Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-27
AFTER THE LANDLORDS
Rent Strikers Make Things
Lively in Old Gotham.
A BIG MOVEMENT STARTED
Effort to Bind Tenants to Refuse
to Pay.
THE EAST SIDE IS AROUSED
Plant That Prices Are Entirely Out
of Proportion to Cost Of
Living and Wages.
A BIG MOVEMENT STARTED
FHE EAST SIDE IS AROUSED

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, December 27.-The rent
strikers turned a new and unexpected
weapon on the landlords this morning
when they came down on DR.. J. Wasser
mann. the lessee landlord of the tenement
at 6S. Stanton street, with an order
from the board of health requiring him
to make extensive repairs to his plumbing,
to comply with the health regulations.
The house is the starting point of the
rent strike, and its example has been
used to guide other tenants in conduct
ing their opposition to landlords all over
the East Side. Landlords are now in fear
of an outburst of board of health orders
at the instance of striking tenants.
DR.. Wassermann is dentist. Shortly
after he was notified by the board of
health this morning he was visited by
deputation Of his tenants. He showed a
disposition to compromise. If they would
agree to raise the sum for the repairs to
the house. he stipulated, he would lower
the rents to the figures that they had set.
But this would not suit the tenants. The
committee filed out. wagging their heads
and saying. No, no. Soon the report
landlord had offered to settle. 1t was re-
ceived by excited men and women with
cries of triumph, as sign that the ten
ants were winning.
The organizers of the strike said this
morning that they were at last beginning
to get the big movement in hand. They
have been working day and evening as
missionaries trying to band the tenants of
each house in unanimous compact to
refuse rent. Their organization Is made
quate to handle the work. While they
had awaiting organization the names of
over 1000 tenants in more than 200 houses.
they have Sc far completely organized
only eleven Houses. with Ala families of
tenants. a slight fraction of the entire
number. These eleven houses, however
are all UNANIMOUS.
Every tenant in each one has agreed to
stand by Eis fellows. take evicted tenants
in for shelter. stand eviction himself if
ncedful. and pay no rent until the land
have in each case presented written de-
n:ands to the landlord. AS yet only two
answers have been received. Besides DIR.
Wassermann, the landlord at 216 Cherry
reported. to lower his rents in case other
landlords should do the same. The ten
ants say they will stay on strike until
they get more definite assurance.
Contest in Chicago Probable.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, December 27.-Residents in
tuc CoiStSteO OI Tue WEST olue
may emulate the lower East Side in New
York and likewise call rent strike"
This was freely discussed in the ghetto
yesterday. About TOO people held meet
ing in the Metropolitan Hall. where plans
for the organization of union of tenants
were made.
That rents are higher in the ghetto than
anywhere else Is admitted even by land
lords, who say this is the inevitable re-
suit OF the congestion. Said a leading
resident of the Ghetto. There is gSod
deal of discomfort among the tenants.
The people all crowd here, when many of
them could live more comfortably in other
ma rfs Of the CITY"