224 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



"The leases are largely in the form of oral con- 

 tracts which run for only one year and which 

 make no provision for compensation to the tenant 

 for any improvements which may be made upon 

 the property. As a result, tenants are restrained 

 from making improvements, and in many cases 

 do not properly provide for the up-keep of the prop- 

 erty. 



"Furthermore, the tenants are in some instances 

 the victims of oppression on the part of landlords. 

 This oppression takes the form of dictation of 

 character and amount of crops, eviction without 

 due notice, and discrimination because of personal 

 and political convictions. The existing law pro- 

 vides no recourse against such abuses. 



"As a result both of the evils inherent in the ten- 

 ant system and of the occasional oppression by land- 

 lords, a state of acute unrest is developing among 

 the tenants, and there are clear indications of the 

 beginning of organized resistance which may result 

 in civil disturbances of a serious character. 



"The situation is being accentuated by the in- 

 creasing tendency of the landlords to move to the 

 towns and cities, reheving themselves not only 

 from all productive labor but from direct respon- 

 sibility for the conditions which develop. Further- 

 more, as a result of the increasing expenses incident 

 to urban life there is a marked tendency to demand 

 from the tenant a greater share of the products of 

 his labor. 



"The responsibiUty for the existing conditions 

 rests not upon the landlords but upon the system 

 itself. The principal causes are to be found in the 

 system of short leases, the system of private credit 

 at exorbitant rates, the lack of a proper system of 

 marketing, the absence of educational facilities, 



