Evening star., 1918-05-25
REALTY MEN CALL
FOR rent" PROBE
"Prove Charges Of Profiteer.
ing or Retract," Is
Demand.
REsENTFUL OF CRITICS

Declaring that the reputation of
real estate men and the good name Of
the city demand that charges Of rent
profiteering in the District be proved
or retracted. Charles w. Fairfax.
president Of the Real Estate Brokers
Association. announced today that the
association has adopted a resolution
requesting Congress to thoroughly
Investigate the rent question In
Washington.
The resolution. which was adopted
at a meeting Thursday. recites that
charges have been circulated indis-
criminately in both houses Of Con-
gress and in the press Of Washington
and other cities to the effect that
Washington real estate men are
profiteering and making colorado
sales of property.
The resolution further states that an
Investigation conducted by the asso-
citation has satisfied its members that
the charges are not true, and asserts
that agents are unwilling to rest un-
der these baseless and scandalous
charges"
Mr. Fairfax's Statement.
In connection with the request for a
sweeping congressional inquiry, Mr..
Fairfax issued the following state
ment:
Rent profiteering and colorado sales
have been SO frequently charged
against Washington owners and agents
by local and out-of-town newspapers.
by government officials and others that
the time has arrived when the propo-
Rifinn hA In 0o tod
Those who have made such state
ments must retract or prove such cases.
The guilt must be uncovered SO that the
innocent be left unmolested. The fair
name Of the National Capital is at stake.
Every future charge made must be chal-
lenged.
THE executive committee Of the Real
Estate Brokers Association passed a
resolution Thursday last. calling upon
Congress to go thoroughly into the sub
5ect and the same will be presented to
both the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives for immediate action.
THE pressure of war legislation has
no doubt made 1t difficult for Congress
to fully understand the local rent situa-
ton. 1t is big job and deserves a
both tenants and owners. Committees
should be named who will approach the
subject with open minds. SO that sane
legislation can be enacted
The Real Estate Brokers Association
makes no protest against the reasonable
return of Z per cent net made in the
Pomerene bill that recently passed the
Senate. That income, however, Is only
slight increase over the amount al
lowed under the House bill. The differ
ence fs Insignificant
Pride Of opinion should be waived
in dealing with this serious PROPOSE
tion. The Senate bill, however, pro
Vides punishment to At the
crime and reaches the guilty party;
that was not in the case in the House
bill.
Penalty Called Unfair.
AS matter Of fact. the penalty
named in the House bill was out
rageously unfair to owners Hun
dreds of them felt compelled to serve
to save their properties from a pos
.sible lien, should the tenant sublet
at higher figure than that permit
ted by that measure. This precipt-
ants could not fully understand and
multiplied the number Of complaints
against landlords. Drastic legisla-
tfon always operates as a 'two-edge
sword and should always be avoided.
Section v Of the Pomerene bill is
provisions Of that act However. when
lifted from the bill and taking the
shape Of an Independent resolution as
offered by Senator Salisbury and
since amended by the House 1t loses
the virtue possessed in the original
measure.
while constructive legislation is
much needed and desired, yet the Sem
ate better stand pat rather than to
risk its reputation by putting through
a make-shift, such as the amended
resolution. Such a law would permit
profiteering to run rampant; the sky
only would be the limit for all pres
ent and future vacancies. No feature
of that measure can be discovered
that protects and preserves the COM
fort Of the thousands OF desirable
tenants. It forces owners to sell. be-
cause the future income il too uncer-
tain, thereby dispossessing tenants
who must locate another place and
pay a higher rent for the same. It
will force owners to overcharge for
all vacancies. present and future. so
as to recover the losses on the places
now occupied by tenants who do not
voluntarily pay a reasonable increase.
This will destroy the standard OF rem
tails and develop battle Of wits be-
tween landlords and tenants that will
be detrimental to the welfare Of the
District Of Columbia and our neigh
boring states"