The Washington times., 1919-08-26
Orgy OF PrOfiteering
In Rents Here, Senate
H. c. l. PrObers Told

Unusual revelations Of housing con-
ditions in the National Capital, in
which extortion, threat and legal
"blackmail" play a prominent part,
have convinced members of the SEN
ate District subcommittee there is
an "orgy of prohteering" in Wash
fngton which only can be curbed by
retaIiating action by Congress.
Two facts stand out from the mass
Of damaging evidence brought before
the subcommittee yesterday after
noon at its initial investigation OF
cases of rent prohteering here.
Tenants who stand pat" on the
Salisbury anti-eViction law, refusing
to pay increased rents beyond their
means, are being "blacklisted" by
property owners, who are ordering
them to "Tet OUT when the law ex-
pires. others are the victims OF a
| "blackrhair' system that threatens
Immediate expulsion II they do not
sign a years lease at greatly In
creased rates.
Charge Cliques Corner Houses
CIiques Of real estate men, tenants
and others, it was charged, are en-
RaEing in an "orgy OF profiteering'
by a system Of subleasing and cor
nering" groups of houses, while the
lawful owners are helpless to regain
their property as one result OF the
Salisbury law.
Boarding house conditions were de-
clared to. be menaeing the morals OF
hundreds Of young women war work
ers, while in one house alone twenty
five girls, sleeping two in a bed and
10 Il q
compelled to live under conditions
Miss Mary z. Henangham termed ap-
palIing. There is only one bath room
for the twenty-five. Miss Henangham
said, and the bath tub lineup seemed
never to end.
Praise Saulsbury Law.
The average Washington tenant,
especially the Government empIoye,
has found much relief in the sauIs-
bury law, according TO Edward E.
Britton, Of col Twentieth street north
west, vice president of the Tenants
Protective League, with a member
ship Of 200, which serves as a clearing
house for complaints against rent
profiteering Mr. Britton is secretary
to Secretary Of the Navy Daniels.
DR.. J. G. B. Bulloch, OF the Octavia
apartments, ordered to pay 500 a
month for his present $6O-a-month
apartment or "move out" informed
the committee that the Salisbury law
was "Godsend," for people who must
vacate can find no place to go. He
has searched In vain for anothergapart-
ment which he could afford to rent.
he said.
This committee should get from
apartment house owners their pre-war
rentals" said Mr. Britton, "and COM
pare them with their present rentals"
Senator Ball replied that was the
very thing the committee proposes to
do. The rent conditions in the High
lands and the Westmoreland apart
ments are TO be investigated.
Claim Repairs Neglected.
Almost every one Of the thirty-odd
witnesses, who testified under oath.
showed that apartment houses had va
cant apartments going a-begging be-
fore the war, while now every room
IL taken. Despite this increase in the
number OF tenants, they claim, land
lords persistently refuse to make re-
pairs, and in most instances where re-
pairing has been done it has been paid
for by tenants.
Asked by Senator Capper if the ex-
cessive rates for apartments did not
make It difficult for the Government
to maintain a high standard Of ef-
ficiency because many employees
could not afford to remain in Wash
ington, Mr.. Britton replied such "un-
doubtedly" was the case.
Tells immortality Danger.
He delared immortality threatens
young women through the rent sit
uation here. Unable to entertain
their young men friends in their
homes because even the parlors are
being rented for bed rooms, he said
they are compelled TO entertain on
the park benches, go to cheap dance
halls or walk along the speedway.
Conditions became so bad In Potomac
Park, Mr.. Britton said, the Govern
ment was compelled to close up a
certain section of it.
Sees Tax Shifting Plan.
RfusaI OF a great majority Of
property owners to make any repairs
at all, Mr.. Britton claimed, showed it
was quite plain that the owners were
trying to shift their taxes and ex-
penses on to the tenants.
You're on the right track, there"
heartily agreed Senator Capper of
Kansas.
Recently 100 naval officers OF the
Bureau Of Navigation, when ordered
to Washington, asked to be excused
because Of the excessive living costs
here. Although protected by a spe-
cial clause in the salisbury act. he
said most of these officers when they
came TO sign their leases were COM
PEELED to pay additional sums in the
event that they sub leased, when or
uered away from Washington.
Rent Raised SI5 a Month,
Mr.. Britton said that when his own
rent was increased from S43 a month
TO S5S month, on August I, and
he refused to pay. he stood pat on
the Salisbury and refused to pay
more. He was given notice to get
out when the law expired, by +. r.
Van Antwerp. owner Of his apart
ment. Mr.. BrittOn declared persons
taking refuge in the Salisbury act,
in many cases, are being told to move
out anyway, while in other cases they
are being given the choice OF Ieas-
ing for another year at an Increased
rate or TO vacate IL they refuse.
Charges that real estate men and
property owners are demanding a
bonus from wOuld-be tenants before
they will lease to them were corrobo-
rated by Daniel Mcbride. of Chatham
Court, owned by the AIonzo Bliss es-