Evening star., 1920-03-24

.CLASH|SEXC|T|NG
New York City Judges Join
in Denouncing Profiteers
at Albany Hearing.

! ALBANY. N. Y. March "a (by the
Associated Press).-The hearing be-
fore legislative committee accord
ed New York landlords and tenants
on legislation designed to curb rent
profteering wound up last night with
/ a racket equaled only by that heard
at a world series game tied in the
| ninth.
Charges and counter charges, hisses
and cheers, catcalls and frantic clop-
ping Of hands. mingled with cries Of
Put him out!" as opposing factions
clashed in debate before the special
joint legislative committee consid-
ering the proposed relief measures.
Landlords and tenants. about a hum
dred to a side. who arrived here at
noon from New York. faced each other
across the assembly chamber, and It
| seemed at times as If only the fact
that they could not get at one an
| other prevented them from coming to
blows.
! Denounce "Rent Hogs"
Municipal court justices from all
parts OF New York denounced spec
as rent hogs" and conditions which
, they described were said later by
James P. Holland. president of the
State Federation Of Labor. to apply
| with equal force to other cities. such
as Buffalo. Albany. Syracuse and
! Rochester.
The first real fireworks. however,
came after the Rev. DR.. c. c. Carsen-
den Of New York had finished speak
ing in behalf Of the tenants. Mrs.
Harry c. Arthur. Bronx landlady.
realty man. had passed an insulting
remark concerning DR.. Carsenden.
This charge precipitated scene.
Roars of Throw him out" came from
the rent payers side of-the chamber
- ~;o{o
| Berg a few minutes later. when he
blamed high cost of labor" for in
creasing building costs and suggested
| that the literacy test be abolished to
create competition among American
workmen. But the climax was reach
ed when he warned the committee
they would hear from the 100000
decent property owners at the next
election, if they passed the proposed
measure"
Warned Landlords.
Stewart Browne. president of the
United Real Estate Owners Associa-
ton. said he was not in favor "even
had warned the landlords If they did
not assist in getting legislation, to
improve the tense situation they
would get it in the neck"
There was dramatic moment when
a realty man urged encouragement of
building operations as the only cure.
Tenants, leaning forward, waved dis
possess notices before his face and
charged he had given these to forty
five families. because they refused to
meet a raise from S32 to $65.
Edward F. Hannah. president Of the
..ew York Central Federated Union,
tsserted labor was ready to cooperate
! N any building plans and would pull
men OF other Jobs for this purpose II
the builders were ready. Mr.. Hol-
hn landlnrd saHUhn ia
taking the working mans wages away
from him as fast as he gets them"
In Guardia's Prediction.
Fierello la Guardia, president Of the
New York city board of aldermen, was
selected to open the case for the ten
ants. He issued the following state
ment:
unless the present legislature
enacts the rent measures now before
it, predict the next legislature will
not spend its time discussing seating
or unseating OF five radicals. It will
whether or not to seat five republicans
and democrats.
IF the present situation continues,
rent payers in New York. not only
in the Bronx, but along Riverside
drive, will stop paying rent next Sep
tember. Then what will be done?
You can't dispossess tho whole city.
The situation will be SO universal that
1t will constitute a menace to law and
rights of property"
I. Victor Well. vice president Of the
United Real Estate Owners Associa-
ton, was selected by the landlords as
their spokesman. He declared the
landlords were hot only aligned
against the proposed rent measures,
but wanted all income from mort
cages exempted from state tax in or
der that capital might be attracted
and a permanent cure be effected
through increased building operations.
ArbitratinE I'm Chicago.
| CHICAGO. March 24.-Representa-
tives Of Chicago landlords and tenants
| met today to work out details of a plan
| for establishment Of district arbitration
boards to settle rent disputes. Real es-
| tate men, tenants and landlords would
be represented on the boards, and advo-
Gates OF the proposal declared that a
| majority of the disagreements over in
creased rents could be adjusted by arbi-
tration.