New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-10-02
Dullest Oct. / ON Record
for Van Men Attributed
Solely to Laws Passed
at the Special Session
Real Estate Board
Plans Test Suits
Declares Universal Era Of
Non-Payment of Rents
Is Menace for Landlords

About 100000 families, taking advan-
tage of the new rent laws, detied their
landlords yesterday by refusing to
move. Only 5000 families changed
their residences. This, van owners as
serted, constituted the dullest Octo-
Der 1 known in years. They declared
that had the new laws not been enacted
fully $4,000 evicted families, because
of the housing shortage and the lack
of vans, would have found their furni-
ture on the Sidewalks
THESE. coupled with an official an
nouncemcnt by the Real Estate Board
that legal fight is to be begun at once
to test the constitutionality of the new
laws, were the outstanding features of
moving day. Edward P. Doyle, of the
boards executive committee, asserted
that the laws designed to protect ten
ants had "inaugurated an era of uni
by checks, from which increases de-
manded by landlords had been de-
ducted"
He described the condition as soviet
ism and declared that thousands of
landlords deprived f their rent will be
unable to meet their interest dues on
mortgages and their fees for insurance
and that savings banks, dependent
Upon mortgage interest, will suffer
NIany Rents Held Up
Arthur j. w. Hilly, chairman of the
mayors Committee on Rent Profiteer-
ing, admitted that the rents on thou-
sands of apartments lad probably
been held up on the advice Of the com
mittee and that the landlords thus at
fected probably will not receive paw
ment for month, when many suits
VIII be begun. He said that tenants
were BENG urged to pay their rent
where It's fairness was unquestioned
ana mat while landlords are at a dis
advantage the chaotic condition is not
nearly as great as if 1000 families
had been turned into the streets by
eviction proceedings, which would have
been the case had the laws not been
passed. The status OF tenants. as
given by Mr.. lilly, is:
Tenants dc not have TO move if thew
nave no place to move to, even if their
apartment has been leased to some ono
else
Those who have 10 leases should
.O4ueI sue rent LOT october on the
basis Of the rent for September. If
the landlord accepts, he automatica,lv
continues the old lease; If he declines
to accept he must wait a month before
he can start proceedings.
If tenant has signed a lease since
April l, last, in which he agreed to paw
an increase, whether 25 per cent. or
otherwise, because he feayed he would
be put out. he may deduct the increase
and leave the Landlord to accent or re-
fuse. But Mr.. Hilly believes that
where tenants have agreed to increases
in good faith they SHOULD stick ia
their agreements"
Moving Rush Not Over
Van owners said that yesterdays
moving Of about 5000 families is only
a frac ton Of the shifting about that
will take place between now and Octo-
Der 10. They said they had orders for
moving about $4,000 families in that
period. Ordinarily, they said, the an
nual season calls for the moving of not
less than 100000 families in the period
beginning week before and extending
until two weeks after October |.
The Van Owners Association, mem
bers of which control the bulk Of the
moving business, said that about so
per cent oil those who had planned to
move yesterday had suddenly changed
their minds because of the publicity
given the rights of tenants under the
new laws The sudden falling off in
business was boon to the van men.
they said, because it enabled them to
avoid the usual rush which sometimes
continued until after midnight
incidentally, it was announced that
the van owners, who have been handi-
capped by q strike, have retained
Colonel Frederick A. Molitor to put the
van business on an open shop basis.
Colonel Molitor directed the formation
OF the Independent trucking system
of the Citizens Transportation Com
mittee, which grew out of the long
shoremen's strike.
Acting under orders from Justice
Aaron j. Levy, president of the Board
of Municipal Court Justices, the courts
yesterday refused to issue any eviction
warrants in holdover or other tenants
cases.
Justice John r. Davies Of the 7th
Ntted