The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-27
Renters and Consumers
Take Steps to Reduce
High Cost of Living.
HOLD BIG MEETING
Organized Fight on Rent
al Increases Promises
to Assume Citywide
Proportions.

To curb alleged ~prolteertng land
lords and real estate agents n other
wise combat the ever soaring high
cost OF living. the Rentere n Con-
sumery Protective association OF
Richmond was formed al a mass
meeting In William Fox school last
night
l. Tho organization begins WITH
membership OF over SIX hundred and
| promises to cttywtdc proper
tAonA Every male and female adult
interested In the things for which the
association stands will be invited to
attend the next meeting Of the league
TO be held at a time and place to be
determined within the next few days
and TO be announced through the
newspapers, .,s 4
Impetus was given the movement
by the more than SIX hundred in
terested persons present by unanimous
adoption OF resolutions. which. among
other things, proposes an organized
campaign against p~rofiteertng In all
forms. especially IN the necessities OF
food and shelter.
The following committee OF nine
four of whom are women. to form a
permanent organization and report at
such time and place as the chairman
OF the organization shall deem adj
vfsabte. was appointed: O. b Lee,
chairman: r. W. Merchant E NJ
Roscher. O. l. Omohundro. NJ G. Fin
negan. Mrs. c. F. Downs, Mrs. Ander-
son., Mrs. LuYnpktn, Mrs. J. r. Lewis
and Miss I ". walden
Gland Kidd was elected permanent
! chairman and Larkin Giazehrook. sec
Rotary.
| Talks were made by several Of those
present. al Of whom manifested a
deep intereS IN the movement Some
, OF those who spoke an hAhAlf OF thu
movement were: Jacob Umhuf. E NJ.
Roscher, O. T. Omohundro and r. W.
| Merchant
Mr.. umlauf declared that -some
people IN Richmond are money mad,
ana that some Of them win 60 to n
ends in their mad scramble for the
filthy fucre."
He declared that he had spoken to
a number OF property wner about
the scheduled increase In rentals ef-
fectfve September l and that. fnvari-
ably. they declared that they had not
been consulted regarding such action
some OF them admitted that tho pres
emit was no time to increase rents. De-
spite this, Mr.. Umlaut asserted. the
/ Real Estate exchange got together and
arbitrarily determined to advance
rents.
He alluded to decfnation OF the
finance committee of common council
to increase taxes because II knew
that such action on part OF the city
fathers worli impose additional bur
dens on tenants of rented property
and II thought that they already were
overburien"d. Real estate agents
Mr.. rmlauf said. told the finance
/ ~~nvnstfaA thai ;n~r~,nnA ~rv~.,f1
necessitate increased rentals. The
real estate rnen. Mr.. Umlauf asserted
raised rents despite d~eciination of the
committee 20 increase taxes.
Mr.. Tmlauf refuted declaration OF
the real estate agents that increase In
rents was with consent OF property
owners. He does not believe the latter
are "coldhlooded" and recommend that
aggrieved renters wait Upon their re-
grievances What we will he able to
accomplish" he said, will he not so
much by force as by moral persua-
sion"
r.. w. Merchant, father Of the move
ment and temporary chairman of last
nights meeting, said:
"CONSC1ENCEIsESS
G'ROFTTFTETeTNG"
EVERY vocation within the environ
ment OF u city Is organized n
prepared to dictate terms to the rem
ter and consumer while the consul
mer. not being organized, must how
to the inevitable and submit to the
constituencies profteering that Is be-
ing imposed upon them.
The old annorism: In union there
Is strength must now be taken into
serious consideration In the alarming
situation tina. confronts us, and. in
my humble opinion. much good. can
| be accomplished by an earnest and
hearty cooperation OF those now help
less and oppressed people at the hands
Of landlords and those engaged in
p~rofteering in the necessities of life.
1T Is. indeed, a sad commentary
| upon u fair city to be forced by
present conditions to advertise to the
world Gat such conditions, to a large
extent. lay at the doors OF those whose
business prosperity we rave aided by
our patronage. but what are we to
do? Sit still and let the greedy prof.
teer tighten his grip about our throat?
I ray: No, let us rise in our might and
enter a vigorous protest and use our
best united efforts towards combat
ting the vile practices that are being
| forced upon us. DONE say: We can
do nothing, but let as put our shout
der to the wheel"
O, L. Omohundro believes the move
tho proper n and tho present the
psychological time to launch 1t. mas
much a. there has been no recent In
crease in taxes, he does rot believe the
increase IN rentals is Justified.
The speaker, who travels out OF
Richmond through the eastern and
western states, declared that people
living on the Atlantic seaboard are
tpronteered upon as are those Of no
other section Of the country. Tho
west, he said. would not stand Tor what