New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-03

.;enstor Walters. "Ha. the present
high cost Of things taken the American
breakfast from the tablet"
ut has"
"undcr TIE same theory the city
would be justified in going into the
food buslness
az c .it.ons continue, absolutely
yes" insisted Mr.. La Guardia. 1--WE
must provide for the welfare, health
and peace"
Build a lot Of houses and imme-
diately you will see the rents adjust
themselves because of the increased
supply" interpolated Frank Mann,
Tenement House Commissioners.
La Guardia's Plan Opposed
Edward P. Doyle. secretary of the
Mayors Housing Conference Commit
tee. entered a vigorous objection to
the citys going into the building bust
ness in any degree. lie said that on
July l last buildings were going for
ward to house 1882 families at an in
vestment of $60,000,0OO, and that he
did not think favorably of Mr.. La Guar
dia's scheme to build houses on. a $780,
100000 investment of city money. He
said the city on August l did not
have more than s10,00O,00O borrow
ing margin.
what we need for building is about
100000" said Mr.. Doyle. "The
city has commitments now amounting
to $3.50, 100000. There have been two
sessions of the Legislature and none
of the legislation that has been passed
has solved this problem, because you
are up against it to-day, as you were
in the beginning. do not want the
Legislature to go on passing foolish
legislation"
"Do you make that statement as a
representative Of the real estate in
terests or as member Of the Mayors
ccommittee?" asked Assemblymaf j.
II. Caulheld.
~ make it as E. P. Doyle, who has
thirty or forty apartments he rents
and is taxpayer"
Governor Smith asked: "Have you
any objection to the Legislature en-
powering every municipality to handle
this question of housing, and, if q
great public necessity require, to build
houses? ?"
Wants Private individuals to Act
II am not in favor Of it," answered
Mr.. Doyle. 81 am a Jcffersonian Demo-
NAce oliu OcllCNt III the least possible
government. | believe that if you
allow private individuals to do those
things they will be done much better"
"But thoro was no shortage of
houses in Jefferson's time" said Gov
ernor Smith. "Is there any harm in
giving the city the power? In 1918
we passed home rule law that to
my way of thinking is broad enough
even to let the city handle this situa-
ton, but for fear it may not be |
would like to see the Legislature re-
confer the power on the ground of
public health and public welfare. so
that we wouldn't have any trouble if
we went before the Court Of Appeals
Do you think the city ought to 20
into the business of lodging people %
81 do not.''
"Well, it did," said the Governor
DO you think it ought to run ferry r.
~ do not"
"Well, it did"
Few Suggestions Considered
Mr.. Doyle said he read in the Book
of Deuteronomy that municipal opera
ton of public utilities was attempted
unsuccessfully four thousand years
ago.
But that was written so long ago it
doesn't meet the housing situation
said the Governor.
Comm ssioncr Mann said he believed
municipality built houses would cost
much more than privately built ones
"And the same objection would prevail
here as prevails in Europe, where the
people who occupy those houses are
looked upon as semi-paupcrs," he added
Only a few of the proposed suggcs-
tions to the Legislature were consid-
\
taken up when the committee resumes
this morning
About dozen witnesses were heard
Mrs. Henry Moskowitz, secretary of the
Reconstruction Commission, reviewed
the commissions proposals for a con-
stitutional amendment to provide for
home building by the state, for legisla-
ton to permit cities to rent vacant lots
and for the establishment of local hous-
ing boards to deal with rent profiteer-
ing.
Add Story Plan Advocated
John p. Leo, chairman of the Board
Of Standards and Appeal, outlined his
scheme for a lifting Of tenement house
restrictions which would permit land
lords to add 4 story to each apartment
house. Objections to state aid were
voiced by James j. y brlen, OF Astoria,
and Robert +. Bowling, who declared
all the state could borrow in the next
five years would not provide enough
buildings.
Referring to a tenants organization,
which is said to be fostering strike
among it's members, Aaron J. Levy,
president of the municipal court
judges, said: There are tenants in
this town who are organized by a
vicious agency for purely political rea-
sons. That agency has sought to SOW
the seed of discomfort so that unrest
might be followed by revolution. 1t
was hoped to enlist 4 large number of
tenants SO that the courts might be
rendered inpotcnt and the machinery
OF the law made Ineffective. But.
thank heaven, their plan has thus far
failed"