The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-02
CITY PEACEFUL
AS ONLY 5000
FAMILIES MOVE
Usual October First Total
to Seek New Homes
$4,000.
NO VAN SCARCITY
Tenants Encouraged to Sit
Tight by Late Court
Edicts.
TROUBLE CERTAIN LATER
Real Estate Men Start Action
to Test New Laws as
mJ Radical

fusion, riots and wholesale evlctions
which were predicted. but indications
are that all these things will come
gradually, and that in month land
lords and tenants will be at death
grips in the courts to determine the
validity of the emergency legislation
which went into effect September %.
1t was estimated last night that less
than 5000 families moved. while be-
tween 75.0vr and 100. 600 families who
wished to move did not because they
had no place to go. Usually about
$4,000 families move on October !. The
number who would nave moved yester-
day had it not been for the legislation
which halted evictions was set far in
excess of the total of any previous mi
grafton. The Van Owners Association
announced that it was operating 1900
vans and that independent owners
brought the number up to 1000, which
proved to be sufficient to handle all
necessary moving. 1t was estimated
there will be enough moving to keep
these vans busy until October Is.
Endless litigation is promised for the
next few days. For once the tenants
protected by the law, had the upper
hand of the landlords. but. as one real
estate man expressed 1t. they were
only storing up wrath against the day
of judgment"
Real estate owners were bitter in de-
nouncing the laws as radical and
"everything but openly socialistic." The
board of governors OF the Real Estate
Board of New York, after a meeting
which lasted all afternoon. gave out a
statement declaring that. upon the adj
vice of counsel. il believed most of the
recently enacted measures were uncon-
stitutional or invalid for other reasons
and that steps would be taken at once
to test them in the courts.
Plan Court Action.
"A committee was appointed" reads
the statement, with full power to Sc
cure the cooperation of other real es-
tate organizations and individual prop
erty owners interested. with power to
employ the entire means and energy and
influence of the Real Estate Board to
attack and II possible defeat in the
courts such of the measures as would
operate to conhscate property rights and
unlawfully suspend the constitutional
rights of property owners.
lit was further decided to suggest to
the members of the board that they
notify their tenants that IL the laws
suspending the right of eviction by sum-
mary proceedings and for the recovery
of rent are determined by the courts TO
be invalid tenants unlawfully holding
over o. refusing to pay agreed rents
will be held liable for any loss or dam
age that may be suffered by their lahi-
lords.
the fight against the validity OF the ie1yis-
lation IL is certain that IL prevented un-
precedented chaos. Thousands OF ev.c-
ton proceedings originally scheduled for
October L in the municipal courts We're
withdrawn following ruling by Chief
Municipal Court Justice Aaron j. Levy
that no orders were to be handed down
in proceedings which had been begun be-
fore September IS The significance Of
Justice Levy's order was especially no
ticeable in Harlem, The Bronx and In
the Brownsville district. where even M
the years before the housing shortage
the coming of october meant all sorts
OF connection.
Cheer Ruling in Court.
when Justice william Il. Morris in
Che Second District Municipal Court
The Bronx, read the telegram giving
Justice Levy's instructions more than
100 tenants who had appeared in court
in response TO actions Instituted by their
landlords greeted the announcement with
cheers. Testimony was then heard IN
several cases with a view 10 making
satisfactory adjustments. but 1t was
made plain that no warrants for evic-
fion would be issued Only one case
was heard in the East Harlem court
by Justice Leopold Prince. -Four hun
dred cases were originally scheduled
In the one case which was heard JUS
tice Prince refused to evict, despite the
fact that the landlord had oeen trying
TO put the tenant out since July. and
the tenant already had been granted
one stay because ne said ne coulu nnu
no place to go.
David HirshheIt. Commissioner of
Accounts and Arthur J. w. Hiliy. chair
man Of the Mayors Committee on Kent
Proriteering. were jubilant because their
predictions that not more than 5000
families would move turned out to be
correct.
THE information 7 have" said Mr..
Hirshheld "ie that the people who move
to-day are mostly those who are NOV
ing into better quarters, moving back
into New York from the country. or
people who are forced TO vacate under
rulings issued by Justices prior to the
enactment Of the new rent legislation"
At the office OF Mr.. Filly's committee
many complaints against landlords were
being nie6. Although notice had been
sent out for several days TO tenants not
TO move, Mr.. IIilly said that more than
10000 persons visited the Offices OF the
committee in the last Ave days to make
complaints or obtain advice.
Many Pay old Rent.
Acting under advice sven out repeat
ediv by city officials. many tenants sent
checks TO their landlords for rent at tho
old figure. dcspte the fact that In many
cases new leases had been signed ard
higher rents agreed upon Thousands
OF these checks were received by real
estate companies. and many more are
expected 70 reach them through the
mails to-day. The checks are being re-
turned. Under the law this action puts
the next move up Go the landlords. for
the tenants having proTered what they
considered enough. will continue to "st
fieht." Proceedings can be started No
vembcr by the landlords The courts
viii then decide what Is reasonable
rent. provided the validity OF the new
laws ia not disproved by that time.
Frank $. Bancroft vice-presdent OF
Pcase & Gilman. said he received about
nifty checks at the tenants figures and
sent an OF them back. lie said the new
rent laws simply had served TO prolong
serious situation.
1--WE rented our apartments at u fair
price." said Mr.. Bancroft, "and now
many persons are trying TO rcnege