New-York tribune., 1920-03-19
Removal of Mortgage Tax
and Agreements to Sta
bilize Prices Urged to
Bring Down High Rents
Places Building
OF Homes First
Copeland Asks Licensing
of Landlords at Meeting
Under Union Auspices

The Mayors complete program for
meeting the housing problem, which in
cludes legislation to curb rent profit
eers, the removal Of taxes on mort
cages, truce in labor wars, agree
ments to stabilize the price of materials
and arrangements with the railroads to
handle them, was outlined for the first
time last night. His plans were con-
tanned in letter to the mass meeting
held in behalf Of the Donahue- -Boylan
bills under the auspices of the Central
Federated Union, at the Central Opera
House, Sixty-seventh Street and Third
Avenue.
The Mayor was unable to be present,
owing to the illness of Mrs. Hylan, and
the letter was read by Health Commits
sioner Royal S. Copeland, who. in speak
ing for himself, declared that the rent
ing of apartments had become public
utility and should be treated as such
under full public regulation. He advo-
Gated the licensing. Of landlords and
the withdrawal of licenses from those
who attempt to charge eXtortionatc
rentals.
PrOfitcer Defined
The meeting was attended by repre-
sentatives of some $50 labor and civic
organizations, about $50 persons being
present. Edward I. Hannah, president
CT the Central Federated Union, pre-
sided. Throughout the discussions
thare were enthusiastic outbursts at
every denunciation of the prohteers.
Among others who spoke were Senator
John J. Boylan, author of the bill to
give the courts power to reduce rents
TO a figure yielding 10 per cent on
the assessed valuation; Chairman Ar
thur G. w. Hill. of the Mayors Com
mittee on Rent Profteering; David
Hirshfeld, Commissioner of Accounts,
and John G. Dyer, justice of the Mu-
nicipal Court.
In the Mayors letter he took pains to
distinguish between the profiteering
landlords and those who havs either in
creased rents only fair amounts or
not at all.
"There have been many who have not
hesitated to raise rents to figures
which have brought many families to
the verge Of desperation. These are
the rent profteers," he said "No sound
or honest reason can be advanced for
continuous and excessive increases in
IcHlS. l. HC DcSC CucCh- 70 rent DrOUL-
eering is the competition resulting from
a constantly increasing number Of new
houses.
''In order that the city may catch up
with the more than 100000 new houses
which should have been built in the last
three years the present city administra-
tion is undertaking a building program
in which there must be the fullest CO.
operation Of the men most closely con-
cerned. This includes the men who
lend the money, the material men, the
contractors and the labor men.
Abolish Mortgage Tax
"Briefy, our attitude toward each of
the interested parties is this: In or
der that money may be attracted to
building enterprise there should be
exemption from Federal and state taxes
on the income from mortgages for build
ings for human habitation.
"This should encourage the return
to the mortgage field of those funds
which have been placed elsewhere for
more profitable investment. We feel
that the railroads should give special
consideration to shipments Of building
materials and that those materials
should, so far as it may be possible. be