New-York tribune., 1914-11-30
CHARITIES UNITE
TO CRUSH THE
EVICTION EVIL
Justice Hartman BareS Suf-
fering of Thousands
Turned Into Streets.
SEEK MITCHEL'S AID
IN RAISING FUND
Relief Organizations At
tackled at Meeting to
Help Poor.

Help Poor.
The forces of both organized and
private charity are to be modified TO
fight the evils Of eviction among the
poor OF this city. At meeting Of rep
resentatives of the clergy and judiciary
in the apartments Of Mrs. l.. W. Moers,
at the Hotel Ansonia, yesterday 1t was
decided to seek the cooperation OF
Mayor Mitchell in a movement TO raise
a fund with which to aid the unfortu-
mates VINO face the possibility Of being
turned into the streets.
Justice Gustave Hartman, of the
Municipal Court. who presided, made
an attack on the methods of the charity
organizations of the city. Bishop David
Greer asserted that the organizations
should be required to do the work
which they are supposed to do or go
cut of business.
Cyrus Sulzberger, of the United He
brew Charities, upheld the record OF
the organizations and replied in spir-
tied manner to the criticisms of Justice
Hartman. He admitted that there was
a certain amount of distrust of the So
cieties among the people, but upheld to
the limit the methods and personnel
employed.
In opening the meeting Justice Hart
man said: ~ have asked you gentle
men, who are leaders of thought in this
city, to come here for the purpose of
laying before you the pitiful condi-
tions which exist among the poor, es-
pecially the poor Of the East Side.
Plea for East Side.
81 am doing this because come from
tho people in whose behalf | am here.
Whatever have, they have given me.
They have supported me in my amb-
tions. and | cannot forget the debt |
owe them.
In my capacity as justice Of the
Municipal Court it is my duty to hear
eviction cases. am obliged TO sign
orders for eviction. and it is the sad
dest duty am called upon to perform.
II is a degrading spectacle, in a city
like this. where wealth abounds. TO see
a family turned out upon the street
to see human beings without shelter
and through 10 fault of theirs.
"Ten months ago Harry Schlacht,
president of the East Side Protective
Association, came TO me and asked how
the evictions Of the poor could be pre-
vented. Since then l have given the
matter much thought and study.
"Now, have come to you that ! may
set forth the conditions that exist and
to seek your counsel in regard to what
can be done. There is more unde-
served suffering on the East Side to-
day than ever before in the history Of
New York. According TO the statistics
of the Commissioner OF Accounts. there
were last year $4,000 eviction cases in
stituted
an Manhattan Borough the number
was $4,000. Que Of that number only
Ss2 families were actually turned into
the street. Our work is to strike at
the causes responsible for such a state
of affairs and root them out.
Plan to Obtain Relief.
81 believe it would be a good plan
to cooperate with the agencies of re-
lief which now exist. but in such
wav that any committee we may form
shall have supervision over the work
TO see that it is done properly. The
other day talked with representatives
of the Charity Organization Society
and the United Hebrew Cahrities.
.'These men told me we are handling
it, They said that they had sufficient
funds. too. But the same day they
issued an appeal for 100000. They
may say what ;hey will. Undeserved
eyictions are an every day occurrence,
and the poverty is there-worse than
ever.
"Throuph the bank failures which
have taken place within a short time
"a 600 people have been forced TO the
verge of eviction. e we appeal to the
Generous spirit Of the people of New
York. if we make an appeal for a spe-
cifc purpose, it will bring results.
"To be sure, the charity organiza-
tions will make an effort 10 meet the
cent situation, even at the sacrifice
of other lines of work.
"They will do it to stifle the present
sentiment. Every day and every night
peoplc come TO me. They weep-they
even throw themselves on the floor and
beo me TO give them food, TO give then,
work, to let them live. And yet the
charity organizations say they have
the situation IN hand.
my suggestion IS that committee
be formed 10 appeal for funds. Not a
dollar shall be spent until trained
investigator has made report on the
case in hand. We should weed out the
frauds.
"If unemployment IS the cause Of the
pending eviction, we should undertake
TO secure work for the tenant. In this
VIC can cooperate with the Public En-
ployment Bureau. II IS true that the
Judges have cards with which TO intro
ducc those threatened with eviction to
the charity organizations. but they are
forced TO go time and again before ac-
ton is taken, and then relief often
comes after the eviction has taken
place"
Al this point Bishop Greer asked il
II 90. .f laf IN mr.