The Washington times., 1919-08-30
Senator HarriSOn'S Law to Jail
District Rent Profiteers
BY EARL GOODWIN
IL Ihl1 = y - d d q 81.

NJ
Every profteer in rents has his ear to the ground Is
get what he can Of the probabilities in the case q
Senator HarrsOns proposal send proteers to jail o. 6
impose them heavy fnes This proposal by the way
nearest to enactment Of any legislation introduced So m
to curb unreasonaby high prices in the District Of Cou
ba There is the johnson bill in the House So drastic that
may find rough sailing and there is the indicated promise
of Senator Balls committee to frame rent legislation but
the Harrison amendment to the foodcontrol act has the
appearance of enjoying long start ahead Of other pro-
posed nti-rent-profteering laws.
It authorizes the President to prescribe rent regulations
This amounts to appointing commissioner board tc
promulgate regulations under which property be rented
subrented and it means presumably that the aggsved
tenant make complaint and have the matter settled by
legalized and definite tribunal In this connection sue
tribunal is ever in action trust that the complaining
tenant viii have recourse against the wrath Of profit
eerng landlord The general provisions Of the bin provide
stiff fines and jail sentences.
In the evidence produced 50 far before Senator Bas
committee it appears that the very rent offend
ers the tenants who 81 into the subettng business
Next to these the landlords who boost the rent build
ings not because they ENTITLED to the increase bat
because they have their tenants by the throat They TAKE
because they can GET.
These classes Of pirates have injured the Of every
man in Washington who owns or is connected with rs
estate.
It would be blessing to every honest man to have just
such tribunal the Harrison amendment provides. With
easy to separate the prOeers from the legitimate business
men.
Whatever rent control act is passed wiz be the
cessor the Salisbury act That famous law framed
as frstaid measure after declared and as
never meant to be permanent Under It Of the gross
est inustices both to landlord and tenant have been pr
tsed-even if it has prevented many raspng from
doubling the tenants who would have had to I've
In vacant lot had they been evicted.
It is regrettable that have reached stage where
Congress must establish law to control the greed Of
and to insure an even distribution of commodities Having
gone by the stage where In famine time beat ts
weakest with clubs and shared the scant supply Of feed
under the law Of survival Of the strongest want
arrange for as much equity in all things Tie
surest way provide real estate situation weud
be to bring back the days where good buildings being
put up as fast the demands appeared Open and free
petition in building HOMES is what pray forand that
is something we can't get by passing laws Capitol H
In the aftermath Of the great there is maestron
so fierce that the old conditions destroyed and don't
understand why Nor can tell when its fury win Be
spent
But some day it win be over, and the good old times
viii be with again.
Until then, however, must accustom ourselves to
queer things and rent law to curb rent pirates Of
them.