The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-26
GOVERNOR HITS
 PROF|TEERINC
 HOUSE RENTERS Moves to Prevent Exorbit- ant Charges for Housing
 In Industrial Places. WILL ENFORCE THE
 SANITATION LAWS Judges of Courts Asked to Aid Campaign Against
 Landlord Eztortion.

dustrial centers and to insure proper health precautions in tenaments were made Monday by Governor Holcomb on recommendation of the Connecticut State Council of Defense. The action of Governor Holcomb was the out growth of the investigation of exces- sive rent charges in Waterbury.
 The course decided upon by the governor and the defense council, in cludes moves to protect tenants in all parts of the state from prohteering such as the commission found has been practiced by a small group or Waterbury landlords. The remedy de- cided upon has resulted in Governor Holcomb writing to judges of courts throughout the state, as follows
 "The extraordinary demands upon our industries for production of mu- nitions and other war material has created very serious conditions in some of our cities because of made quate housing facilities. The great body of our citizens is endeavoring to meet the situation in a patriotic spirit but some property owners seek to take undue advantage in extortion of un- reasonable and unconscionable rents and in some instances by failure to comply with sanitary laws and regu- lations Their unpatriotic conduct is seriously affecting our industrial workers and is detrimental to the in- terests of the Government in the pres ent emergency and against the public welfare.
 'The State Council of Defense has with my approval taken action in this matter and among other things has passed the following votes:
 VOTED: That the Council re- quest the Governor to request the courts appointing prosecuting officials that they require such officials to see that all laws and municipal ordinances relating to the public health be rigid ly enforced, and that the Governor be requested to notify all such prosecut- ing attorneys and all Grand Jurors that they make special endeavors to have all laws and municipal ordi- nances relating to the public health, rigidly enforced, and that he will hold them to a strict performance of their public duty.
 VOTED: That the Governor be requested to issue request to all courts having Jurisdiction of actions of summary process that they cause prosecuting attorneys or Grand Jur- ors in their Jurisdiction to be given notice of such actions within their jurisdiction and by requiring such of ficiaIs to appear in said action, inves- tigate each case and if it appears that the national interests or public safety is seriously jeoparded by unreasonable and exhorbitan rent charge for the non-payment of which eviction is sought, that such officials move for the continuance of the case until the present emergency is passed, provided the tenant shall tender to his landlord in full payment of rent due, such amount as said official shall deter mine to be the fair rental value of said premises due.
 'In compliance herewith hereby request that you adopt the course in- dicated in each of these votes in so far as the subject matter is within your jurisdiction.
 "In this connection beg to call to your attention of the appropriate pro- scouting officers the provisions of Sec tion A of the Public Acts of 1917 un- der which I am directed to render tc the Government of the United States in the present crisis any assistance within the power of the State, and tc that end and for the purpose of pro viding for the public safety I an authorized to exercise any and all power convenient or necessary in m! judgement, and under which it is th' duty of every public official in thu state to furnish me such information and assistance as may require in thu execution thereof.
 The commission appointed by Gov ernor Holcomb declared that a 'smal group" of Waterbury landlords has in "cold blood" extracted the full ad vantage for themselves out of tn economic situation and the imperativ needs of the workmen. It also sai that while majority of Waterbur landlords have, to their credit, re fused to take advantage of the situ ation, a few have charged extor donate rents far above any fair leve have failed to make elementary re pairs, have maintained disgracefull unhealthful conditions and have fu1 nished a housing not worth even normal rent"
 A by the commission as result of a investigation !a Waterbury, follows Taking 102 cases together without rt gard to the number of rooms in tn particular rents the averages weI as follows: Average first rent, s15.1t average last rent, $27.96; average il crease S2; average number of room per rent 5.2.
 The percentage of increase in
 cases of three room rents was S4; tf percentage of increase in IT case Jour room rents was 7s; the percen age of increase in 34 cases of hv room rents was S1; and the percen age of increase in 20 cases of s room rents was 82.
 The report of the commission al showed that a survey of rent cond tions in several cities made in 1912 l the Bureau of Social Research
 Providence, R. l., showed that ren in Waterbury then were higher ths In three other cities studied, therefor showing the uselessness of an alleg ton that the first rentals" used the commission were abnoTmally To