The New York herald., 1921-06-13
HOUSING LEAGUE
LAUNCHED TO-DAY
Aims to Protect Tenants
and Stimulate Home
Building
MUST ENROLL 100000
Fee of 81 Provides Best
Legal Help in Any
Trouble.
LEADING MEN ARE AIDS
Nathan Hirsch, President,
Outlines Plans and Needs
of Organization.
LEADING MEN ARE AIDS

Nathan Hirsch, formerly chairman
Of the Mayors Committee on Rent
Profiteering, announced yesterday the
beginning of a movement for the or
ganization of the Citizens Protective
Housing League, which is to have a
membership of not less than 300.000
and whose objects are to stimulate
home building: to protect it's members
from profteering landlords, and to
furnish members, without expense to
them, with paid counsel in arbitrating
differences and in court proceedings.
All benefits of the plan, he said, are
to be furnished on payment Of dues of
- g. year. Headquarters will be opened
this m6rrnrfS =. Aaa Lexington avenue
quarters which have been donated by
the Hotel Commodore, for the recruit
ing Of members. Permanent branches
will be established later in each
borough.
Mr.. Hirsch will be president of the
for the Lockwood committee. will be ad-
visory counsel. The announced members
Of the executive counsel, which will be
increased to nine. are James w. Gerard,
formerly Ambassador to Germany !:
Grace Strachan Forsythe q leader In
women's civic affairs Edward /. Han
nah, labor leader, and David Gerber. an
attorney A general committee of fifty
ie expected to be announced this week
Charles c. Hughes will be secretary and
Thomas F. Curran will be treasurer.
Both have been associated with Mr..
Hirsch.
100000 Must Join.
Mr.. Hirsch said the organization has
been undertaken at the instance Of a
great number of requests he has had for
aid since he resigned the chairmanship
Of the rent committee. which under him
settled $4,000 cases out Of court, and
after numerous conferences with Mr..
Untermyer and others He said that
careful figuring had convinced all inter-
ested that the purposes could not be ac-
complished for less than 100000 a yeal.
and that for that reason the plan would
be abandoned and money returned unless
that minimum of membership can be
reached
Not only does Mr.. Hirsch propose that
paid lawyers of recognized standing be
stationed at each of the forty-nine
courts where rent cases are heard, but
lawyer committees will be formed for
arbitration Of rent disputes. Mortgage
foreclosures will be investigated and
fought where necessary. The protection
AFFORDED by the present rent laws will be
eafeguarded at the expiration of those
laws next year, If the league 10 success
ful. The adjustment Of labor troubles
In housing construction and the elimina-
ton Of "Brindellism' will be another
object.
The movement has the Endorsement
OF President Justice Aaron ]. Levy of
the municipal courts. in which most
of the rent cases are tried.
VIII He Non-PoIitfcaI.
That the organization shall be nom
partisan and non-political was one of
several stipulations laid down by Mr..
Untermyer before he consented to give
his services Mr.. Untermyer's associa-
ton with the league. the leaders ex-
pect. will have a Statutory effect in
dealing with labor and mortgage prob
lems.
Mr.. Hirsch declared the organization
has no money making or selfish motive
whatever: that he Is undertaking It
with the belief that the public needs
and wants such a service, and that the
number of applications for membership
will show whether that Is true or
whether the plan should be abandoned.
Mr.. Hirsch is hopeful of reaching the
10000 minimum. Already. he said. a
large number OF small protective as
sociations have indicated their readi-
ness to join in q body. One such or
ganization with a membership OF ZOO
and with $4,000 In It's treasury had
asked him to find a way to utilize their
membership and funds before the pres
eHt plan was worked out