The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-07
HOUSE OWNERS OF | NATIONAL CAPITAL ARE PROF|TEER|NG Thousands of Renters Are Expecting Notice to Buy
 or Move Out CONGRESS WRESTLING WITH THIS PROBLEM Suburban and Semi-Suburban Resi- dents Are So Fearful of Agents
 Notice They Will Not Open
 Front Door
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

Wasnlngton, July $. Special Washington, the nations capital has never in sIl it's long and interesting his- tory presented so many interesting fea- lures as now. People throughout the country who do not enjoy the privilege of being in Washington would find many strange clements of life here were they in Washington as residents, either tenn porary or permanent.
 The whole Washington population of house rentcrs-and there is a good num- Der of renters among the 100000 people here noW-haye either received or ex- pect to do so at any mement their no- tice to buy or move out.' These no- tices, it may be said, are sent to them or served upon them in many cases by owners of real estate, houses, who havo found that because of abnormal con- ditions prevailing in Washington at this time, with not enough roofs to cover it's population of war workers they arc able to make large amounts of money either by selling their property or by renting al enormous figures.
 CONGRESS WHISTLES
 For weeks past Congress has been wrestling with the question of profiteer- ing in houses, and although both the House and Senate have passed resolu- tions on the matter, the whole subject is apparently as far from being settled as it ever Vas. The much discussed ''Sauls5ury" resolution. which had for it's purpose the retention of property by renters so long as they paid their rent, means nothing, Real estate agents are serving their buy or move out" no- tices, and in many cases that is all thera is to 1t. It is true that the governmbent is doing its best to regulate the matter. but it is a difficult one to handle. There may be two houses on the same street which apparently are worth just tho same amount of rent, but which for various reasons may differ greatly. The real value of the property may depend upon a variety of causes, and it is these which the authorities have so far failed to completely overcome.
 AGENTS NOT ADMITTED In some of the suburban and semi suburban sections of Washington there are families who never use their front doors at all. Each person has his or her key, ali passing is done by the rear doors, and when one rings the front door bell he is likely to be met by voice from an upstairs window asking his business. Absolutely no one except friends known to be on peaceful mis- sion are admitted. The iceman, the gro- cery boy, and other trades people Ge- posit their wares outside the house for fear that in some way there may be a service Of one. of those "buY or move out orders.
 A day or two ago a real estate agent who was going around looking at prop erty stepped upon the porch of house here and was informed quickly that il he came q foot nearer he would be shot as they were the instructions which the man of the house had left when he went to work that morning. The agent did not wait to investigate the premises further.
 GIRLS HAVE GOOD TIME
 Down Lack of the state war and navy buildins r.agic like has appeared within the last month or six weeks number of large, substantial looking structures which have been put up to house the 2U.- 0OO0 or more men and women who have come in to Washington to work for the government. Where until short time ago there were corner lots and smal parks are '><y large buildings filled with the youth and beauty of the land.
 Each day at the noon hour when