Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-17
RESIST RENT RISE
! AND WON'T MOVE
East Willard Street Ten.
ants to Fight Alleged
Pro6teering
ASK CONGRESSMAN'S AID
Petition Of Directors Now
With Observation-Disclosures
Here Considered Likely

The occupants Of twenty-five small
ha uses in East willard street. a little
thoA oushfare just north Of Allegheny
avenue and running from Front stree,
to c street, have notified their landlords
they win not pay a 81 increase in rent
due August IL Neither will they move.
Let oN' landlord try to evict US II he
wants." say the residents Of East Wiz
lard street He will, find 1t tough
job to oust awenty-two families"
The houses are In the second square
east of Front ;Istreet. They are bwneo
by w. A. McCaa sland. 1925 Frankfora
avenue. who recently Acquired the prop
, erty.. McCauslanH agreed with the
tenants that many Nepaifs were needed,
but, told them that hwiHg' to the high
cost Of labor and .nalerials. he wsuld
have 10 raise the rent.
The ten>rnts protest Sd and said they
would ratiA,r make tl>eir own repairs
than stand an increast> M rent. But
McCausland reisised.
And anyhow what's " a month";"
he asked why his only ATTY cents a
week. NY tenants dSrsht ~ be Willing
to pay that in return for the repairs.
But the tenants could not seas 1t that
way.
Fifty cents week will repair pair
take the family TO the movies ,once IN
while, said the spokeswoman for .East
willard .street
Our meir are nearly all textile wos n
ers They haven't profited by the hfA Y
wages In the war industries 1t is an
we can do to scratch along with tho
children and ourselves to feed Snd
c,othe." There is no race suicide TN
East willard street
SAYS Ies. Not Protlteerins
The woman told all this to McCaus-'
land. After. he had. thought 1t over ana
| figured out that each house was costing
him $191 a year. lie decided boost OF
SO month would not be- considered
"profiteerng' Such an Increase would
jret him $40 per house per year. So he
!; sent out formal notices the rent would
be raised from $1s to SEQ a month.
In the meantime, however. the resi-
dents Of East willard street. under the
leadership of John, Dougherty textile
worker, and printer named Martin.
formed an organization. They agreed
not to move unless they were thrown
out by the police. They felt that to
put twenty-five families. with an aver
age of four children to family. on
the street, was more than any landlord
would do They natified Congressman
Costello, who represents tina, district, OF
their dilemma and their decision, and
asked him to back them.
Congressman Costello forwarded their
| round robin to United States District
Attorney Kane who declined to say what
action he would take. -.
Rent Director Forcast
! The opposition of these tenants and
! tho action of Councils special committee
on rent profiteertng. which yesterday
| forced rwo downtown realty dealers to
compromise with their tenants. is be-
! ueyed by persons leading the night
against unjust rent advances to forecast
| the appoirtment Of RENT administrators
| for this city. Councils' committee VIII
visit washington next week to hasten
| action.
/ Large barracks similar to those used
In army CAMPS may be built In the
northeastern section to provide adequate
housing facilities for workmen employed
| in war plants. Three large ffrns-Hsnry
! Disston 4 Sons Company, L. H. Gilmer
Company and Glh, nder Sons--are con-
sidering this plan - a means OF reieN-
ing The housing situa lion
IL is also sugseste. that additional
houses be built, but the l.lan to- construct
barracks seems to meet with the most
| tavor