New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Washington, the New Boom o1un
By William James Black

vigorously at the proposed rent regulation
They rightly attribute much of the rent
profteering to re-renters and sub b-leasers
One man boasts that he rents a house from
an owner for $40 a month and sub-leases 1t
for $500 month, furnished. Many instances
Of 400 per cent profit cited
room within the two-lnilc circle rents
for $50 A we'll placed room rents for $50
A bedroom with alcove within the mile circle
brings $75. Houses that in Chicago would
rent for 500 here bring $3.50 Many OF them
are sub-leased, leaving the owner the marke,
price OF year ago. The landlord profteering
is difficult to put ones finger on as IS
producer jobber, wholesaler, retailer and re-
retailer profit in food distribution.
The johnson bill proposes to limit rent a.-
vances to 10 per cent on unfurnishedN and
Is per cent furnished homes. This, sa,
the realty men, VIII discourage furnished
renting and Will bankrupt the landlords, thu.
making the plight of the tenants worse by
the instrument of price fixing.
Buy Real Estate Now
buy Washington Real Estate Now" is the
realty slogan. 1t is not a win-the-war cry
by any means. Build on Washington's Va
cant Lots" would be the more patriotic part
1t rs urged that the government appropriate
several million dollars for financing Washing
tor house building operations, in addition to
It's aVowed policy of spending 500 100000 t..
finance housebuilding in the munition ano
shipbuldng towns at tidewater boom pools.
I'VE have the largest force Of statesmen Wa
have ever had" says one realty man. 81
have never seen better selling conditions. y
Those activities will take toll but not add
beds or tables.
Il have taken deposits my row OF house.
before could get the foundation down" saio
another
Secretary McAdoo has become the censor Of
industrial security issues He might profita-
bly, promote the activities of that man who
is getting a foundation down for a house
Tor Washington to lay its head in
Ihe government is bull in the boom mar
ket here. Towns that would like to take on
a boom should take pains to acquire war
government. Uncle Sam is q house builder
lot user and furniture buyer who make,
the average magnate dizzy.
AS landlord he has spread over the Dis
trlct of Columbia like a visitation. The ord
nance department at one time occupied TWEEN
ty-siN different buildings. The location or
some of these was unknown to the heads of
the other divisions. Office buildings have
been occupied; the Munscy Trust Company
has been moved from its substantial Office,
on Pennsylvania Avenue to make wav for :,
war bureau; apartment buildings on Six.
teenth Street now hum with administrative
activity; hotels, residences and structures Of
all kinds have been given over to house tn.
headquarters OF the army of democracy
Government Leasing Buildings
The government has habit of LEASING
buildings, like the Mills Building on Penn
syivana Avenue that houses one of the mn
merous parts Of the War Department. The
splendors Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mlssion's home rented. Some of thes,
nVe-year leases are said to yield enough I,
deiray the lucky owner the cost Of the
building, though this is pre-war gossip.
FURNITURE vans hump themselves alone N.
streets delivering handsome Office cou;nmen,
TO the lnnumerable new Offices that spring I'm
overnight Oh, to be in the furniture busi-
ness in Washington! Not very natr;ot,,
sentiment, but slathers of dandy furniture ar.
gong INTO the acres of new Offices.
Other industrial towns measure their ac.
'tiv1ties in factory floor space. This now :,