New-York tribune., 1920-03-31
Tenants Union,
Million Strong,
TO Fight Hogs
Huge Combine That Plans to
Include All Organized La
bor Threatens Landlords
With Strike of Renters
Aid From Upstate Sought
Backers Believe 1ie-Up of
Monthly Payments Would
Cause Owners to Weaken

flanS to animate all organized labor
of New York City. and State, and all
other victims of "rent hogs" in a gil
gantic combination to fight prefiteering
landlords arc being drafted as re-
suit of the coalition of Jewish labor,
social, fraternal and other bodies in
the Jewish Tenants Defense League.
A general strike of renters will be in
voked as last resort.
The campaign calls for 1,000, 900 men,
bers in the city, the organization of =
statewide movement on similar lines
and direct cooperation with the Central
Federated Union and the State Fedora
tion of Labor.
All Will Be Invited to Enlist
1t is hoped to make the organization
far broader than one comprising labor
only. The Jewish League has drawn
together synagogues, war veterans. ben
eft societies and tenants bodies, as
we'll as labor unions, and it hopes to
get the support of small business and
professional men.
The leaders hope that the general
strike will rot be needed to enforce
the demands for protection, but it's
use is in their minds in case other
measures fail. They believe that such
a strike would tie up payments of $780,
100000 month in this city alone, that
the courts would be utterly unable to
handle the multitude of cases that
would develop within few days, and
that success would be almost certain.
To carry opt the plans of the pro-
posed league an executive board of
sixty members has been appointed, each
of the different kinds of bodies which
make up the league being represented
on it in proportion to its strength.
"The executive board will hold it's
first meeting early next week." said
Morris Feinstone, secretary of the
United Hebrew Trades and temporary
secretary of the league. yesterday. "It
elect officers and a steering committee
from among its members and direct the
general plan of battle.
"Ths campaign will be along the line
of the resolutions adopted at Monday
nights meetinga statewide organiza-
ton, affiliation with all other rent suf-
ferers committees to lay our case be-
fore the Legislature and the Board Of
Aldermen, and specific drive to OBJ
tain the laws we feel are needed.
Legislative Demands Outlined
eve are particularly anxious that
the power of determining the reason
abieness of rents be put in the hands
Of the Municipal Court justices. They
are near the peonle and know what is
necessary. We want it made impossi-
bic to evict tenant until the Health
Department has given a certificate that
ho n
lifa and health. These are for imme-
t,iate relief. For permanent measure
we want the submission of a constitu-
tional amendment which will declare
That all houses having more than two
families arc ouasi-public service insti
sutions This will furnish basis for
making rents dependent on cost of con-
struction, and not on speculative and
inflated valuations.
eve do not want to use general
rent strike, but, Of course, such a blow
at the landlords would be the most
powerful weapon we could use, and we
would employ it as an emergency meas
ure. Personally. ! am confident that
;here will be no need of it. think VIC
can win by less drastic measures"
A resolution introduced yesterday by
the three Socialist members of the
BOARD Of Aldermen protesting against
the rent bills now before the Legisla-
ture was referred to the Committee or
General Welfare
War on Jewish Landlords
First evidences of the war of th'
Jews on landlords of their own faitl
who rrofteer were displayed yesterday
in front of 1876 Douglass Street
Brooklyn, from which many tenant:
have been cvicted this week
Signs on the furniture piled in tht
street read in English and Yiddish:
"The landlords of this property, wh'
are Jews themselves, have cvictet
twelve Jewish families on the eve o
the Passover
According to Harry Rich, secretar
of the Brooklyn Tenants Union, Abra
ham Feldman is owner Of the house an
has raised rents there 100 per cen
in the last year.
Tur<JEox<I A~-r:unoJ.