New-York tribune., 1920-09-22
Limit Rents
By State Law,
Labor Urges
Federation Asks 10 p. C..
ON Value of Building as
Maximum; w ork ers'
Plan Offered by Holland
From q STAFF Correspondent


ALBANY, Sept. 21.-James P Hol-
land, president Of the State Federation
of Labor, to-day presented to the
legislative leaders the Federation's
views on housing legislation.
The program does not include any
definite suggestions for legislation, but
merely outlines certain features which
labor wants placed on the statute books
and those which it opposes.
Labor indorses legislation which
would except state land bank bonds
from state and Federal taxes; it would
have taxes on real estate based upon
the rental income of property and a
:alr valuation Of the land; it warns
against drastic reductions in revenue
for fear that the burden of the upkeep
OF the government may be passed on to
those least able to bear them, and ad
vocates the establishing of local hous-
ing agencies. 1t is suggested that a
bill be enacted which would limit a
landlords income to 10 per cent of the
valuation Of his property.
Mr.. Holland will remain in Albany
until the close of the special session
to watch the legislation enacted. He
declared that on the whole he is salts
tied with the housing programs pre-
sentcd by Governor Smith and the
Lockwood committee. Tho proposal
made in the report by the housing
committee for the creation of local
housing boards which would tend to
effect cooperation between capital and
labor in the construction of housing
appears to Mr.. Holland to be weak
spot.
Puts Blame on Capital
1T leaves the inference" the labor
leader said, "that labor is not ready
TO do its share. The housing shortage
is due to many causes, but chief among
these is the failure of capital to
realize its responsibility 10 the people
and the failure of the railroads to
move freight and building supply ma
terlal. and. more than anything else, to
the unfair and un-American attitude of
employ the necessary help at wages
which would support the workers in
dcccncy and comfort"
A warning against housing relief leg
islation which might lower the stand
ards Of protection to health was given
by Mr.. Holland. Labor must be alert, -
he declared, that laws fixing the
standard for the protection of the
people in construction of buildings and
their occupancy be not tampcrcd with
in any way in the demand for lcgs-
lativc relief.
New laws should PC drafted so as to
encourage housing and building in
every way. and construction in such a
way that every interest affected would
know definitely Just what its rights
and interests arc
Plan to Delay Evictons
Owing to the fact that the action
against the five Socialist Assem- blymcn
occupied the entire day in the Assem-
bly,, the Lockwood housing committee
did not have an opportunity to meet, as
had been planned.
The Senate members Of the commit
tee, with Majority Leader J. Henry Wal
ters, are preparing bill to be intro
duced to-day which will put another
stumbling block in the path of land
lords who seek to cvict tenants The
bill will provide that ii landlord. in
order to eject tenant for non-pay-
mcnt of rent, must first obtain judg-
ment for the amount against :he ten
ant. Then, if the judgment is not sat
isfied, he can resort to eviction pro-
ceedings.
There will be joint meeting to-
morrow Of the Senate and Assembly
Cities comm mittccs, to which all housing
bills have been REFERRED On Thurs
day afternoon at > o'clock there will
be hearing on all housing bills. The
hearing is eXpected to draw the largest
attendance at any hearing on record.
Notices Of appearance sent to the
chairmen of the Cities mittees in
dicate that virtually every section Of
the state will be represented with the
large delegation from greater New
FORK. 1t is anticip pated the hearing
nd