1925 Tenant Movement

none November 2024 November 2024 Santa Ana Plaza City of Panama Oct 12, 1925 - DPLA - 50e024a5aa23c75205cb22d370f38e15.jpg Soldiers of the 33rd U.S. Infantry in Santa Ana Park, Panama City, 12 October Republic of PanamaPanama City Colón Rent strike, labour strike, protest High cost of rent, rent increases Rent reductions Socialist red flag.svg es Liga de Inquilinos y Subsistencia de Panamá Panama Government of Panama 16px National Police Panama Canal Zone Panama Canal Zone 14px 33rd U.S. Infantry The 1925 Tenant Movement (es Movimiento inquilinario de 1925), also known as the 1925 Tenant Strike (es Huelga inquilinaria de 1925), was a rent strike, and series of demonstrations in the Republic of Panama. The Tenant Movement was primarily active in the cities of Panama City and Colón, and was organized to achieve rent reductions. The movement began with the formation of the es Liga de Inquilinos y Subistencia none ("Tenants' League"), established in June 1925 with the help of the es Sindicato General de Trabajadores none ("General Workers' Union") with the aim to fight against high and increasing rents. The Tenants' League organized a rent strike which began on 1 October. On the 12 October, the United States intervened to suppress the strikes. Bakers, butchers, chauffeur drivers, and street car drivers undertook work stoppages in support of the rent strike. On 21 October US troops were withdrawn. The strike resulted in the formation of a Rent Claims Commission, which was intended to mediate disputes between tenants and landlords. Despite this, and as well as the efforts of Panamanian President Rodolfo Chiari, landlords continued to raise rents. Similar conditions would cause a refounded es Liga de Inquilinos none to organize a rent strike in August 1932. History On 11 February 1925, Law No. 29 was enacted, which saw a minor increase in property taxes in Panama. Following the increase, many landlords disproportionately hiked rents.Major John https://archive.org/details/prizepossessionu0000majo Prize possession: the United States and the Panama canal, 1903-1979 1993 Cambridge university press 978-0-521-43306-8 151–153 Internet Archive19 July 2022 US fights Panama renters' strike https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8436/US-fights-Panama-renters%27-strike 4 November 2024 Working Class HistoryMónica Guardia 18 October 2015 El Movimiento Inquilinario de 1925: el poder de las masas https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/nacional/1925-masas-movimiento-inquilinario-BNLE152232 11 November 2024 La Estrella de Panamá es-PA Issues were exacerbated for tenants due to the undersupply in housing stock, as well as the existing housing stock often being small, cramped, and unsanitary.Lindsay-Poland John Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama 2003 Duke University 0-8223-3098-9 41–42 In June, the es Liga de Inquilinos y Subistencia none ("Tenants' League")Various English language sources name the organisation differently es Liga de Inquilinos y Subistencia none differently. These translations include:Tenants' League Renters League League of Tenants League of Rent Payers note was formed. The League was formed with involvement of the new es Sindicato General de Trabajadores none ("General Workers' Union"), with the League operating as an autonomous affiliate of the Union.Cuevas Alexander Panamá, dependencia y liberación Editorial Universitaria Centroamericana 1975 San José, Costa Rica 31–75 es El Movimento Inquilinario De 1925 https://bdigital.binal.ac.pa/bdp/panamadependencia1.pdf bdigital.binal.ac.pa46 In addition to Panamanian citizens, there were also a number of foreign people—some living in exile—within Panama who were active in the Tenants' League. Some leading members of the League were deported in August, and again in September. Rent Strike The Tenants' League called for a rent strike starting on 1 October in Panama City. On 9 October, the Strike spread to Colón.de Medina Leticia S. 29 October 2023 Recordando al Movimiento Inquilinario de octubre 10, 1925 https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/publicando-historia/recordando-movimiento-inquilinario-octubre-10-LMLE500795 11 November 2024 La Estrella de Panamá es-PA The League decided to organize a rally within Santa Ana Plaza at 20:00 on 10 October. Despite having previously allowed demonstrations by the League, City Mayor Mario Galindo forbid the rally.17 October 1925 Tenants' League and Police Clash Results In Four Deaths and Several Wounded https://www.dloc.com/AA00027053/00334/ The Workman 1, 8 Digital Library of the Caribbean 14 10 The members of the Tenants' League sent a petition to Mayor Galindo to rescind the order, but he refused. The Tenant League's demonstration went ahead regardless, at which National Police shot strikers, killing four people and wounding at least seven. 28 people were arrested by police.13 October 1925 U.S. Soldiers in Panama City The Evening Independent 1 18 294 United News One funeral the next day was attended thousands of people. Movimiento_Inquilinario_1925-2.png 500 240 150 120 110 right US soldiers patrolling Caledonia Street, Panama City, on 12 October Early 12 October, the acting Governor of the Panama Canal Zone declared that only danger to American life or property, or the request of the Government of Panama, would result in United States military intervention (under the provision of Article 136 of the 1904 Constitution of Panama the US held the constitutional right to intervene in Panamanian affairs as it saw fit).Martin Gerald 12 October 1925 U.S. Soldiers Rule Panama https://archive.org/details/per_chicago-daily-tribune_1925-10-13_84_245/mode/2up Chicago Daily Tribune 1–2 13 October 1925 Internet Archive President Rodolfo Chiari requested the US support in suppressing the strikes, and at 13:30 on 12 October, three battalions of the 33rd U.S. Infantry Regiment crossed from Fort Clayton in the Canal Zone into the Panama, ordered to break apart any gathering of more than five people.13 October 1925 American Soldiers Guard Panama City; Asked by President Chiari After Rent Riots https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1925-10-13_75_24734 11 November 2024 