New-York tribune., 1920-05-01
Rent Strikes
To Be Sporadic
In City To-day
Mayor Committee Finds
Little Evidence Anywhere
of Concerted Movement; /;
Little Moving Expected
Ready for Amy Outbreak
Bronx Grand Jury Seeks
Evidence of Conspiracy;
Eyictions Coming Later

Contrary to the announcement by
Chief Flynn, Of the Secret Service, il
was said yesterday at the Office of tht
Mayors Committee on Rent Profiteer
ing that there is no reason to expec
any serious rent strike to-day.
i Local, sporadic strike outbursts are
not beyond the expectations of the
committee, but all information the com
mittee has been able to gather. it was
declared, tends to show that reflective
publicity on one hand and amelioratiye
measures on the other have squashed ID
the strike movement"
In addition to the announcement
made at the Offices Of the committee,
a hearing held before the Bronx grand
jury yesterday with the purpose Of de
termining the extent Of the alleged
strike movement in that section Of the
city revealed no concerted efforts look
ing toward walk-o out Among those
who testified before the grand jury
were J. W. Hilly, chairman Of the
Mayors committee.
No Evidence of Plot
Following the hearing, Mr.. Nilly de-
clared that while he was not at liberty
- divulge his testimony, the hearing
failed to reveal evidence of any con-
ccrted plot for an extensive vent strike.
AS q result of his testimony, Mr.. Hilly
SAID, several new witnesses were
brought into the situation.
He also expressed the opinion that
the extensive publicity given to the
plans of radical and Bolshevist agita-
tors among tenants has served to up
set their plans and propaganda. Mr..
Hilly said, however, that while no seri-
~ nI,ft ftpa II po taI - a.
considerable agitation and trouble may
be looked for within two weeks, when
legal actions taken by landlords against
tenants whose leases expire to-day will
begin to produce many evictlons.
he hopes, however, that his commit
tee will be able to adjust a consider
able number of these controversies. AS
the basis for such hope Leo X. Mayer,
counsel for the Committee on Rent
Prohteering, pointed out that during
April, the first month of the operation
Of the new rent laws, the committee
handled no less than $1,000 cases, 49,
600 of which were settled by the com
mittee, the rest going into the courts
There are 1000 cases pending before
the committee, Mr.. Mayer said,
AS result of the new rent laws,
making eviction a more complicated
process, Mr.. Mayer said, the total num-
ber of tenants who will be moving to-
day will not exceed $4,000
The fact that such a comparatively
small number of tenants will be forced
to move to-day, it was pointed out, is
sufficient guaranty against any serious
rent strike at this time.
Holds Many Conferences
Prior to the grand jury hearing Dis
trict Attorney Francis Martin held
conference with Mr. Hilly and Alice
Cavanaugh, who has been devoting
much time to the interests of Bronx
tenants, District Attorney Martin also
conferred with municipal court justices
and city marshals. 1t was understood
that among the matters discussed was
the possibility of rent strike in the
Bronx
Subpoena servers were sent broadcast
through the Bronx yesterday by Mr.. !.
Martin. Among the witnesses sub /
p9naed is Morris Gisnet, of 800 East
l63d Street, legal representative of the
New York Tenants League. /
No great moving rush was to he
observed yesterday. Whatever rush
here appeared to be was confined en-
,irely to Office buildings, althoueb
here, too, according to The BuiId;pr i,IJigr
Managers and Owners Association,