The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-06-26
THE LANDLORDS SIDE

Editor The Star. In your issue OF
June - appeared an editorial HuK
Ecstink that congress should declare
all rents Ia excess 81 the rents
charged September 80. 1917. plus a
8 per cent allowance for Increased
cost. To be considered excess profit.
and that same should be taxed 100
per cent
This proposed act would mean
bankruptcy for many owners OF
apartments and roominR houses. un
icss at the same time congress
would pass law Forcing down the
prices on all the different commodi
tics which are used and necessary In
conducting an apartment or roominE
house. 20 tho price level - Sepiem
Der 80. 1917. plus 8 per cont extra
The rents u many apartments and
rooms we're not raised uniu last win
ter. whsn tn. price OF coal. wood
and other things went soaring. then
the rents were raised in order to
meet tn. Increased expenses To
force Va 20 do business AT prewar
rents. while all expenses have In.
creased TO 80 per cent or more. means
putting us out OF business
Why II II that people don't s~cm
to realize that u costs much moro
now to keep an apartment or room
Ing house in running order than II
did last summer or fall Tn, biggest
item In our monthly expenses In coal.
During the winter % 1871 we paid
q T.. =
the same coal vas fT.s5 per ton. u %
more now Wood was 81 pr load.
then 81. now t525. All the numer
Gus articles OF marchandis, which
have 20 30 purchased continually ms
they wear out or are broken. as car
pets, iinoicum. dishes. cooking utcn.
slls. sheets. pillow slips. curtains.
blankets. quilts. brou-ns. etc. all have
advanced % per cent. 30 per cent.
and even rs per cent. ~ least once
a year. often twice. n room or apart.
ncnt must b caicimlncd and var.
nished. Paints. oils. turpe ntine var.
nish and calciminc have also gone
Up about 80 per cent. Calclmlns. foe
example. was 5 cents pound last
summer. now cents. and whenever
n carpenter or plumber ia needed for
repairs. his charges are naturally not
on the prc-wnr basis. either
For several years back u has moi,
been a soft snap 10 own FOR rent
real estate in Seattle. and many Of
tho smaller apartment house owners
have been carrying on their business
at very slim margin OF profit.
Rents were low and vacancies, espe.
cialiy In the summer time. were fire.
qucnt Many people who. By hard
work. have made and saved some
money In Alaska. have invested this
money In Seattle real estate. We
have bought lots from Seattle own.
ers. built apartment houses by Seat
tie labor. 81 Seattle material. We are
Just as much entitled TO n reaaonabl bio
interest on the money invested as II
We bad deposited II In savings
bank at per cent or bought bonds
at per cont However. after taxes.
assessments and running expenses
are paid. many OF us have not made
more than wages for our own time
and labor. As to getting interest on
AAA' AAAbtA'L AUFFMNfIs HUNn tunes
were best. we have cleared as much
as per cent. when time were worst.
we have had TO borrow money to pay
our taxes. Consequently, there was
absolutely no margin Of profit with
which TO meet the increased OK.
penses. and rents simply had to be
raised.
II rents generally. and not excep.
tionally. have been raised more than
the increased expenses warrant. I
think n way could be found to stop
profiteoring. Let n committee OF
fair minded. practical men invest.
gate how much tho expenses have
increased during the last year: then
let rents be figured on n basis OF
value OF investments. plus increased
expenses. 80 congress may legislate
according to fair facts.
We are pleased 10 sec Tho Star
swat the rent hog" and my other
kind OF hog Except the four-footed
KIND. and there are many others be.
sides landlords who even now only
think OF filling their own trough, no
matter what happens to the rest of
u.s. but we strongly object to being
forced out Of business and losing our
property and that will happen TO
many OF MS II rents arc forced down
to the rate proposed In The Star.
As TO letter in the same issue OF
The Star, by a Mr.. Wm. Shearer.
suggesting that rents should he fore.
ed down 10 the 1914 basis. I will ask
why not force down the price Of coal.
flour, meat. labor. etc. to the same
IVA rates? They arc Just AS much.
ana more. necessity as are rooms.
! VIII even venture the guess that
Mr.. shearer himself, whatever his
business or work may be. In not Civ.
Ing his services at the 1914 rate OF
compensation. Il. J..