New-York tribune., 1920-09-21

Smith Urges
Building Aid,
End of Gouggingg q

diva aad executive branches of the gov
s,nuaens might he in q position TO deal
w;tn this problem, which even d that
.;mas promised te be acute. Your hon
.v.hle bodies, believing that facts
,Aouid be produced upon which to
.,esicase remedial legislation. ap-
..;nsed committee from both Houses
a. she Legislature to investigate the
subject.
~This committee reported at the last
.ss,ssn of the Legislature and several
executive proposals arising from their
,snor,. were enacted into law. 1t was
sa,aitted at the time that they were
.xned;ents intended TO alleviate the
situation temporarily. AS we under
sssnd legislation, they were entirely
rsg,Iatory. Two vital objects were
aysrlooked; one. the encouragement of
huiIding construction, and, second. the
saoption of state policy looking to
sae future study and development by
tse state of this all important question
al adequate housing facilities.
"Exoe riaace Of several months has
revealed to US the weaknesses Of the
temporary expedients and has made
mora acute the necessity for encourage
ment Of building operations so far as it
can be done by law, and the creation
of state agencies for future use.
Three Points Considered
eve therefore at this session, as !
sac il. have three distinct branches of
tbe subject with which to deal:
sFirst-The strengthening of the
temporary statutes enacted at the re-
cent session.
sour temporary laws of last spring
have fallen far short of what was ex-
rectsd of them and selfshness and
greed on the part of not few land
lords have brought about an indescriba-
BILE condition in the municipal courts
in New York City. I am informed by
the president of the Board of Justices
of the Municipal Court that there are
pending for October l more notices
Of dispossess proceedings than were
filed during the whole year of 1919
approximately 100000. The courtruoms
have been crowded beyond their ca
pacity by tenants seeking relief. These
hgures of themselves cannot communi-
cate the harassing uncertainty and the
misery caused by the constant repeti-
ton Of these proceedings. 1t has been
publicly stated by the Health Commits
sioner of the City of New York that
this condition of uncertainty is alone
q direct menace to the health and well
fare of the community. The housing
shortage leaves the citizen nowhere
to turn. Families have been broke n
up and dispersed generally through
the city, or crowded and huddled into
the homes of relatives until the health,
welfare and morality of the commu-
nifty is seriously threatened.
ut seems a very great pity that the
decent, honest landlord should be
obliged to come under a regulation
clearly not intended for him, but made
necessary by the willful and deliberate
prsfteer, who would turn this great
crisis in our states history to his
personal advantage. The people, to
some degree at least, have managed to
protect themselves from other forms
Of prodteering. but they are helpless
10 deal with this one, because a home
every one must have. Have in mind
that no regulatory legislation, prop
erly drafted, will have any disastrous
effect upon an honest man. 1t has
bsen my experience that only those
who seek to live outside of the moral
Law have any great fear of state regu-
lation. The state has a conscience and
it will regulate fairly.
"Inasmuch as regulation must be ex-
eseised through the agency of our
courts, it is to existing statutes or the
enactment of new ones supplerentipg
fAsn that we must turn out attention.
Landlords have been given the spe-