New-York tribune. [volume], March 17, 1920, Page 4, Image 4

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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legislature
To Speed Up
Rent Bills
_ClXI. n?d from page ? _?
ingB brought after default In payment
of rents, taxes and assessments.
??A bill permitting the court to give
?fflrmativ? relief if it finds that the de?
fense or counter claim permitted by
law in a summary proceeding under
section 2234 of the code has been es?
tablished.
Aldermen Prepare
For Housing Crisis
Estimate Board Instruct'
eii to Formulate Build'
ing Program for City
-i
Resolutions requesting the Board o?
K>tim.**itc to prepare a municipal hous?
ing program to be put into effect in
the event of a crisis here and asking
the Legislature to enact relief measurer
before it adjourns were passed yes?
terday by the Board of Aldermen. They
were adopted following a report from !
tlie majority of the committee on gen- '
eral welfare, in which it was predicted
tha there would be a "panic crisis" j
vinleAs prompt measures were taken.
The report was submitted by Chair?
man William T. Collins of the com?
mittee. The first resolution memorial- :
izetl the Legislature and the Governor, I
asKng for legislation such as will re-1
iieVo the present crisis. The second i
refcet'ted the Board of Estimate to'
li Chicks, Ducks & Rab
[ bits in largo variety.
I Egg... Baskets and
?Noveltiss Ailed with
euitab! ter Toys.
Also appropriate Easter
_?_-????--- _-?MM_M?M_?-?_?---?--?-WW
prepare a list of all city-owned vacant
property, to secure plans for hasty
building and to provide prompt con?
struction in case of a orlsis. It au?
thorized the Comptroller to rent auch
building to citizens.
The only negative votes came from
the Socialist Aldermen on a resolution
indorsing the Mayor. Alderman Vla
deck criticised the fact that the Iron
League Erectors, whom ho called
agents of the Steel Trust, and the in?
vestors who want taxes on mortgage!
lifted hod been hoard at the Mayor's
conference on Monday.
Committee Unnamed ?..
The other principal development in
! the rent fight yesterday was a move
by Edward I. Hannah, president of the
Central Federated Un!on, to enlist the
Community Councils in support of the
Donahuc-Boylan bill at Albany. Eugene
C. Gibney, director of the councils,
took steps to bring out tho sentiment
of the member bodies.
Mayor Hylan announced yesterday
that he had not yet chosen the men he
will appoint on his Stabilization Com?
mittee. He has decided to increase the
size of the committee from seven to
eleven members. After the committee
has been formed and has completed its
preliminary work, it is expected an?
other conference will be called.
Governor ?Smith, Mayor Hylan and
District Attorney Harry E. Lewis, of
Brooklyn, have been invited to speak
at tho mass meeting of the Tenants'
Rights League in Washington Irving
High School on Saturday night.
In its report on rent profiteering tho
Aldermanic Committee on General
Welfare, besides predicting a crisis,
scored the rent pofiteers and declared
that drastic legislation is the only pos?
sible remedy, but that there were tem?
porary measures within the power of
the city. It said in part:
"Economic conditions, so far as they
relate to the cost of living, have grown
steadily worse. It is impossible to
escape the conclusion that this is
largely, if not entirely, due to dishon?
orable and unconscionable profiteering
on the part of, it must be confessed
to our shame, a large number of Amer?
ican citizens.
Two Plans of Relief
"At the present time preparations
are being made generally throughout
the city to further substantially and
drastically increase the rents in every
boough, and particularly in Manhattan
and the Bronx. Your committee is per?
suaded that if the present session of
the Legislature is adjourned without
affording substantial relief a panic
crisis cannot be avoided, and a special
session of the Legislature undoubted?
ly would be rendered necessary.
"There is little or no doubt that suf?
ficient constitutional scope is afforded
tho Legislature to meet the situation.
Two methods that appear quite feasible
in dealing with the emergency situation
until building operations relieve the
strain arc:
"1. That commissions witl^ judicial
or quasi-judicial powers, operating in?
dependently or under the direction of
our established judicial system, fix
the value of property to be rented,
say as it existed on the 2d day of
April, 1917, the date of the President's
war message to Congress, and the
value of added improvements, and fix
a fair and reasonable rental based
thereon, allowing approximately IG per
cent plus the rensonabie cost of the
maintenance of the building. There is
ample justification to declare such
property affected with a public interest
for a reasonable emergency period.
