New-York tribune., 1921-06-13
100000 Asked
To Enroll for
Rent Battle
Protective Housing League
Launched, With Hirsch 81,
HI cad and Untermyer
as Its Advisory Counsel
Couging To Be Curbed
Legal Aid To Be Given i'm
CoMrts and Building
Legislation Encouraged

Preliminary organization of the Citi-
zens' Protective Housing League, which
100000 rent payers of greater New
York are asked to join by its founders,
was announced yesterday by Nathan
Hirsch, former chairman of the May
or's Committee on Rent Profteering.
The league has the support Of Sam
uel untermyer, counsel for the Lock-
wood committee, who will act as ad-
visory counsel; James w. Gerard,
former Ambassador to Germany; Grace
Strachan Forsythe, Edward l. Hannah
and David Gerber.
Its purposes, as outlined by Mr.
Hirsch. who was elected president of
the organization at an initial meeting
Saturday night, are to protect members
from profiteering landlords, to stimu-
late building and thereby reduce rents,
10 defeat harmful legislation and to
supply members, at no expense to them,
with able counsel in court and arbitra-
tion proceedings.
Start Enrolment To-day
Enrolment of members at an annual
fee OF 81 will be begun to-day at 4oS
Lexington Avenue, an Office donated by
the Hotel Commodore.
Here are some of the things, accord
ing to Mr.. Hirsch, that the league pro-
poses to do when 100000 members are
enrolled:
Place in each Municipal Court a
recent members in rent cases, without
charge to them
Establish in each borough q bureau
where members may obtain sound legal
advice In all housing matters; also
without cost to them.
Create a bureau in each borough
which will attempt by mediation, con-
Citation and arbitration to adjust dis
putes arising between landlords and
tenants.
Establish and maintain headouar-
ters bureau to aid persons whose mort
cages have been called, and attempt to
obtain building loans for persons Of
fering proper equity and value.
Promote by proper means the enact
ment OF legislation to relieve the hous-
ing shortage and remedy conditions
which now ebstruct building.
Strictly Business
. The prospectus Of the league states
emphatically that it is not political,
money making or charitable organiza-
tion, but an association of citizens
banded together to protect themselves
On u business basis. Landlords as we'll
as tenants may become members, and
the keynote of the organization will
- io4i pay Aoi poeii, oaIu WI I1lTSCn.
Il the permanent organization is not
effected within g reas sonable period the
effort will be abandoned and those who
have joined will receive back pro rata
amount of the ST fee, he added.
AT the meeting Saturday night
Charles c. Hughes was elected secre-
tsry. The funds of the organization
viii be placed with a trust company
and the accounts at all times will be
open to any person, according to Mr..
Hirsch. All officers and committee
members will serve without compensa-
tjon. The proposed constitution of the
league prohibits any person from US
ing it for political profit or advance
nlent If an officer becomes a candi-
date for public Office, or if he accepts
public office, his resignation becomes
automatic, the draft of the constitution
states.
Takes Pessimistic View
Mr. Hirsch said he believed the hous.
ing situation would be worse this fall
than ever before, with even more seri-
Gus conditions during 1922 unless
heroic measures were taken at this
time. He declared tax exemption for
builders OF new apartments had only
resulted in architect plans and no con-
struction that would relieve the situa-
ticn
In accepting the position of advisory
counsel, without compensation, Mr..
Untermyer wrote Mr. Hirsch:
"A capable organization of this kind
is the crying need of the day. 1t
would have saved the people billions