New-York tribune., 1908-01-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TENANTS SIDE OF RENT STRIKES.
Settlement Workers Say Orderly Conduct OF
Agitation Deserves Public Respect.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir The present agitation for reduced rents has
reached such proportions that g. statement OF the
situation it appears to those engaged in social
work in neghborhoods where the pressure OF rent
is most acute seems due to the general pubic
The fact that large number of persons nave
united in demand for a reduction in rent ana
that they have started movement WHICH haS
grown ra pidly. indicates condition which de-
serves thoughtful attention and calm inVesusauoh'
Although the movement has its chief centre IN
the lower East Side where the burden of rent Is
heaviest has been restricted to this district.
The increase of rent has been general throughout
the city, and in many sections conditions similar
to those the lower East Side exist Ihe eHore
10 organize has also extended beyonu the lo"cl
East Side; but it is in this quarter that the press
is most severely felt According to the census
of 1906. this is the most thickly populated section
only of New York but OF the United states.
Within the last few years th3 congestion IN TINS
section has greatly increased. owing TO the razlhs
OF buildings make room for new bridges ana
the constant stream of immigration, together with
the natural growth of population These causes
have undoubtedly tended to increase values an'
these have been added era of intense specu-
lation in tenement house property and the vicious
practice of sub-leasing whereby one and some
times two lessees each bent profit, stand oe-
tween the actual owner and the tenants from
whom each additional profit must eventually come.
AS result the rent of tenement house apartments
now absorbs 80 per and more of the family
income leaving in muItitudes Of cases all too little
to provide sufficient food and clothing to maintain
even a minimum standard of living.
The increase in rents coinCident with the
years OF general prosperity. and the burden did
not become absolutely intolerable until this period
was at an end The recent financial crisis has re-
suited in considerable reduction of wages ana
has thrown a great number Of people out OF EN-
poyment. The income of thousands of famiiies
has thus during the last few months suffered al
enormous reduction. and the present demand for
reduction of rent proportiOnate to the reduced
ability to pay seems not only entirely natural but
inevitable.
In reference to the organized movement among
tenants TO secure rent reduction we deem it only
just say that the agitation through public meet
ings and the like has been conducted in a calm
and orderly manner. The people of the East SIDE
are hard working self-respecting and law-abidinS,
and the evident desire Of those who have organized
in this movement has been TO avoid disorder 1t Is
our observation that the movement has been con-
Quoted in such manner as 10 deserve respect ana
we wish to give public expression to this opinion.
JAMES H. HAMILTON, University Settlement
LILLIAN D. WALD, Henry Street Settlement
ELIZABETH S WILLIAMS. College settlement
MARY K sIMKHOvITCH. Greenwich House
JOHN L. ELLIOTT, Hudson Guild.
CHAs SPRAGUE SMITH. Peoples institute
GAYLORD S. WHITE, Union Settlement
NeU York 10 1908