"A second course, which would more
certainly be within the constitutional
scope of legislative authority, would be
to fix the valuation of the property on
the basis stated in the first plan by a
commission or by the various tax
boards, allow a fair rental and impose
an emergency excess profits tax on all
sums of rental charged over and above
the amount fixed, so large as to place
a positive checK upon the inclination
of the landlord to increase the rental.
"To effect permanent relief sufficient
housing must be obtained. There must
franklin 5?mon & do.
Fifth Avenue, ^7th and 7.8.h Streets
Better Suits cUhan You Hoped
t? Find at a Lower Price (Uhan
\ou Expected To Pay
WOMEN'S
Worsted Jersey Suits
For Immediate Wear
39.50
ISPISJAREFUL 'tailoring has as
??"?? ?ii?S| sured in these models trim
\^?S?3uEi\ ness of line and sturdiness
of workmanship The development
of the styles has assured in them
that certain reserve which the*well
gowned woman wishes to ohserve in
the suit for genera] wear in town
She who cherishes the laudable desire
to purchase one suit which will serve
the purpose both of the conven?
tional tailored suit, and the suit ap?
propriate for the country, will find
what she is seeking in these models.
Heather Mixturen in Oxford, Brown,
Green, or Blue. Also in Navy Blue or Tan
WOMEN'S SUIT SHOP Bnlcnny R,
be intensive effort to have the supply
equal to tho demand. Building opera?
tions have to be encouraged, involving
the cost of building material, labor,
etc."
Outlines Plan of Action
The committee then outlines the plan
of action to be carried out through the
three resolutions. They are:
??Resolution 7.~ReaoIved, That tho
Board of Aldermen of the City of New
York and in behalf of the people of
the City of Now York respectfully
memorializes tho Legislature and the
Governor to enact at this session such
legislation as will tend to relievo the
rent crisis in chis city, and,
"Resolved, That a copy of tho fore?
going report presenting the view of
this body bo forwarded to the Governor
and the presiding officer of tho state
Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly
and to tho chairmen of tho respective
legislative committees having th# sub?
ject of rent legislation under consider?
ation.
"Resolution II. Resolved, That we
commend the Mayor for his activity in
endeavoring to solve the rent and
housing problems and pledge to him
and his committee similarly engaged
our most earnest cooperation.
"Resolution III. Resolved, That we
do hereby request the Board of Esti?
mate and Apportionment of this city:
"To cause to be prepared a list of
all city-owned land available for build?
ing purposes;
"To secure from reputable builders
and architects plans and estimates for
the construction of temporary or sub?
stantial buildings that may be made
speedily available for occupancy in the
event of a crisis;
"To provide for the' construction of
such buildings if in their judgment a
situation arises which warrants such
action, and in that event
"To authorize the Comptroller of this
city to rent such buildings to citizens
during such period of time and at sucli
fair rental as the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment may recommend."
Socialists Attack Plan
The presentation of the report
brought immediate activity from the
Socialist Aldermen, who havo been ad?
vocating similar measures for weeks,
and Alderman Beckerman introduced a
substitute resolution, preceded by a
minority report, in which the Mayor's
committee is attacked for its alleged
justifying of increases in rentals, and
the charge is made that as a result of
its. activities landlords simply raise the
rents higher, in order to be prepared
to compromise. Arrests of rent strik?
ers and other official activities, the re?
port says, belie the promises and as?
surances of the Mayor. The majority
report is attacked as too weak to meet
the crisis. The resolutions provided:
"That the Board of Estimate and Ap?
portionment and the Department of
Plant and Structures be requested im?
mediately to proceed with all prepara?
tions, both technical and financial, nec?
essary for the construction of dwell?
ings by the City of New York to be
rented to the people, at cost, and
"That the Board of Aldermen indorse
the activities of the tenants' organiza?
tions and calls upon the peoph' of the
city to organize for the purpose of re?
sisting unscrupulous rent profiteers."