The New York Times 1 en Internet Archive 0362-4331 At first the request was for US soldiers to support local police, but the resulting US intervention was conditional on being given full authority of command. The Tenants' League demanded the 150 imprisoned tenants released, and that the police who killed strikers were punished.Martin Gerald 14 October 1925 Landlords Cut Rent in Panama to Calm Rioters https://archive.org/details/per_chicago-daily-tribune_1925-10-15_84_247/page/n3/mode/2up?q=panama Chicago Daily Tribune 5 15 October 1925 Internet Archive 84 245 Some workers—namely bakers, butchers, chauffeur drivers, and street car drivers—decided to undertake labor strikes for lower rents, with The Workman reporting that a general strike had been declared. The work stoppage by chauffeur drivers and street car drivers heavily disrupted traffic within Panama City. In addition numerous volunteer fireman quit. In an effort to end the rent strike, a Rent Claims Commission was formed to mediate cases between tenants and landlords,24 October 1925 Troops Quit Panama City; Mixed Commission Starts Work to Adjust Rent Differences https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1925-10-25_75_24746/page/n37 The New York Times 38 25 October 1925 Internet Archive 7 24746 Associated Press24 October 1925 Items of Interest Local & Foreign https://www.dloc.com/AA00027053/00335 The Workman 1 Digital Library of the Caribbean 14 1124 October 1925 The House Rent Question https://www.dloc.com/AA00027053/00335 The Workman 4 Digital Library of the Caribbean 14 11 with representatives of both sitting on the commission.28 October 1925 Rent Strike is Still Unsettled https://www.dloc.com/AA00010883/03140/ The Panama American 8 Digital Library of the Caribbean 1 22 The commission first met on 22 October. Despite intention for the commission to meet daily, by 28 October the commission had not met for a second time. On 21 October, the US State Department decided it would withdraw troops, doing so on 23 October.7 November 1925 Troops to Leave Panama https://www.dloc.com/AA00083639/04162 St. Croix Avis 3 Digital Library of the Caribbean The US Panama Canal Division Commander William Lassiter had hoped for US occupation to be prolonged so as to pressure President Chiari into conducting mass evictions. On 27 October, President Chiari met with tenants telling them to produce a list of conditions which would end the strike, however ruling out releasing any arrested tenants. The same day, five imprisoned tenants began a hunger strike. Aftermath and legacy The Superior Judge of the Republic ruled that some members of the League were to be tried for crimes against the homeland, and others for resisting authorities.25 November 2024 Judge Rules Holding of Meeting was Offense https://www.dloc.com/AA00010883/03146 The Panama American 1 Digital Library of the Caribbean 1 49 The Superior Judge also exonerated the police of wrongdoing for their killings.14 November 1925 Sub-Chief of Police Not Guilty https://www.dloc.com/AA00027053/00338 The Workman 8 Digital Library of the Caribbean 14 14 At least 16 people who had immigrated illegally were deported following the strike.1 November 1925 16 Deported in Panama Strike https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1925-11-01_75_24753/page/n226 The New York Times Internet Archive 75 24753 Associated Press Despite President Rodolfo Chiari efforts to reduce tenants' rents, rents continued to increase and In August 1932 a new es Liga de Inquilinos none organized another rent strike.5 August 1932 Fights Are Expected In Panama Rent Strike The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1932/08/05/archives/fights-are-expected-in-panama-rent-strike-government-is-handicapped.html subscription 6 8 August 1932 Newsboys Aid Rent Strike The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1932/08/08/archives/newsboys-aid-rent-strike-prevent-street-sales-of-papers-in-panama.html subscription 8 11 August 1932 Act In Rent Strike.; American and British Ministers in Panama Call on President. https://www.nytimes.com/1932/08/11/archives/act-in-rent-strike-american-and-british-ministers-in-panama-call-on.html subscription The New York Times Footnotes note See also Organized Labour 2022 Panamanian protests 1964 anti-American riots in Panama Tenant union References 25em Further reading Zumoff J.A. October 2017 The 1925 Tenants' Strike in Panama: West Indians, the Left, and the Labor Movement https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0003161517000888/type/journal_article The Americas en 74 4 513–546 10.1017/tam.2017.88 0003-1615 registration Wood Andrew Baer James A. August 2006 Strength in Numbers: Urban Rent Strikes and Political Transformation in the Americas, 1904-1925 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0096144206289347 Journal of Urban History en 32 6 862–884 10.1177/0096144206289347 0096-1442 registration Bolivarianismo anarquista: Anarchist Pan-Americanism in the Heart of the Hemisphere 2020 Anarchists of the Caribbean: Countercultural Politics and Transnational Networks in the Age of US Expansion 214–251 Shaffer Kirwin R. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/anarchists-of-the-caribbean/bolivarianismo-anarquista/E279CC3E3424E29326503BE0FE02244D 2024-11-11 Global and International History Cambridge Cambridge University Press 10.1017/9781108773706.008 978-1-108-48903-4 registration Pearcy Thomas L. 1996 Panama's Generation of '31: Patriots, Praetorians, and a Decade of Discord https://www.jstor.org/stable/2517949 The Hispanic American Historical Review 76 4 691–719 10.2307/2517949 2517949 0018-2168 subscription Conte-Porras Jorge https://archive.org/details/historiadepanama0000cont Historia de Panamá y sus Protagonistas Castillero-Lange Eduardo Ernesto Distribuidora Lewis 1998 978-9962-602-00-2 187–190 es Internet Archive External links Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States: Assistance by United States troops in quelling riots in Panama City Category:Rent strikes Category:Social movements in Panama Category:Housing in Panama Category:1920s in Panama Category:History of Panama City Category:Colón, Panama Category:Military operations involving the United States