New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-24
Renters Are Told After
Widest Committee Ses.
sion Albany Ever Saw
That Bills May Pass
Epithets Exchanged
In Hottest Language
1900 Renters and Land.
lords From N. Y. City
Parade Capital Streets
From, a Stnf Corrsenondent Z

From, a StuF Correspondent
ALBANY, March 23.-The wild
est disorder ever seen at a public
hearing in Albany was witnessed
this afternoon when New York rent
ers and landlords met and let their
long gathered wrath boil over in
the Assembly chamber before the
Lockwood Joint Legislative Commit
tee on Housing. Every epithet that
possibly could come within the scope
of parliamentary usage was shouted
back and forth
Men shook their fists in each
others faces; women rose shrieking
on the floor to demand protection
and for minutes at a time the din
was so appalling that only the
steady and useless beating of the
chairman's gavel and occasional
howls of rage stood out above the
uproar.
The tenants outshouted and out
argued their opponents, and it was
said by legislators at the conclusion
Of the hearing that the bills they
advocated probably would pass at
cnce, with few or no amendments.
Senator Lockwood said that when
this is done his committee would
take up the question of encouraging
building operations by legislation.
Thieves! Robbers! Crafters.
Thieves! Robbers! Grafters. Liars.
Hlghwaymen! Shylocks! Bolsheviks." ="
could be heard, and there are indica-
tlons that the din covered worse
eplthets, which the stenographer
could not catch and which Therefore
are not of official record. On the
| otner side, the renters were accused
OF lying, grating, being swine and
similar offenses. Nothing was lefr
out. Race, color, creed and politics, all
were dragged in to add to the rancor.
Inc crisis. if one occurred, came
when Senator Henry j. Shackno or
the Bronx, declared:
There is no such a thino as on
York" VI -Ss"
Instantly the chamber was bedlam
mere were storms of applause, of
Kisses, and howls of rage. dozen
landlords were on their feet demand
ing apology and as many renters
Jumped up to answer them. Men
surged down into the we'll of the
ehamoer ana other men dragged at
thelr coat tails to prevent blows.
ringers and fists waro cb
snortlng noses, unheard, but obviously
! insulting eplthets were hurled across
the room. In lull in the din. SEN
ator Shackno managed to shout:
QUIZ get no apology from me-"
And the whole scene was reenacted
The disorder continued for nine min
utes, until the Senator gave I'D the
moor Then half a dozen landlords
arose to demand that his remarks he
expunged. Some one shouted Get the
truth remain!" and there was another
outburst.
Landlord Howled Down
Inc. real turmoil was started during
the speech of DR.. II. w. Berg, mem,
per OF the United Real Estate Owners
ASSOCIATION, whose meeting Sunday re-
fused to agree to a 20 per cent ;ncome
on the value of property as sufficient.
He got along quietly enough. with
MS argument that there was Justice
and need for high rents and his
charges that labor was profteerine. as
we'll as landlords. He even advocated
the encouragement of immigration. to
cut wages and so reduce the cost of
oulld1ng' without protest. But
trouble came when he threatened Tia
committee.
ION Election Day the 100000 decent
owners Of property will be heard from
to the same extent" he yelled hut
could get no further. Cries, cat.calls
and Kisses arose all around and he was
howled down. vac
This is disgraceful exhibition"
ne managed to shout.
No more disgraceful than your
meeting last Sunday" called ont cs-
Senator John Dunnigan.
I'm going to hold you all resnonsi-
ble!" howled Berg.
~ It's case Of being elected by
constituents of your kind / don't want
TO come back" replied Dunnigan, and
again the chamber roared.
Berg had been involved in another
dlspute momont before he took the
moor. The Rev. DR.. C. C. Carsenden, of
Holyrood Church, had scored the land
lords roundly, besides taking side
swlpe at Superintendent Anderson of
the Anti-Saloon League, whom he
called "swine-hearted swash-buckler."
he told about one landlord with whom
ne had come into contact
I'm here to fight the effrontery, the
thievery and bolshevism of this kind of
cattle" he declared. "If you do not
give some relief the poor will die with
out enough money to pay their funeral
expenses because of the sneak-thievery
ana highway robbery of these men"
Woman Demands Protection
When he took his seat Berg made
some remark about his cloth, and Mrs.
Harry c. Arthur rose up and yelled
until she stopped the proceedings and
demanded protection both for the
preacher and for the women present.
Cries of "Put him out!" came from
all sides, but the incident subsided
without further action,
More than 1900 persons were de-
clared by the leaders to have com.
with the various delegations from New
York, 500 landlords, Iou faAs-' xn;on