The four .Socialist Aldermen were
the only ones to vote for the substi?
tute. The other three resolutions were
passed, unanimously, except that the
Socialists again voted against the one
enilorsing the Mayor.
Near Riot Caused
Alderman Fred Smith, Republican,
of Brooklyn, almost caused a riot when
he declared that most of the rent
profiteers were Jews- Jewish members
of the board sprang to the defense.
"I do not defend Jewish landlords
who are profiteers," declared Alderman
Vladeck, "any moro than I defend any
other profiteering landlord. But in the
names on the court calendars I And
more of Scotch and Irish and English
than I do of Jews."
Tho contracts for industrial build?
ings led all others In every district ex?
cept New York, where business struct?
ures took the lead. Chicago led all
districts in total building with .139,
F)06,000, while New York was Becond
with $H5,845.000.
Bronx tenants, who expect some 3,000
evictions con May 1, are planning to
?end a special train of 1,000 prospec?
tive victims to Albany on March 23 to
attend the hearing on the rent prof?
iteering bills now before the Legisla?
ture. A mass meeting will be held to?
night in the auditorium of Public
School 28, Tremont and Anthony ave?
nues, to enlist the thousand.
It is planned to charter a special
train. Former Municipal Court Justice
John Boyle jr., author of ono of the
pending bills, will preside to-night, and
other speaker, will b? State Senntor
Peter A. Abeles and Henry K. Davis.
Forest Hills Tenants Seek
To Restrain Rent Increase
Action in Supreme Court Taken
to Test the Right of Land?
lords in Cases of Eviction
Declaring the demanded increase in
rent "unconscionable and unjust,"
George N. Cherrington, for himself and
in behalf of other residents of Forest
i Hills Gardens, L. I., began action in the
Supreme Court yesterday to restrain
tho Gardens Apartments, Inc., from put?
ting ? new rent schedule into effect.
Mr. Cherrington already has a tempor?
ary injunction, but as the. new scale is
to become effective in October, the
action will likely be disposed of-before
the new leases are signed.
The tenants were notified in March of
tho contemplated increase, and they
banded together to resist what they
declare shall be a test case in the curb?
ing of landlords. According to Mr.
Cherrington, he paid in 1917 $95 a
month for an apartment which the de?
fendant has offered to rent him begin?
ning next October at $225 a month,
There are sixty-three tenants in the
property of the defendant, and, accord?
ing- to the plaintiff, the demanded in?
crease for rentals would increase tho
gross income of the owner 14 per cent
on the assessed valuation of the
property.
According to Mr. Cherrington the de?
fendant bases the demanded increase on
building cost? of new apartments,
which it is represented also have great?
ly increased. The defendant is build?
ing a new apartment, the cost of which
is much larger than was contemplated,
and Mr. Cherrington alleged the older
building has to bear the burden of this
extra heavy cost.
Even with the increased rents paid
by the tenants, Mr. Cherrington alleged,
the Gardens Apartments, Inc., ha's
failed to keep the apartments in-proper
repair.
Mr. Cherrington and the other ten?
ants ask the court to enjoin the owner
from leasing their apartments to others
and to reaffirm their leases so that they
will be protected from what they term
the "harsh and unjust" increase. The
complaint cites an instance where the
rent has been increased 300 per cent in
three years.
In this case a tenant paid $7S0 a year
for an apartment of four rooms in ?917,
for which a rent of $2,400 is demanded
under,the new lease offered.
Cold Flat Kept Man From
Bathing for Three Months
Landlord's Own Witncss.es Los?
Cose for Him and He
Pays $100 Fine ?
Until his own witnesses began^ to
appear on tho stand in tho Municipal
Term Court yesterday, Benjamin Lep
ler, lessee of the apartment house at
702 East 176th Street, had high hopes
of defeating his embattled tenants in
the action thoy had inspired the city
to bring against him for not providing
sufficient heat.
Isidore Simovitz. a building inspector,
testified he had visited tho house nine
times between February 13 and March
4 and had found the heat below 68
degrees every time. Miss Clara Rubin,
a tenant, testified that she was forced
to wear u heavy sweater at home; Mrs.
Jennie Sandofsky, another tenant, said
that the lack of heat had caused the
death of her father. In the rear of the
courtroom was Adolph Marrer, another
tenant, whom Lepler had subpoenaed
himself.
