The evening world., 1918-06-15
WILL THE LANDLORD HELP?

WILL lite LftiNDkOND ~
TN It's fight against the rent p,Ofiteers now active in thi.
city. TIE Evening World has been accused by certain landlords
who but hslf grasp the purpose of its campaign, Of having "goaa
to q great deal Of pains to present only one side Of the case"
The facts refute the charge.
Not only has The Evening World opened its columns 70 landlords
a. veil as to tenants, printing many letters from the former, bat
more than that, in its discussion Of the situation II has repeatedly
asserted is belief that up to a certain point advances in New York
rents at TIL. time may be economically justified.
What this newspaper urges in the interest OF hnants-name!y
that some effort be made toward establishing when and where the
raising of rents ceases to be fair and becomes prohteering-may be
equally well urged in the interest of the landlord who tries to deal
squsrely BY his tenants.
If he is forced to raise rents he should have some standard BY
which the increase may be recognized as just. He should not be
liable to ~misjudgment and condemnation because OF the unrestricted
greed Of other landlords
The commonest landlord reply to any criticism Of rent boosting
is the aggneved question:
Is not the landlord, then, entitled to a reasonable net percentage
on his money investment g
Undoubtedly he is
But from the books and business methods Of what sort Of land
lord is such q percentage to be figured?
Must incompctently, wastefuly managed property be guaranteed
the same return as property that is well handledl
Is every Spectator in real estate to have a hand in fixing is
proper yield?
Is it to be the boldest rather than the most conscientious rent
raiser who is permitted to set ~standardsa
A couple Of weeks ago a big realty company which houses $1,000
wage esrners issued its annual report. 1t had successfully met it,
dividend requirements and put aside money for its sinking fund. Yet
1t announced that it had increased its rents on an average only four
per cent. and intended to make no further increase.
Are business methods that will produce results like these in
Geld Of such Importance to the public as housing to have no weight
against the claims Of landlords who assert that 80 and 40 per cent
advances Of rent this season are an economic necessity
Communities have decided it shall be quite otherwise in the case
Of service no more necessary. to the public than housing.
No street railway company could raise its fares one penny with.
ont opening its books and going into the fullest details of its man
agement and policy.
No gas company hereabouts could decide that gas must cost con.
sumers $1e5 hereafter. The bare suggestion would be followed by
immediate demands for a thorough overhauling of the companyt
methods.
Since tie nations entrance into the val it has been found nece,
The first preliminary to such action wa a thorough Investigation o.
food prices and the practices of certain profteering dealers, wholesale
and retail.
Federal authority now contemplatcs measures to check proftee.
ing in the price Of clothing. The clothing trade will itself have |,
furnish the facts.
II food and clothing, why not rents?
Let real estate interests here in New York open their books az,
show exactly how much increased taxes, wages, cost Of supplies. etc
figure in rent advances in the case Of specific pieces of property c,n
corning which full information can be obtained and verified.
Let the Board Of Aldermen start an inquiry which shall e.
deeper than either the mere annoyance Of tenants confronted wit
sent increases on the one hand, or the vague protests Of landlords A
TO diminishing percentages on the other.
Between landlord and tenant, under the exigencies Of war time
there midst he give and take.
But if there is a point beyond which the landlord must not b
expected to give. there must also be a point at which he is to so
taking.
Where that point should be, only a careful, disinterested stud
Of ALL the facts and figures can determine.
Will the landlord helpi