New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-27
City Officials
Warn Renters
Not to Strike
Sixty Signs Posted Upon
Tenements i'm the Bronx
Give Evidence of Dis
turbances Set for May l
Agitators Being Watched
Hirshfield Discovers Many
New Tricks by Which Eva
sions of Law Are Sought

Warnings to prospective rent strik.
ers that the full powers Of the Law
will be used against them came yester.
day from city officials, the courts and
the members Of the Mayors Commit
tee. At the same time the beginning
OF strike in the Bronx appeared in
notices posted on more than sixty tene-
ments. The officials, however, we're
confident that the solid stand which
is being taken against disturbance
and the careful watch which is being
kept on the agitators will prevent seri.
Gus trouble.
David Hirshfield, Commissioner of
Accounts and the Mayors chief in
quisitor, after an inquiry into certain
practices regarding eviction, announced
he would ask for the removal of City
Marshal David Greenblatt and would
make every effort to break up the
practice of the marshal in allowing
others to use their names in such pro-
ceedngs.
The uncovering Of new lodges to
evade the laws and boost rents, the ex-
change Of sarcasm between County
Judge J. Grafton MacMahon, of Brook
Ign, and James D. O'Sullivan, repre-
senting the Mayors Committee, involv-
ing caustic implications upon Mayor
Hylan, and the settling of several hum
dred more rent cases in favor of the
tenants marked busy day in the hous-
ing situation.
Strike Notices Posted
Chairman A. J. w. lilly of the
Mayors Committee, after spending the
day in the Bronx, announced he had
reports showing more than sixty houses
there had been posted with placards
with the words; "This house is on a
rent strike" He also had reports on
the continued work of agitators.. One
such report was Of man who had ap-
peared at 526 West 211th Street and
SO East Vermilye Avenue. flashed a
badge of some kind, and tried to 60
through the houses. The janitors re-
fused him entrance, and Mr.. Hilly be-
using this method to gain admittance
to the houses.
II do not believe the strikers will
get very far" said Mr.. Hilly. "The
courts and the city officials are pre-
pared to use their full powers. Some
thing is likely to be started, but that
will be about all, believe"
THE rent strike agitators are being
watched right now" said Mr.. Hirsh-
heid. They will be very carefully
watched about May l, and | do not be-
leve that any strike they attempt will
to much. The majority of ten
ants realize that everything possible
is being done for them"
Julius Applebaum, associate counsel
to the Mayors Committee, has held
several conferences with justices of
the municipal court bench, who are
handling most rent cases, and finds
them all agreed in being prepared to
stamp out any violence, sabotage or
tenant profiteering." The following
statement was made by Justice George
II. Boyce, of the Seventh District NUM-
cipal Court in Brooklyn, located in
where there is talk of a
strike of $4,000 tenants on May /:
- 81 will not countenance any vandal-
ism OR violence on the part of tenants,
but will in all proper cases extend
to the tenants the full benefit of the
new laws. I advise the people of my
district not to engage in any movement
that will bring disorder. This will
only react against their own interests.
The sympathies of the courts and the
public are with the tenants"
Rent Strike Discredited
Officials and others in the Bronx
who have been in touch with the rent
situation discredit reports of a Throat