"Mr. Marrer," the attorney said, "you
have had sufficient heat in your apart?
ment this winter, haven't you?"
"No," replied the witness calmly, "I
haven't."
Mr. Lepler lost his confident smile
and his attorney looked puzzled.
"Do you mean," counsel persisted,
"that it 1ms been cold in your flat?"
"Cold!" responded the witness, "so
cold it has been that, take my word for
it, I haven't been able to take a bath
for the last three months."
Immediately thereafter Mr. Lopler
paid $100 rather than serve the fifteen
day sentence in jail that Magistrate
Harris offered as an alternative.
Fleets to Get Together
Maneuvers Will Be Held Next
January in Panama Bay
From Tht, Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 16.?The join?
ing of the Atlantic and Pacific fleets
for maneuvers arid interfleet competi?
tions in Panama Bay next January was
decided upon at a conference of Ad?
mirals Wilson and Rodman, command?
ing the two fleets, with other naval
authorities here to-dav, The plan is
designed to keep the navy in fighting
trim in poace times.
It was also decided that the midship?
men's practice cruise this summer
would embiace a trip to the Pacific.
The cruise will begin early in June
and continuo until September 1.
According to the tentative program
the Atlantic and Facific fleets will as?
semble at Panama Bay early next
January.
After the practice is at an end the
combined' fleet will visit the principal
Pacific Coast ports so as to give tho
people there an oportunity to see the
nation's full naval fighting force.
Bennett Gets Last Piare
In Primary Ballot Drawings I
ALBANY, March It!..Former State I
Senator William S. Bennett, of New |
York, who is seeking election as a delc
gate-at-largo to the Republican Na?
tional Convention, to-day drew fifth I
place on the official ballot that will bv
uHod at the spring primaries, April G.
Tho drawings, which were conducted
?it the office of tho Secretary of State.
placed the candidates in the following
irdcr: Nathan L. Miller, Senator James
W. Wadsworth, Senator William M.
Calder, William Boyce Thompson, all
?amed at the unofficial Republican state
:onvention, and Mr. Bennett.
n^NKLI^SIMON ?MEN'S SHOPS
i ta S WEST 38th STREET
Pioneers in Hand-Tailoring
Ready-for*Service Clothes for Men
'Discuss ^Prices
FOR THEIR MEN'S CLOTHES
'HE point we want to make is, that the universal
;v . increase in prices should stimulate each man's
'\$??) search f?r value.
You cannot expect your money to go tar beyond the
price ticket unless you look far beyond the price
ticket when you spend it.
Whatever you spend for a Franklin Simon garment,
remember that you are buying the utmost service?
ability that can be tailored into clothes.
Remember, also, that quality is still worth buying,
and that fine hand-workmanship lengthens the life of
a suit of clothes and the life of your investment.
Ruskin had the right idea !
nAll works of quality ?nust bear a price in pro?
portion to the time, skill and ris^ attending their
invention and manufacture. These things called
dear are, when justly estimated, the cheapest;
they are attended with much less profit to the
artist than those which everybody calls cheap.
to 115
Men's Hand-Tailored Suits $50 *- $
Men's Hand-Tailored Topcoats $65 to $85
CTETTJf a % n_%T? ???-.
Operators Outline
Objections to Wage
Increase to Miners
Earnings in the Anthracite
Field and 60% Advance
Discussed; Fear Coal
Will Go Up $2-a Ton
Tho earnings of labor in tho anthra?
cite coal field and tho demand of tho
minerB for a 60 per cent wage increase
were discussed yesterday by tho ?ub
committeo of miners and operators
meoting horo to negotiate new wage
agreements for th? hard coal workers.
No action was taken and tho committee
adjourned until to-day.
The coal operators outlined for tho
first time their objection to granting
wage increases at this time. They de?
clared that the pay now received by
tho miners is "equitable," and that ad?
vance granted the workers since 1915
have more than kept pace with the
hi'gt cost of living. Although the con?
ference was executive it was learned
that the operators produced a volume
of income tax reports showing that the
workers have been making a "living
wage."
