New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
Chairman of Mayors
Committee on Profiteer.
ing~Says Promise to Sup.
ply Funds Was Broken
Poor Will Suffer,
His Parting Fear
Urges Continuation of
Campaign Against C oug-
ing Landlords in City

nathan Hirsch, chairman of the
Mayors Committee on Rent Profiteer-
ing, yesterday charged Mayor Hylan
with refusing to provide money for
the work of the committee and ten
dered his resignation.
In announcing his resignation Mr..
Hirsch made public correspondence
which passed between him and the
Mayor during the last six weeks, show
ign that he had on two other occa-
sions rendered his resignation be-
cause of the Mayors neglect to pro-
vide the committee with money.
"My most earnest WISH" said Mr..
Hirsch last night, "is that the Mayor
will move immediately to provide
funds so that the work of the rent
profiteering committee will be con-
tinued. 1t would be q calamity to take
away from the poor the only agency
which has stood between them and ex-
tortion by unscrupulous landlords.
Poor To Be Sufferers
What has been accomplished by the
committee easily can be undone. The
principal sufferers in that event would
be the poor, and l do not believe the
Mayor wants to take that RESPONSE
bility."
Mr.. Hirsch was at loss, he said, to
explain the Mayors failure to give his
committee an. appropriation, likewise
his failure to reply to his letter of
December 26, in which he for the third
time rendered his resignation and in
which he reminded the Mayor Of his
broken promises.
"On December IA last the Mayor at
tended the benefit performance given
at the Century Theater to add to a
contingent fund to be used to alleviate
distress caused by evictions among the
poor" read a statement issued last
night at Mr.. Hirschs Office.
Between the acts the Mayor caused
Captain Charles A. Goldsmith, Of the
committee, to announce on his behalf
that part of the 100000 fund
gained by the city through overcharg-
ing for army food would be used to
further the work Of the Rent Profteer-
ing Committee.
promise, Mr.. Hirsch was told that the
poor he represented would get no part
Of the fund"
Blame Put on Mayor
This phase of the situation was
elaborated on in Mr.. Hirsch's letter
to the Mayor Of December 26. In his
letter Mr.. Hirsch says the failure on
~ ~ hn ~ 1a
his promise "places US, and may sug-
gest, even your honor, in most
awkward and humillating position"
Then the letter continued:
"As matter Of altruism and civic
duty, it seems to ME that 1t is oblga-
tory on the members Of the Board
Of Estimate and Apportionment for the
O'Malley committee to give us money
whereby we can properly continue
work equally, If not more, important
than distributing coal, ice and milk"
After reviewing the entire situation,
Mr.. Hirsch declared that Il $4,000
as he had no desire to be associated
with anything that is doomed to be
recorded in the annals Of failures
He asked for reply before January
1, 80 that he could guide himself
accordingly. None being forthcoming,
Mr.. Hirsch last night made public
announcement Of his resignation and
gave out copies of his correspondence
with the Mayor.
Settled Many Disputes
From the time Of his appointment
last spring up to November Mr..
Hirsch personally met all the expenses
Of the committee. The amount he de-
clfnad to revAal Since then the Board
Of Estimate appropriated S10,500, Of
which $500 has been spent The bal
ance is needed TO pay extra help hired
during the rent strikes Of last fall.
Mr.. Hirsch said the committee has
adjusted more than 10000 rent dis
putes, has saved over $1.000.000 for
that number Of families, and caused
the land sharks and the tax lien sharks
to disgorge cash or realty in excess of
$6, 900 to their victims.
Mr.. Hirsch declared there WAS large
amount Of work yet to be done, and
that there we're now pending before the
committee scores Of cases.