The Washington times., 1919-04-21
D. c. CHIEFS
MAY CHECK
RENTAL RISE
Will Seek Means to Curb Prof.
teering That Will Come With
Peace.
BY BILL PRICE.

The District Commissioners see a
mighty serious situation in rent prot
iteering in this city when the SaulS-
bury law expires upon the pronounce
ment OF peace by President Wilson,
or II the Court of Appeals should
agree with Justice Gould that the
law is constitutional; and they may
take early steps to meet it.
The situation, they realize, is bRa
enough now, but the Salisbury law
has been a real protection to tenants
who found themselves in the clutches
Of practically inclined owners OF
houses and apartments. The fact
that rent-hoisting continues in wash
zagton despite the safeguards Of the
Salisbury law is the finest possible
testimonial to ignorance Of the first
principles of self-protection.
Some landlords take advantage %
these weaknesses in human nature
and just simply browbeat their way
TO more money when they could not
turn q wheel IL the tenants were alive
10 their own interests or had even
read one or two of the many arti-
cles that have appeared in Washing
ton papers in the last year.
Last Legal Prop Soon to Go.
The last legal prop the Washington
tenant has had will soon disappear
when peace is formally declared, and
that ought to be within five or six
weeks, unless the Germans simply
baIk in the middle of the road like
the typical mule and refuse to bulge
one way or another.
With the Salisbury law extinct, a
reign OF money grabbing from rents
will start, most of it ourageously
D. sV,I
appeals to courts, It will even be pos
sible then for tenants to fight land
lords a long time before ultimate de-
cision can be had. The masses of the
people, though, dislike this sort OF
thing, and they are going to be preyed
upon to the limit unless the Commits
sioners are able to find some way to
bring about fair disposition OF indi-
vidual cases.
Arbitration Considered.
The Commissioners are considering
a number of suggestions laid before
them, including that OF arbitration
between landlords and tenants. Sec
tion 4I2 Of the District code makes
il possible TO arbitrate any equity
suit filed in the local courts. OF
course, IL must be by consent Of the
parties The Commissioners may con-
clude to call a conference Of the lead
ing owners Of proRerty and real
estate men in Washington and see
whether il is possible to have them
agree to arbitration as a means OF
preventing what is sure TO result in
widespread dissatisfaction and may
bring upon the landlords the most
hostile sort OF legislation from Con-
gress.
The Commissioners are loath TO
g. n~fT ~ nj
stringent rent laws here. Even
Can't Julius Peyser. who has been
fRhting rent exactions and evictions
for nearly two years, would prefer
TO see supply and demand rule In
rents than have Congress impose re-
strictions that might interfere with
the development OF Washington.
There is no doubt anywhere that
IL prSfteering becomes notorious
Congress- will slap on stiff law
that may even go so far as to limit
the returns a landlord may receive
from his properties or to tax his
excess returns in heavy manner.
Assessor May Take Hand.
One suggestion which Landlords
contemplating raising OF rents might
we'll consider is that there has been
pIaced before the Commissioners sug-
Cestions that amendments oe made
10 the laws governing assessments in
the District that would put in the
hands of the assessor exceedingly
strong authority to deal with levy
ing of excessive rents. One feature OF
the proposed law would enable the
assessor to impose sUrtaXes that
would wipe out rents that were eX-
orbitant, and the law might carry
with Il the authority to determine !
what a reasonable rent is in the Dis
trict. and, as in the cases OF the rates /
Of utility companies, permit the fix
ing of returns allowing reasonable re-
turns only.
It is the possibility OF this kind OF
thing that wealthy landlords and
Others inclined to exorbitant demands
must bear in mind. II they fail to un-
derstand that there is a border line
IN profteering they will pay the penal
ties.
II a conference is called by the
Commissioners it is a foregone conclu- I
ION that they will have burned into /
them by the heads Of city govern 1
-aent some stern facts which may
rake them agree TO submit their de- /
7ands to arbitration rather than take I
chances on Congress passing a law .
that will give the tenant every ad- /
yantage which the landlord now has