Evening star., 1943-06-16
New York City Council
Votes Investigation oi
La Guardia S Regime
Meets After Midnight
To Authorize Probe
OF All Departments
By the Associated Press.

Of All Departments
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 16.-In a
hectic post-midnight session, the
New York City Council approved
today a resolution calling for a
sweeping investigation of de-
partments under the La Guardia
administration.
The resolution, creating seven
man committee of council members
with power to subpoena and examine
witnesses under oath. was introduced
yesterday by Councilman Walter r.
Hart, Brooklyn Democrat. After
legal objections had been raised to
an immediate vote, the council ad-
journed until one minute after mid
night. Then, after stormy debate
the resolution was adopted, l8 to S,
with the heavy Democratic majority
unanimously in favor of it.
Mr.. Hart refused to state his rea-
sons for proposing the inquiry, but
during argument on the legality of
the vote, shouted:
Il am firmly convinced that there
is more to be investigated in this
administration than there was In
Tammany Hall and I am sure we
will show It,"
Mr.. Hart was mentioned recently
In charges by William B. Herlands,
city commissioner of investigations,
which brought about an investiga-
ton into the sale of stirrup pumps
In the city. Later a former deputy
controller of the city, Milton Solo
mon, was tried and acquitted on
charges of attempting to obtain a
retainer to influence City Council
legislation.
Mr.. Herlands' report chraged that
Mr. Solomon solicited an $1,000 re-
tainer from an appliance company
which had sole distribution rights
OF stirrup pumps, to use his influence
to kill Council bill to remove the
pumps from the list of required
civilian protection equipment. The
report further stated that Mr.. Solo
mon represented himself as a close
associate of Mr.. Hart, who was
chairman of the committee consid-
ering the bill.
After the inquiry resolution had
been adopted, the Council accepted
the recommendations OF the Com
mittee on Rules and named a COM
mittee composed of five Democrats.
one Republican and a member of
the American Labor party. Mr..
Hart was named chairman.
Wanted Records Safe.
Although councilmen would not
comment on the reason for the un-
precedented midnight meeting, it
was learned in city hall that the
Democratic majority had insisted on
the meeting to speed the issuance
of subpoena to the ONCE of Dis
trict Attorney Frank Hogan and
prevent the possibility of removing
any of the records OF the stirrup
pump investigation.
Within a few hours Mr., Hogan
and an assistant district attorney,
Joseph Ssrafite, were served with
subpoenas, obtained by Mr.. Hart,
which ordered them to produce rec
ords and testimony in the Herlands
investigation Of the stirrup pump
case.
Mayor La Guardia, asked for q
comment on the resolution, replied:
1T speaks for itself"
Iater tho rpovor sup,p,opeJ 20
porters to his ONCE and declared
that the City Council is entirely
within its rights in investigating
any department Of the city govern
ment that 1t desires in any legiti-
mate investigation that is conducted
in accordance with the law"
The council will have the full
and complete cooperation of every
one in the city government from the
mayor down." he added.
Mr.. Hart told reporters that for
obvious reasons" he could not say
whether the committee had author
lied the immediate issuance OF
subpoenas.
Under the city charter. the COM
mittee has the right to subpoena all
records and documents OF city de-
partments and corporations trans
acting business with the city.
The group, like the Seabury Com
nittee which investigated the ad-
ministration OF former Mayor James
j. Walker. has authority to subpoena
bank accounts Of officials of the La
Guaroia administration and others
engaged in business with the city.
Mr.. Hart indicated that inquiry
would be made into the sanitation
department, budget funds of some
city departments and the ALLEGATION
Of budget funds to the police de-
partment.