The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-07-11
TO PROVIDE j.. S.
ADMINISTRATOR
TO CURB RENTS
ny FREDERICK VI. KERRY


WAsHtNGTON. July II p Passage
OF the rent profitccring bill intro.
duced In congress thru the efforts
OF The Seattle Star ana associated
members OF The Newspaper Enter
prise association. win be the most
effective means ~ ntopping prof.
itcering In rents by interruptions
landlords.
This seems 60 bc the opinion Of
the men who have been studying the
problem 81 how to prevent the land
hogs from mulcting the public In
war profits on rents.
Authorities on housing connected
with the National Housing arHocla
ton. members OF congress ana the
men Ia the government departments
who are studying the rent profitecr'
ing problem. were inclined 20 be
lieve that legisia ton might ba necea
usry creating a national rent admin.
istration. with powers somewhat
similar 60 those OF Controller Gar
field Of the coal administration and
Herbert Hoover OF the food admins
tration.
Would Tie Referee
The rent administration, under
these plans. would br called upon 20
decide what Is "A fair rental In each
case where complaint was received
and 60 enforce itH ruling upon tho
landlord. assisted by state admins
traitors and city administrators work
ms with the national administration.
IL was realized. however. that
there were inherent difficulties n
this plan which would make u much
harder TO operate than in the cnse
OF coal and food The rent admins
tratlon would be called upon 20 de.
eide a vast multitude ~ individual
cases. Houses canno, be standard
lied and classified like bltuminour
and anthracite coal. nor can costs be
aacertaln.d like the coat of produc
ing coal. which added TO the freight
rate TO any point. plus a reasonable
profit 90 the retailer. fixes the retail
price OF coal
Classification Difficult
Some landlords. owning a grca,
deal OF property. are able 20 have re
pairs made on long term contracts
~ the lowest figure. another land
lord owning a single piece ~ prop
erty In tho same locality. must pay
the highest market rate for his re
pairs.
Every tenant whose rent has been
RAISED since the United States en-.
tered tho war might be expected TO
file n complaint with the rent nj
ministrntor. becauH. he could not 10
sure that the increase was justified
And tho local rent administrator
would 30 faced with the problem -
Determining whether the increase
was Justified or not
Allow for Increase.
Consideration % thene dlfflculiles
has led officials 20 consider other
means. and the rent profiteering biil
II tho result. II proposes 20 TAX at
the rate OF 100 per cent all rents
charged In excess Of tho prc war
basis tycar ending September 20.
1919 plus per cen; allowance for
increased costs Of repairs. etc. !,
makes tho landlord file returns with
the collector Of internal revenue and
II he fails 90 do no, n so per cent
penalty }. added 20 tho tax. The oh
ject. Of course. IL no, TO coilec, a
tan. but 90 prevent the landlord from
raising the rent. That II tho theory
Of the bill
The tenant whosc rent IL raised =
always available as witness
against the landlord a letter TO the
collector 81 internal revenue from a
tenant will be sufficient to start an
inquiry against tho landlord who
hopes To re, Off without paying the
100 per cent tar.