Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-28
RENT GOUCES
LISTED TODAY
Councils Committee to Pre-
pare Report for Fed
eral Authorities
MAY BE MORE HEARINGS

Preparatory to sending a report to
Washington on rent prohteering In
Philadelphia, Councils special COMMITTEES
will meet late this afternoon to schedule
complaints received by mail and At q
public hearing last week. The volume
Of evidence at hand Is believed to b
enough on which to base demand for
remedial legislation or quick governmental
action.
w. T. Colborn. common councilman
from the Forty-sixth Ward and chair
man OF the committee, Is after speed ana
with this end in view has suggested
compilation of facts already at hand
with view to having members Of the
committee submit them at once to them
to the proper Federal authorities II
is not likely that further evidence will
be heard today, as the plan outlined
calls for a remedySof some kind this
summer.
May Hold More Hearings
The committee may continue public
hearings with a view to fiiing an ex-
haustive report with Councils at the end
of September. Upon this report local
remedies will be asked. Whether there
will be evidence sufficient for definite
charges against individual real estate
holders depends upon what future meet
ines may develop.
Complaints are being received daily
by the committee. The latest comes
from a householder in Botanic avenue.
A house which in 1915 rented for &1l h
month jumped to sl2 in 1917. In 1918,
on the ground of the increase in the city
tax rate. the rent was raised to SIS and
later to SIS. A verbal explanation was
! recently made to the tenant that II he
paid $40 a month he could continue in
| possession.
The buy or move" phase Of the
profiteering scheme has also been gone
into at length and many cases OF this
kind will be included in the report which
the committee probably will decide to-
| day to carry to Washington.
Fuel Clauses in Leases
| Insertion of fuel clauses in rent leases
| will be one Of the new methods em-
ployed by County Fuel Administrator
| Lewis to prevent profiteering by land
| lords and real estate agents David
Wallerstein, counsel for the fuel ad-
ministration, made this announcement
today.
| THE fuel administrator has In his
control a means, which he proposes to
| use, to protect tenants from landlords
who are making use Of the present sit-
uation to sell properties at an exorbi-
tant price or to raise rents beyond a
reasonable limit" said Attorney Wal
lerstein. when the fuel administrator
is convinced that an attempt Of the
kinds spoken Of is being made. he will
use his power In the distribution Of coal
to protect the tenant from wrongful
treatment by prohibiting the supply Of
coal TO any house that has been vacated
| through improper methods by the land
| lord.
THE plan to be followed Is this: A
tenant now occupying a house must be
permitted to remain until April 1, 1919.
unless the house be meanwhile sold to
purchaser for actual occupation BY
that purchaser. II such sale be made
the present owner must agree either to
purchase the tenants coal at the price
he paid for 1t or to remove the Goa! at
the landlords expense to the tenants
new place Of residence. 81
THE question of increase OF rents 10
too complicated to admit Of q general
regulation. Each case must be deter.
mined on its own merits.
THE fuel administration Is not at all
disposed to be arbitrary, and each case
will stand upon it's own merits. Tho
general policy outlined, however. will be
vigorously enforced. The tenant must.
| of course. pay his rent promptly and
comply with the other stipulations Of
| the lease"