and also of the relation
ship Of all members of the Senate to
public utilities.
The Governors request. however,
was for an inquiry that would take
in all State employees, elective and ap-
pointive. 1t would be concerned with
their past as well as present coz
nections. He has his own utility re
form" bill before the legislature. Two
of these are intended to permit mu-
nicipal power plants and limit utility
company earnings to per cent.
Will Insist on Bills.
II am going to insist my bills being
reported out and considered" the
Governor said.
The point is" the Governor said,
"that these letters have been dis
closed. It certainly shows, and it
hasn't been denied, that the former
chairman of the Senate Public Service
Committee, who is still on the COM
mittee. killed public utility bills in
committee"
One of the purported Thayer letters
inquired OF an official of the Associ-
ated Gas & Electric Co. whether
Thayer's services as chairman of the
committee in 1927 had been satisfac-
tory mot so much from the stand
point of the new legislation but from
the fact that many detrimental bills
which were introduced, we were able
to kill in my committee"
The correspondence, Gov. Lehman
said. "has caused a suspicion in the
minds of the people that good govern
ment demands be investigated, regard
less of who may be affected by it"
Asked If he would call legislative
leaders into conference, the Governor
said, "oh, I don't know"
The Governor said he did not plan
to send a special message directly to
the Legislature ON the utilities ques-
ton.