Representatives of the operators in
discussing workers' demands declared
that any wage increase granted would
have to be borne by the public. A SO
per cent advance in wages and a seven
hour day, they asserted, would mean
an increase in the price of hard coal
of at least $2 a ton.
The operators opened headquarters
hero yesterday and began preparing
vast volumes of statistics chiefly on
the cost of living and mine operatipns,
with which (hc-y intend to counter the
miners' demands for a wage increase
and shorter working day.
The sub-committee, it is understood,
will not tuke any action on any of tho
miners' demanda ur.tii an award has
been made to the bituminous coal
workers.
"It is a practical certainty that what?
ever settlement is made in the bitu?
minous case will be made in ihe anthra?
cite field," a representative of the op?
erators declared.
The miners also sai?! they would ac?
cept the soft coal workers' award as a
basis for their settlement if their rep?
resentative on the President's commis?
sion ratifies agreement.
John L. Lewis, international presi?
dent of the United Mine Workers, who
is in Washington attempting to bring
about adjournment in the bituminous
case, has wired his representatives
here that "satisfactory progress" is be?
ing made. it is expected that the
award to the soft coa: men will be an?
nounced the latter part of this week.
(Tax Measure? to Meet Loss
i On Stock Dividends Planned
WASHINGTON, March 10.? Addi?
tional tax legislation to provide reve?
nues equal to those the government
will lose as a result of the decision of
the Supreme Court that stock dividends
are not taxable is planned by Congress.
Chairman Fordney of the House
Ways and Means Committee announced
to-day that hearings would begin
Thursday, and that Treasury officials
would be called upon for suggestions
as to new taxes.
Tribune Tenants Fight Fir?
Blaze on Roof of the Old "Sun*
Building Soon Extinsuinhod
Tenants' on the seventh floor n*
the Tribune Building cooperated wit?
firemen yesterday in extinguishing _
fire that had started in a shed on tk
top of 170 Nassau Street, the ?it. A
?v.? ?M ??? nMii_;__ .,.-.i __ ""* of
the old Sun Building, used for
storing
supplies of the City Hall Tea Ga-'d.i,
They sprayed the flames from .
. tandpjpe In the hall and by the ?m
the firemen arrived the fire was m
tically out. A break in the hose tonuS
the stairway of the Tribune Bu?dill
into a cascade for a few minutes
-a ?eUeioiis
cane su gar syrupy
Domino Syrup i$^xcellent ?br table,
or cooJk?nj^oJ ??st?pctive ;fl?v6xlA|*
kw vte!?_?fw??;
?&t?_3
: .-*ia^__!^viii?
Fifth Avenue, 37th and 38th Streets
Style, Workmanship, Service and Comfort
Are Peers and Value Is Paramount In
WOMEN'S EN T?TE FOOTWEAR
TIP TOP FOR THE TOE OF
EVERY SPRING COSTUME
SYMBOL of integrity, of trustworthiness, is
the En T?te trademark. It is the merit of
the footwear translated into a name. It
means ?Footwear "at the head" in style, in quality,
in workmanship, in service, in comfort. It means
the best footwear for now, to wear with tailored
suits, with afternoon dresses, with all costumes of a
formal or informal nature. And it means one thing
more?the utmost in value.
PUMPS: SLENDER AND
GRACEFUL
are always in good ?race.
Almost as many styles and
lasts as leathers, with high or
petite French heels. May be
worn with buckles or spats.
12.00 to 15.00
OXFORDS: MANNISH
IN FASHION
are the brown orblaek Russia
calf Oxfords meant to give
the trim touch to a tailored
costume. They have mili?
tary or Cutan heels.
10.50 to 12.50
PUMPS: THE AMERI?
CANIZED FRENCH LAST
is shortened, and tapered.
The smartest are of suede in
black, fawn or gray in one
eyelet style with three slash?
es at the instep
18.50
Tax .85
PUMPS THE FRENCH
VAMP IS THE SHORT
vamp, the Pans abbreviation
for smartness. French vamp
shoes are of brown or black
suede or black satin with
ribbon ties at the instep
15.00 to 18.50
WOMEN'S SHOE SHOP-Tlurd Floor
FIFTH AVENUE WEEK, April 5th to 10th, 1920
Exhibits of Art in Comm?re*