Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
The Nation Is No Shirker.

We Americans, collectively as ma
tion, arc effectively admonishing our
selves as individuals not to be slaekers
posed upon us. OF course, we must not
be Sshirkers either collectively or indi-
vidually. The nation in appealing TO
4he individual appeals to and pledges
itself. We will not as q nation shift
.any national obligation upon individ-
uals or community as seapegoat.
As 4 nation at war we have created
sthe conditions which have rendered
Mashington's housing accommodations
absolutely inadequate to meet the de-
mand, and have resulted in widespread
!diseomforts. hardships and rentals prof
itcering.
.tThe nation is responsible for the null
tftude who in response to the call to ma
'tional service have flooded Washington
and swamped the housing service, the
TRANSPORTATION service, the communica
tions service. As nation we are under
$Gnlart obligation to cure the evil which
we. have created.
What are the remedies that the ma
&ssa can apply? The ease to be treated
n fine common malady of excessive de-
&snd and inadequate supply.
srsThe national government can and
should and will increase the housing sup
p5y by building vast temporary housing
structures An appropriation of ten mil
Hons for this purpose is on its legis-
apive way.
The government can and should de-
crease the housing demand by reducing
Tie number of newcomers until only the
absolute necessities of the government
are met. Hundreds have been encour-
aged to come and have come whose
services are not needed. Wealthy new
corners have tempted landlords and sub
leasing tenants, and have ousted from
their temporary homes Westinghouse
long resident. Some branches of the
government have been flooded with idle,
unnecessary clerks. Super1uous. new
corners, demanding homes. shut out from
EMPLOYMENT competent resident appli-
eants who are already housed. Eleventh
Gaars newcomers. too, without experience
md with little required of them, move
Systematically into higher salaries than
many of the old and experienced clerks
Eka have borne and are bearing the heat
and burden of the day. The national
sovernment should, as matter of wise
and equitable policy, discourage the in
coming of every superfluous Washing
ton resident, since unnecessary new
comers in iure the existing body of train
ed ard efficient clerks, demoralize the
eity's rentals and transportation sys-
TENS, slur the city's good repute, and
impair distinctly war efficiency.
1.-The capital community must for its
pTteNert itself to the utmost to house
at reasonable prices maximum number
of needed newcomers. Much public
spirited patriotic labor of this sort has
been done by Washington, apparently
unreeognized and unappreciated-
If, however, the capital community is
finally convicted of failing to make ade-
quate response to the nations caH let
the government commander vacant
private property by a law of nation
vide application which shall fix reason
able rentals for the Communicated prop
erty, or rather set up a rentals admin
1strator OR other tribunal to determine
IN disputed cases what is equitable
rental.
IF the extortion of rentals usury is to
be punished and thus prevented these
usurers should be attacked directly just
as usurers in the loan of money are
attacked. They should be in both cases
alike accused, tried, convicted and pun
ished by fine and by heavy forfeit
ures.
Camoufaging the fine in such a case
BY Disgusting it as an income tax is
grossly unfair and hurtful and should
be stunned as abhorrent. This pro-
vision of the House bill creates by law
asso-called tax and in the same breath
declares it unlawful 1t masquerades
as a revenue-raising measure, though
revenue from it is prohibited by the
provision that any one who pays the So
called tax shall be mulcted in addition
In double the amount of the tax as for
fixture. The so-called tax is discrimi-
natory and lacks uniformity, using diff
ferent standards of taxation with diff
ferent property owners. One man is
taxed ON the relation of his gross rentals
income to the assessed value of his
property; another is taxed on the rela
ton of his 1913 to his 1916 rentals
These yardstieks have nothing whateve,
In common. The so-eaHed tax imposed
on one man becomes a lien upon the
property of another in the multitude o,
cases in which the lessor is not the
owner Of the property. The latter's
property is taken without just compen
sation, and he is deprived Of his prop
erty without due process of law.
IF extortion Is to be prevented nv fl