New-York tribune., 1907-12-31
SQUEEZE FOR TENANTS
RENV MEETING PACKED.
Thousands Hear Eight Speokers-
Strike Spreads to Nescork.

Ahout a thousand men, women ana clliloien'
practically all Jews, gathered 'h lei
Ivceun,,- in East Broadway, last night anu o.
the hais should hold as decldeo hi'
about two hundred they filed the place 80
flied It SO full that the police VINO thfohseu INC
door refused to let any one III a1ter 80.
and caused much grief to one belated oehe'ef
in the divine right OF refusal to pay rent
This man. who was about four feet taii' ou' W
q good deal of Importance in his own eyes, saio
be had perfect right to get in, because he " DIS
Going tn sneak He was mistaken. however Oe-
cause he didn't speak. Two or three rep'-'
were there when he was barred ana lie "''i''
to make his speech to them. But theS e90a
There were. I'D to midnight. about eisn'
speakers at the meeting Eoar u
spoke in Yiddish- Samuel Edeis'el' VIZ
was arrested IN Rutgers Square on SAL
dav night, won much applause MI Edei-
stein said the socialists were abused ou'
that they were ready to give up the leader
-; =; +,a fgbr m anv one who would take 1t
Jacob Panken the lawyer who is ngnting the
dispossess cases, sounded the keynote Oh 'he
fight He urged every one present 10 tame "
active mart in it first~ty refusing to pay extor-
tfonate rents and then by persuaolns MS
neishbors to do likewise Mr. Panken saio 'nae
this fight differed from previous rent slriNes III
this time the tenants SiihpiS SS"A" 49,
the rents demanded. whereas before they hao
-, ohIa 20 nav hut had entered the fight on
principle. - l..
Tbere was no outdoor meeting last night IN
pr+,ers Souare on account of the rain But II
there had been the police had no orders 10 IN
terfere unless it were conducted noislly, ana
although the reserves of the Madison street SUD-
ton were out no trouble was expected
It was estimated at the socialist headquarters
in Grand street yesterday that seventy -hNe
thousand persons were out of work at present
in the affected district. and that this nurnper
would be increased to $4,000 in the next mohth
IT WAS said that while all those now out of
work had made some provsionFfor short
period of scarcity they would this year De un-
employed for a longer time than usual. and thai
this with the high rents, would result In great
suffering.
The decision of DR.. Wassernlan to reduce his
rents at Nos sS and 20 Stanton street was for
mally announced yesterday. and this served 10
cheer the strikers when bulletin was posted
IN the socialist headquarters, although the
leaders of the strike thought the concessions
were not broad enough. Other landlords showed
signs of weakening
Jacob Panken thinhs the solution or the
trouble will be the erection Of municipal tene-
pay the interest Of the bonds issued to build
them He thinks that a return of s or I per
cent would pay the interest and the cost of
maintenance and says that 20 per cent is the
present average return on tenement house prop
erty investment. The landlords say they are
lucky 70 be able 10 meet mortgage interest and
the other charges their property owing TO
the speculative activity in the last few years.
Rents have been raised by buyers to make the
properties look better. and this has accounted
for the Increase of some 90 % per cent in the
average rents.
Justice Sanders. in the Madison street Mu-
ncipai Court. expressed himself freely to ten
ants brought before him in the afternoon on
dspossess proceedings. and told them that
they must either pay get out. There were
signs of weakening the part of some land
lords. however. John Bassin and John Schei-
der of No 21S Cherry street were in court in
response to a process issued for David Jacobo-
witz. the landlord. Justice Sanders about
to direct their immediate eviction when Jacob
owitz stepped forward and told the court that
he was willing have the men remain in his
apartments for d few days while looking for
another home.
The landlords at No. 13f Monroe street and
No. 21o East 10th street gave in to their ten
ants demands last night.
The strike has spread to Newark. where some
activity developed yesterday. Little was DONE
however. and only two dispossess notices were
served. The landlords say the action OF the
tenants is ridiculous. and that those who are
dissatisfied can move. They expect difficulty
in filling their tenements. The landlords re-
tanned Edward Schoen. of Newark to fight any
eviction cases which may be taken TO court
TRAP Laid FOR HUSBAND