Evening star., 1918-04-11

FAIR RENrALS LAW
I'm GREAT BRITAIN
-
(Centinusd from First EaSAl
IN impS5ssa 1ns seass lsg1saatnrs. are
lsrAi11e6ty the coussitutsea g fmpaE the
seaintiet e Ssntrscsa ~. wn ,$s9ss,,,s
iMQ1ir tAs obligation g th.ss District con-
SFHsfA YjsA0ae 3nsttnoetion IN equlfy'
{ rnssSiy b - the Ccustitution ocnits sDs-
dacaly 3 foeoid II 10 DO sof
Unnecessary Blow at Private Rights.
: Bscaus few lessons Of rooms or
resiosncO=~ houses have doubled or
tripled cdsir rental charges, extort1ng
grossly Excessive rentals from tho
necessities of lessees, all leseors OF
washin&s0n real estate. including the
multitud of non-extortionsrs in resi-
dence-renking and another multitude
who do 4Ot rent the kinds Of real es-
tate In fapect to which profteering Is
alleged. Ars slurred a. potential pront-
GERS. andeare punished as extortioners
II their Xental charge chances to ex-
coed by Il per cent the rental charge
Of two wars ago.
GOVERNMENTAL war Communicating or
billetinEror rentals fixing should be
n.n % Of se iaterferenee G nee with privat.
rights that is compelled by wnf
necessitiss. The voiding Of leases and
arbitraryrSntalsn liking should be con-
ansd in pl,c...on to The s,,s rsai - sssass nss
absolutely needs. The government will
impair t41 obligation OF contracts and
will voidcontracts as contrary to pub
lie policy-only when 1t must. to meet
its own tIsal necessities and to win the
war. HoX does 1t concern the govern
ment what relation today's rental
bears to the rental charge of two years
ago II tEo Washingtonians. as lessor
and lessee. have agreed upon this
rented property is naked lot.
grocery store, a garage. or any kind OF
property not needed by tho government
for the war housing Of itself or its
Following the British and colonial
Yrecedents war rentals Axing should
apply in America or In the District
ealy to the real estate Involved In tbs
war necessities, which In the District
seems to consist Of certain DWELLINGS,
Or parts OF dweIlinGs needed BY the
government to house q Dort10A Of 1ts
1aitfuds Of additional war EMPLOYS.
Nations Housing Obligation
The government has recognized that its
war necessities have caused the asssn-
blage Of multitudes OF Americans In re-
oponse to the call Of national service in
ohtpbuilding plants and other war indus
trial plants and at the National Capital.
1t has recognized that these multitudes
commodations. 1t has conceded its prt-
mary responsibility in meeting the condi-
tions which it has itself created. and has
appropriated fifty millions for the ship
builders and Is preparing to appropriate
another fifty millions for the housing Of
other industrial employees in the states.
and ten millions for housing its additional
war employees in the District. The gov
arnment is just as responsible for the evils
springing from inadequate housing ac-
commodations in the District as in the
ohtpbuilding or munitions making towns
o. cities II by communicating private
property 1t needs to supplement its war
housing facilities IT should secure, II It
such property on equitable terms any
whore In the United States that 1t il
needed.
Fair Play for the District.
It should not apply in the District q
different Constitution or different rules
fair play from those which it applies
elsewhere in the United States.
For example:
A law that impairs the obligation of
contracts. that in 1918 voids existing
parties to the contract are content, can
not without violating the Constitution
be enacted by state legislature. Such
. law, though not specifically forbidden
by the Constitution to the national leg
tslature. is In general 80 Inherently in
equitable and abhorrent that only In
extreme cases to overcome a greater
evil will Congress resort to It.
II Congress cannot bring itself to void
This class Of leases in the states it ought
- v,i ~ nj In, a
trict. In legfslating for the District
alons under the Ten Miles Square pro-
vision Of the Constitution Congress
serves the District ~ the substitute Of
70 forbidden BY the Constitution to i'm
pair the obligation OF contracts.
what the heme state legislatures may
not esnstitutioAany enact in APPLICATION
- the people Of the states will mot be
onaeted ~ Congress, acting N the Dis
ls1ecs state le4islatare, In application
% the people Of WashinEton.
The issue viii not be permitted to de-
generate from a national attack upon a
nationwide evil that hampers efficient
prosecution of the war into q mere local
equ&bble between landlords and tenants
It is absolutely certain that congress-
men will not, either as aggrieved ten
-AAts or as the representatives Of such
tenants. apply in their own behalf to
their local landlords any unsound and
oneauitable principles of LEGISLATION
NAieh eannet be aDplleA by state Begfs-
natures 10 landlords In their eva con-
0t1tnencies without violating the Con-
Dtftuf1on.
II Congress decides that n . eheice
q evils It must n the Districts legis-
tntuEe impair for wartime the OAMea-
e1oa of certain District LEASING con-
SEasss, II viii net work tAis inpafrment
n161DcximinAfely, wantonly and unjust-
~ - proposed BY the House bill, but
Vln e0nflAe this impaifment to the ab-
Ueaute minimun which meets the ma
x10n's war necessities.
What Are Fair Rentsp.
1. How shsald fair rents be deter
nineAf In Great Britain the standard
rent is that OF August 8. 1914. with two
sspecified equitable increases to be de-
stermined by the county court. But this
arbitrary drastic provision applies only
sto dwellings or parts Of dwellinEs
which rent for not to exceed I'll to US