New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-31
Bronx Tenants
Cheer Attack
Upon Judges
1000 Applaud Woman Who
Asserts Municipal Courts
Have Not Lived Up to
Trust Imposed by Law
Many Changes Urged
Joint Legislative Commit.
tee Hears Recommends.
tions to Aid Housing

Inc JOINT Legislative Committee on
dousing held open council last nicht
before more than 1000 Bronx tenants
"A meeting, held at the Morris High
School, 166th Street and Boston Road
gave the committee a score of sugpes-
irons for relieving the existing land
lord and tenant situation here. The
suggestions were supplied by lawyers
representing hundreds of tenants in re-
cent dispossess cases, by municipal
court justices and by ATTORNEYS for
various tenant organizations.
Inc meeting proved calm affair in
Its hrst stages, when sharp warnings
by Senator John J. Dunnican, who nrc-
sided in the absence OF Senator Lock-
wood. the head of the committee. had
the effect of silencing all applause.
But the Testimony" took on 50 much
punch that the chairman finally gave
up trying to keep order and allowed it
to respond as it sa Witt.
Mrs. Harry Arthur, a member of the
Fair Play Rent Association of the
bronx, and Democratic leader of the Sd
Assembly District, brought on series
of ovations by her indignant thrusts at
the municipal court justices, the rent
gougers and chose responsible for the
administration of the law"
Says Judges Have Failed
81 am speaking as a plain citizen of
the Bronx when | say that tenants
come to me and say: Mrs Arthur, do
you think we have a chnnce?' and |
say to them in reply: Who's your Judge
and where's your court? | say the
trust placed in the municipal court
judges by the State Legislature has not
been lived up to-"
The crowd yelled and stamped until
Mrs. Arthur turned to them from her
seat on the stage of the auditorium
&nd called: "Please keep still for Eve
got only two minutes more"
me only time case ever gets to
the Appellate Division is when the
landlord demands an appeal and has
the money to carry it through" she de-
c!ared: BE careful how YOU change
these laws or add to them Can justice
be done when judge tries to dispose
OF zoo or 300 cases in a day? Also
luteiy, no! 1t can't be done!"
Offers Many Amendments
W li1ialH SaHlll, counsel Tor inc Uni
versity Heights Rent PAYERS Associa-
ton, was another WITNESS" before the
committee. In answer to questions ad-
dressed him by Elmer 0. Sammis, coun-
sci for the committee, and others of
the committee, he suggested amend
ments which would "prevent q land
lord from circumscribing leases !;
place the burden of proof on the land
lord that he has not increased ten
ants rent more than rs per cent with
in SIX months prior to the renewal Of
lease; adopt standard fXation of
value for the landlords property and
prohibit him from charging more than
fair return on his investment; give
the tenant IAN actual defense' by max
ing landlord prove that he brought
his case in good faith. and abolish hold
over proceedings INDUCED in by GER
tain landlords whose tenants receive
favorable decisions in the courts.
Tells of Spectators Work
"My own landlord yesterday offered
said Mr.. Cahill. "a house that cost
the owner $1,000 three months ago
would be mine now for $1,000. The
same thing is happening all over the
Bronx to-day. If we could make a
landlord show his transactions were
in good faith this practice could be
stopped"
Others who testified were Patrick ].
Revelle, superintendent Of buildings,
Borough of the Bronx; Robert S. Null
len: of the Mayors Rent Committee;
Oliver S. Tierney, counsel for the Fair
Play Rent Associations; Miss Agnes
Craig, attorney for the Melrose Com
munity Council, and Municipal Court
Justice Harry Robitzek, who asserted
that in another year 10000 Bronx ten
ants would be homeless because of ex-
piration of year stays which could
not be renewed under the present laws
Justice RobtZek recommended an eX-
tension of the stay period from one
to three or five years.