Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-24
flight OF TENANTS
CENTERS IN CITY
Welfare Commission Making
Plans for Thorough Probe
of Housing Conditions
OPEN HEADQUARTERS HERE

Plans are already under way to have
the Public Welfare Commission open
headquarters in Philadelphia for a
probe of the entire rent profiteering
question and an examination into con
ditions that allow 1874 houses, capable
Of accommodating 5000 persons, to
stand idle while families are becoming
desperate in their search for homes.
These steps are the immediate re-
suit of the conference held yesterday
in Harrisburg between representatives
of tenants associations of Philadelphia,
Attorney General William I. Schaffer
and Banking Commissioner John s.
! Fisher.
4 probe of at least one building as
Sociation OF this city, accused of hav-
, ing aided spectators and profteers,
through the loan of its funds, is to be
made at once by a state banking ex-
laminer, who is to come to this city
Immediately for that purpose. 1t is
declared the officers of this building
association accepted fees for the loan
of the moneys of the association to the
spectators.
To Study New Lease Form
In addition. the Real Estate Board
of Philadelphia will be requested by
Attorney General Schaffer to send
counsel and experts to this city to-
morrow to agree upon n new form of
.lcaSe which reputable agents will be
asked to adopt. The new lease to run
for minimum of six months, and to
eliminate some of the waivers of laws
protecting the tenants.
William L. Hirst. treasurer of the
Real Estate Board. said today his as
sociation will operate gladly with
Attorney General Schaffcr in the lease
matter. 1--WE will be only too glad
to have this conference he said. ''Of
course. we represent the owners when
we draw up lease for landlord and
must protect his interests, but we be-
lirve also the rights of the tenant should
be protected What we want to sec
is fair play all around, and will do all
we can to attain that end.
The present law covering building
and loan associations is defective, ac-
cording 20 Banking Commissioner
Fisher. and recommendations for radi.
cal changes should be made to the
Governor at once.
The two associations of tenants back
of these moves arc the Tenants Pro-
tcctive Association of West Philadel-
phia. of which Joseph F. Moloney is
president. and the United Tenants
Protective Association, Michael j.
Conway being the general organizer.
McCIain on the Job
Former Lieutenant Governor Frank
B. McClain is chairman of the Public
Welfare Commission. He will sum-
mon technical assistants to the hear
ings in this city. real estate men and
representatives of tenants will be called
to the hearings. and full publicity will
be given the entire rent and protteer-
ing situation.
Defend Associations
While there are no doubt certain
building associations that require regu-
lating. the majority of them are con-
Quoted honestly and for the, best in
tercsts of their stockholders, according
to secretaries of number of large as
sociations today.
Henry ]. Walter. who has ten on
his list. said: 1T is not proper to con-
denim all the building associations in
one sweep. The vast majority of them
in this city are properly conducted.
Those that are not so conducted should
be regulated at once. But in my own
opinion they are very few"
Joseph H. Paist. another secretary
said: "A very large majority of them
are run for the benefit of the share
holders. have very extensive ac-
quaintauce among them. and | feel that
I know. OF course some are stronger
than others, but I personally know of
no crooked ones.
William +. Ulery, another secretary,
said: "Of the 5000 or more building
associations in the city. ] should say
there are only dozen or more, at the
best. that are not properly conducted.
One man associations, or those run
by brokers for their selfish ends, should
never be permitted. Where the di-
rertors. however, attend to business the
shareholders do not suffer"