The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-13
Hundreds Engage
Daily in "Cussiing
Outthe Landlord"
at He a dquar ters
Of Mayors Com
mittee and Get
Practical Results


of the Municipal Building where
hundreds of people engage each day
in the thrilling and now highly popu-
lar pasttme Of "cussing out the land
lord" The rooms comprise the head
quarters Of the Mayors Committee on
Rent Profiteering. Of which Nathan
Hirsch Ia chairman, and those who
take part in the daily condemnation
are as welcome there as the flowers
in May. There are tenants whose
rents have been boosted and rehoosted
to figures which they believe to be
unjust. They come with anger in their
hearts to meet the mediators and con-
ciliators on the committee, get mad
der and madden the longer they dwell
on their grievances, and go away with
smiles and handshakes for their land
lords after adjustments have been
effected which are satisfactory all
around. For Mr.. Hirsch and his CO.
workers are strong for this mediation
stuff and are veritable bears for con-
Citation. That they have been sue
cessful in the difficult work which
Mayor Hylan cut out for them Is
horne out by the chairman's abatement
that In less than three months the
committees activities have resulted
in $1,000 settlements. These figures
mean that adjustments were rIade
between heads of $4,000 families and
their landlords OF differences arising
over rent increases, threats Of etec.-
ment, actual court actions to dis
possess and other unpleasant things
that are constantly popping up In the
distressing housing situation. AS the
landlords made CONCESSIONS In the
great majority of cases. the set e.
ments brought relief and JOY to thou
sands of almost distraught rent
payers.
Mr.. Hirsch declares that IL every
municipality in the United States had
an official or unofficial body. backed by
the local government. to which all
sorts and conditions Of folks could go
for cdvice when they think they have
grievances, the seeds of Bolshevism
wouldn't have a chance to terminate
on American soil.
Works without n Club.
The Mayors Committee ON Rent
Profteering Is unlike any other pub
lie body In or out OF the city. There
is no legal law" within its reach by
which 1t can compel landlords to be
good and stop "gouging" tenants. The
A.
man breaks the moral law il he insists
on getting more rent than he is en-
titled to, and, therefore. it is perfectly
fair to use amy reasonable moral
suasion to induce him TO be fair and
honorable in his dealing with tenants.
The moral suasion" that the COM
mittee finds most effective Is strong
emphasis on the fact that every single
department in Mayor Hylan's admin
istration is cooperating with the
Mayors committee in its programme
TO obtain a square deal not only for
tenants who have been imposed upon
but for those landlords who are salts
fed with a fair return on their prop
critics. When a profiteering landlord
gets the idea through his head that
the Health Department, the Building
Department, the Police Department.
the Fire Department. the Tenement
House Department. the Department of
Water Supply, Gas and Electricity.
and other departments. besides the
Board of Aldermen, the Municipal
Court Justices and others, are work.
ing with the Mayors committee In its
efforts to stamp out rent proflteering
he changes his mental attitude. AS
tenants whose rents have been lacked
up anywhere from 80 to $50 per cent.
have sharp eyes out for violations,
and as they do not hesitate to tell
members OF the committee about con-
ditions. it is perfectly natural for such
\ q landlord to change his mind about
getting all the rents the traffic will
bear. Hundreds of-"natural born grab
bers'' have seen the light and made
concessions.
On the other hand, the committee
has shown the utmost sympathy for
the fair minded landlord who has been
compelled by reason of the increasing
costs OF everything pertaining to the
maintenance and operation of an
apartment house to increase his rents.
Its agents have wrestled patiently and
long with unreasoning or ignorant ten
ants to show why It is necessary for
them to pay increased rentals.
Thousand Cases n Week.
When Mayor Hylan created tho
committee in the middle OF April he
told Mr.. Hirsch to stop rent profiteer-
ing. The Mayor was a Judge once and
knew there was no authority in the
law books to prevent a landlord from
squeezing the last dollar out of hi
tenants. But he stood pat on the
moral law. 1t isn't moral for a land
lord to "gouge." he argued. and so he
directed Mr.. Hirsch to go as far as he
liked, as long as he got somewhere
The committee has been going under
full steam ever since, and although
tenants still are being "gouged," the
mediators are bringing about settle
ments at rapid rate. Last week the
records showed adjustments in the
cases Of L275 aggrieved tenants ant
1,1o6 the preceding week.
In many cases landlords accused Of
profiteering took back their demands
Sor increased rents and said that fol-
the sake Of their tenants peace Of
minds they would let the old rents rur
along for stipulated periods. Hun.
dreds who sent out notices that rent,
would 90 up on the first of a certain
month consented to settle by accepting
one-half the raise. besides promising Il
ynaka NECESSARY renaira- and Al oil