Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-23
MAKE QUICK PEACE
IN RENTALS WAR
Landlords and Tenants
Should Negotiate Peace of
Justice Without Victory in
Washington's Interest.
NO WAR LAW IN PEACE
THEODORE w. MOVES.

THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.l
This is peace-making time. In the
spirit of the season the landlords and
tenants of the District should quickly
negotiate a peace without victory,
peace of justice, of honor and of pub
lie spirit, a peace that will protect and
promote Washington's vital interests.
The war to be ended is one of retail
iation.
The influx of over 100000 war-work
ers into Washington without govern
mental preparation for their recep-
ton upset the local housing market.
The demand for comfortable housing
far exceeded the supply. A competi-
ton resulted. Prices shot up, and
some landlords took advantage Of the
opportunity to profiteer.
War of Retaliation.
BY the Salisbury law Congress
checked further profiteering by land
lords and by suspending all rental
gave the opportunity for retaliatory
utilized by some of them.
But the Salisbury law. distinctly a
war measure. ends with restoration of
peace or soon thereafter. and retalia-
ton through excessive rentals in
creases is suggested as likely on the
part of some landlords.
From the Capitol. in the interest of
the tenants, comes threat to continue
the Salisbury war law into peace time
in retaliation against threatened land
lord retaliation when the restraint of
the law is removed.
Washington's Burden.
Washington suffers at every stage.
of this war. 1t suffers from the origi-
nal and incidental prohteering,
whether by landlord or tenant. Wash
ingtonians in the mass are prof1teered
upon by an Insignificant percentage
Of prof1teers.
And finally Washington suffers in
good repute in the nations respect
and friendly consideration, being pill
loried as responsible collectively for
the very profteering from which it is
the main sufferer.
Thus the capital community as a
whole suffers from any excessive rentals:
suffers from the injustices of the
Salisbury law, which violates the
BILE only as meeting a wartime emer
gency; and finally suffers with dis
aStrous results in the good opinion OF
the nation as represented in Con-
gress, being unjusry held RESPONSE
Bile for the profiteering which il is
compelled to endure.
Let Us Have Peace.
The war of retaliation should cease
A peace of justice should be negoti-
ated. Landlords and tenants are both
driven toward this agreement and
reciprocal concessions and small sac
rifices, not merely by selfish consider
alton of their own permanent interest.
but by anxious public spirited con-
Germ for the welfare Of Washington.
Warrington and Uncle Sam, local
reason to reprOach themselves in con-
nectiOn with rentals Drohteering.
Let each OF the parties to this four
sided hurtful muddlement shoulder
for evil conditions, and In the spirit
Of humility and penitence labor with
all it's might to make amends.
No War Law in Peace Time.
Uncle Sam should not formally extend
the life of the Salisbury law definitely
and distinctly from the war period
into peace time.
This law was framed and enacted
as war measure in good faith and
with the best of Intentions. 1t was
to hold unchanged the then existing
relations of landlord and tenant until
an equitable, fair rents law could be
enacted to correct evil conditions
growing out of the war.
The enactment of such a law has not
occurred and with peace at hand is
evidently not contemplated.
The merit Of the Salisbury law was
and is in preventing evictions on the
sell the leased property when the real
purpose is to re-rent to new tenant
at largely increased rental Under
war conditions the evicted had. speak
ing generally. no place to go: and
also, speaking generally. could not
afford either to buy the leased prop
erty or to pay for it largely in
creased rental
Dement'S of Salisbury Law.
The dement's of the resolution as
permanent law are: % 1t does not
establish or tend to establish uni
formly fair rentals.
If all existing rentals are made opera
tive at the option of the tenant for the
period Of the war. and for longer time. |
if the law is extended. the effect is
to perpetuate the present rental re-
inequities. of which bitter complaint
has been made. Premises now vacant
or premises to be vacated voluntarily
by tenants can be rented without re-
striction upon the rates. Moreover,
lessons are pushed either TO with
draw property from rental or to rent
only at high rates in such cases by
the practical prohibition of leasings
for a shorter term than the duration
of the war. On the other hand. where
leases now terminating were made
years ago on the low standard of
rental then prevailing the indefinite
provision whatever for equitable in
crease is obviously grossly unfair.
Even the drastic British and colonial
fair-rentals laws provide for specific
equitable increases in rentals under
the act. and establish an optional
minimum fair rental of a fixed per-
centage of net return on the capital
value of the leased property.
ca The provision OF the resolu-
ton which is construed to prevent a
house occupant from renting his
house for the summer and occupying
it again in the autumn, and to give
the summer tenant the right to hold
the leased property until the end of
eminent employ. is unfair on it's face.
Under this provision of the Salisbury
law we have the profiteering tenant
as well as the profiteering landlord.
go 1t bruises unnecessarily the
letter and spirit of the Constitution.
1t violates without the justificat ton