New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-07
CITY JURSTS BALK
AT TENANT PROBLEM
Board Opposed to Making
Recommendations to
Mayor for Aid.
LANDLORDS LODGE
VIGOROUS PROTEST
Politics introduced in Discus
sion and Resolution Is Lost
by Big Majority.

The injection of politics and vigor-
GUS opposition by representatives OF
the Landlords Association killed yes
terday the motion before the Board oil
Municipal Justices, in the Ninth DIS
trict Court, to recommend TO May"
Mitchell the appointment OF Commis-
sion TO deal with the landlord and ten
ant problem.
While some of tho justices spoke III
favor of the resolution, as Introduce
by Justice Gustavc Hartman. ther'
was general disposition TO let the
matter alone, at least until after cleo
ton. The justices voted. with the lone
execution of Justice Hartman. to make
no recommendations About thirty OF
the forty-iive members Of the board
were present.
Justice Hartman urged the necessity
OF such a commission to act rs an ad-
visory body for deserving tenants and
landlords alike. that they might hear
the cases before they got into court
and assist in finding the means 10
avoid dispossess PROCEEDINGS and pos
sible eviction. lie urged quick action,
as poverty was abroad 10 an unusual
degree in the Congested districts OF
the city and hard winter faced the
poor families The proposition Of a
commission TO relieve tho situation
had the Endorsement Of City Chamber
lain Bruere, he said. lie declared
when defeated before the board that
he should take the matter directly 20
tho city officials. The resolution was
as follows:
81 move that this board recommend
TO the Mayor Of the City of New York
the appointment of commission TO be
known as hi eviction commission,
which shall be composed OF represent
atiye men in all walks Of life, who shall
serve without pay. and whose func-
ton il shall be exclusively TO deal
with the landlord ard tenant problem
80 as to attempt to minimize the prac-
tice OF eviction in this city and to
work out justice TO the landlord and
give relief TO needy and worthy ten
ants"
The Justices seemed impatient from
the start TO dispose Of the matter with
out any formal action. Some of them
appeared TO think that mere recon-
mendations 10 the Mayor would be
presumptuouS and beyond their juris-
OlCtlOn. justice dunOpt Lynn, OF inc
First District, arose to second Justice
Hsrtmans motion, but launched into
TRADE on the Misrepresentation Of
the facts involved and injected a po-
liticsl color into the whole scheme be-
fore he finished his remarks
Justice Hartman objected to the in
PRODUCTION of politics into the discus
sion, declaring that he was prompted
By purely public spirited motives and
had placed the matter before the board
for their counsel and advice with the
same spirit
DR.. Henry W. Berg, representing the
United Real Estate Owners AssocIa-
ton. which has membership of more
than six thousand landlords, strenu-
ously objected to any action of the
board on the resolution. He created
a Juror by asserting that if the jus
tees indorsed the resolution the real
estate men would rise up as mill
tGnt body TO oppose any dictation on
the part of the Mayor as 90 the duties
and functions Of the municipal courts. -
Justices Spiegeberger. Fallon and
Snitkin spoke against the resolution,
and when Justice Tierney, who pre-
sided. put the question to the board II
was promptly vetoed.