New-York tribune., 1920-03-25
least temporary deadlock in the prof.
ect for getting building program

ect Tor gcttln& pulIulnG program
under way, failed to dampen the gem
cral enthusiasm Of tenants yesterday
over the reporting to the Legislature
of the housing re1ief bills, as result
of tho hearings before the Lockwood
joint committee Tuesday. The tenants
felt that they had convinced the Legis-
laturc of the need for drastic action
and believed that relief bills soon
would pass.
This confidence caused greater activ-
ity in the work of organizing tenants.
Two new organizations---the Office Ten
ants League and the Jewish League
were at work and both reported prog
rcss.
The refusal Of the mason builders to
arbitrate their differences with the
bricklayers seemed for time yester-
day to have blocked plans for getting
permanent housing relief through
building. The bricklayers reported to
the Mayors Committee that they would
accept the Mayors proposal, but re-
fused fatty the demand Of the masons
that they join the Building Trades
Council. After much discussion the
masons agreed to refer the question
back to their union and report to the
Mayor this afternoon. The council con-
SIQSTS Lnc QemdnQ OF inc DrtcklaEcTS
for 81 an hour excessive.
"The Mayor offered to act as arbitra-
tor" Charles Curran, head of the ar
bitration committee of the Bricklayers'
international Union, said. "The five
bricklayers unions of greater New
York accepted his offer. The mason
builders declined, on the ground that
they did not want politician to act
as arbitrator. We believe the refusal
is due to the fact that the Mayor holds
union card.
Eve are ready to meet any reason
able proposition. We will accept Cor
poration Counsel Burr, or we will let
the Mayor name committee of one of
our men, citizen and newspaper
man."
An array of lawyers is joining the
Office Tenants League. The organiza-
ton. which started with tenants of 800
Broadway, already has about 800 men,
bers. It's officers predict it will pass
the 1000 mark before the end of the
week
Frank NJ franklin, chairman Of the
league, declared yesterday that every
legal resource would be employed to
stop Office rent increases.
Conditions in this building are bad,
but no worse than in Others" he said.
chance to pay an increased rent-they
simply served notices of eviction,
though many of us have been in the
building for twenty-four years. Now
we learn that the agents of the build
ing are offering the space at increases
which amount to from 100 to 400 per
cent, and do not want small tenants,
such as lawyers"
The drive for members in the Jewish
tenants union, which is sponsored by
the United Hebrew Trades, was
launched yesterday. Leaders said last
night they had every reason to believe
that their mark of a million members
would be reached within few days.
New support for the Black bill, Civ
ing tenants now holding verbal leases
the right to occupy the premises with
out increased rent for a year. was an
nounced by Leo Kenneth Mayer, coun-
sci to the Mayors Committee, yestcr-
day.
Stewart Browne, president of the
United Real Estate Owners Associa-
tion, made public letter yesterday
in which he condemned the attitude of
the landlords at the Albany hearing.
Leopold We'll, 40 Liberty Street,
asked yesterday that it be explained
that he was not the man of that name
who was howled down in attempting to
speak at Albany This Mr.. We'll did
not attend the hearing
The issuance of an injunction which
stopped the attempt to dispossess the
family of Juan F. Toores from the six
story apartment house at 434 West
l64th Street was celebrated by the
twenty-five tenants of the building by
decorating it with flags and bunting.