The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-02-01
TIMES BUREAU,
AT STATE CAPITAL.

Al STATE (AfIIAt4.
Indianapolis. Ind, jan s1-A Moses
has come to lead the weary children of
the old tenant-landlord problem out OF
bondage.
He is Louis J. Oswald of Princeton.
Ind, who for many years has studied
the tenant problem and is thoroughly
familiar with the difficulties which
stand between the landlord and renter
and with the needs for them to stand
together on an equitable basis for the
justice due each other.
The solution is organization. and to
that end Mr.. Oswald has founded the
International Progressive, Tenants
League of America" by which renters
may band together to get what is fair
ly due them at the hands of the land
lord. 1t is conceded that the law in
practically every state Is really on the
side of the tenant.
The Progressive Tenants league ac-
cording to its purpose as set forth in
the organization rules. will not only
provide the tenant with a lawyer free
of any cost other than his light league
dues. but gives him the services of the
overseer of each local organization to
try to adjust any differences that may
arise between himself and the owner
of his residing place. the question first
being determined whether what the
tenant asks is reasonable under the
conditions that exist in his community
If the league aims by force of num-
bers and concentrated efforts to aid
the tenant, by the same process it pro-
poses to make a model tenant of the
renter, and he must conform to certain
conditions TO retain members hip. 1t is
the intention TO lift the organization
to level where the simple fact that
a prospective tenant is a member of the
Tenants league is a guarantee to the
landlord that he will take reasonably
good care of the property, pay his rent
promptly when he can (and when he
can't the league will aid him), and
that he understands that all men,
whether tenement cottage owners
or whether renters, have some rights
that are to be respected.
The organization has money. brains
and a liberal spirit of philanthropy
behind it. and men OF broad capacity
in practical sociological problems who
have investigated the plans of the Ten
ants league, which is. in fact. a fra
| ternal business organization. say tina,
| it is destined to work a widespread but
sane revolution in home conditions oil
| the lower and middle classes not only
! OF this country but throughout the
world. 1t does not propose to brow
| beat or bully" <he landlord into con-
| ditions obnoxious to his interests. but
/ it does propose. by force of numbers
| and Intelligent direction, to lead hin
| to a Willingness 20 meet his tenant or
| a just ground ard consider fairly his
right and needs.
| IN his work in building up this or
ganizatfon Mr.. Oswald has had the
active cooperation of his wife, Mrs
| Linnie Oswald, and to her ideas. gain
| ed in personal Investigation of rem
conditions from g womans viewpoint
ne credits many Of the strongest fea
| lures of the leagues foundation.
| The papers of Incorporation have beer
| prepared under the laws of Indiana
| and the first organization has beeI
/ completed and the papers filed with thu
the international will be Evansville
| Ind, where Mr. Oswald and the othel
i supreme officers will have their head
quarters.- A magazine. The American
Tenant" the official organ of TIL
league. already has been issued. AM
hundreds of applications are being re
ceived from tenants who realize tn
/ possibilities of the organization.
4 1t is expected to have 100000 mem
J bers in the leading cities of the countr.