New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-13
Extraordinary Session Is
Ordered to Formulate
Measures for Relief of
the Housing Shortage
Special Election
Set for Sept. l6
Seats of 5 Ousted Social
list Assemblymen Must
Be Filled, He Says

ALBANY, Aug. Ex-Governor Smith
to-day called an extraordinary session
of the Legislature for September &C
to formulate measures for the relief
of the shortage of Dwellings,, ordering
also special election in the five AS
sembly districts whose representatives
were expelled by the Legislature DC.
cause they were Socialists. The spe.
cial election will take place September
16.
The Governor called the attention
of organizations interested in the solu
ton of the housing problem to the fact
that he had fixed date for the as
sembling of the Legislature which was
remote enough to permit them to pre-
pare any data and recommendations
they might desire to lay before it.
Governors Announcement
His statement follows:
"After a conference with severa
members of the Legislative Commit
tee on Housing, at which conference
was informed that the committee was
prepared to make recommendation te
the Legislature that would go a con.
siderable distance toward relieving the
acute situation throughout the state
in relation to the matter of housing
facilities for our people, l have de-
cided to call the Legislature in ex
IN hr
Capitol on September 90
"In addition, | have been requested
by individuals and organizations Of
citizens generally throughout the state
to give an opportunity for the presen
ts,tion of measures intended to bring
relief. The Legislature at Its regular
session gave earnest consideration te
the question Of housing. A number OF
lations of landlord and tenant, to the
end that there may be a check, up or
some of the abuses made possible by
the shortage of buildings.
"These measures have undoubtedly
served a useful purpose, but it was
never expected that they would have
any influence in curing the underlying
evil. The crying need is more houses
and nothing short of the active re-
sumption of building on a large scale
will bring adequate relief.
This fact was emphasized in the re
port of the Reconstruction Commission
that submitted to the Legislature. We
have had six months experience with
the recent rent legislation. | am in
formed that the Joint Legislative Com
mittee on Housing has some recon-
mendations for the strengthening Of
Committees of citizens, civic organi
cations and officials Of the cite:
throughout the state have been crap
pllng with the complicated problem Of
housing, and no doubt from theil
efforts Will come some suggestion look
ing to permanent relief.
Special Elections Ordered
II am setting the extraordinary ses
sion at a date that will give them al
ample opportunity to present for con
SHERATON their suggestions along
this line. Judging from the public
cities the emergency is so great that
saving of four months in the passage
of helpful legislation is gain o.
which advantage must be taken.
Accompanying the proclamation fol
the extraordinary session | have issuet
proclamations calling special election:
on September 16, 1920, in the five larg
Assembly districts that would not b
represented in the Assembly at the ex
traordinary session
81 am unable to bring myself to til,
undemocratic way of thinking that fiy,
large Assembly districts, containing
population of approximately 250,OOt
people, in the congested portions of the
counties wherein the unrepresente(
Assembly districts lie and vitality af
fected by the housing conditions
should be without representation il
the Assembly,"