Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-14
TO
Be UNDER FIRE
IN LEGISLATURE
Strong Argument In Favor Of
Legislative Action Is Arbi-
trary Attitude Of the
Landlords.

cial session OF The Nebraska legis
lature, if plans of certain members
who at the last special session
were thwarted in their efforts It
obtain the passage of measure
regulating profiteering in both rent!
and foodstuffs, materialize.
Governor McKelvie opposed tn,
proposition. because, he declared. j
was unnecessary since the state law.
already were sufficient and tht
proper authority had been vested
in state officials to handle the stu
alton.
Will Force Issue.
The governor made no mention Of
prohteering and rents in his call for
the approaching session, but it is
believed those who favor the issue
will force it before the special SEES
sion, one way or another.
Attention of the members of the
legislature has been directed to the
fact that the recent investigation OF
profiteering instituted by the attor-
ney general failed in accomplishing
anything in the way of relief
In the meantime. the clamor has
increased, organizations of men and
women are directing their attention
to the members of the legislature in
the hope that some action will be
taken.
Landlords Are Arbitrary.
One of the strongest arguments
that is being used in favor of legis-
lative action in the matter of profit
eering is the arbitrary attitude OF
Omaha landlords.
Numerous instances of actual SUI
fering have been brought to light in
this city. The Building Owners
and Managers association of Oma-
ha, together with the Omaha Real
Estate board, are accused of COM
bining to take unfair and unjust
advantage Of the situation afforded
here by the limited number of apart
ment houses and dwellings for rent
to Cypress the thousands of persons
who are completely at the mercy OF
the landlords.
The officers of the Omaha Real
Estate board are w. R. Mcfarland,
president; I. Shuler, vice president;
w. F. Williams, secretary, and l..
D. Spalding, treasurer.
Still Boosting Rents.
Other business organizations are
said to be in sympathy with the
rent profiteering here. Despite the
repeated demands made on those
who are charged with the RESPONSE
bllity to explain, to date the only re-
Spouse has been silent contempt on
the part Of landlords, who steadily
are boosting their rent rates out of
all reason and with no apparent
justification.
ORGANIZED protests and individual
complaints alike have met with the
same treatment. One of the chief
causes OF complaints which is being
made by the tenants is the fact that
children are excluded from prac-
tically every apartment in Omaha.
many FroteStS MADE.
Women organizations, labor I'M
ions and various other bodies have
registered protests against this con-
dition. anG the point has been made
that families with children are being
forced to leave Omaha as a result OF
the oppression of landlords.
While Governor McKe1vie has not
vet committed himself on the subject
of bringing the matter to the atten-
ton OF the legislature at special
session, those who appreciate the
grave importance Of the matter, be-
lieve he will agree some action
should he taken Immediately to
check the operations of profiteers,
chief among whom are the real es-
tate interests of Omaha.
Would Fix Blame.
"What is needed is not only an
investigation which will fix the
blame, but some arrangement by
which the profiteers will be made
to pay a penalty for the injustice
they are inflicting upon the pub
lic," declared an Omaha business
man yesterday.
"My rent rate has been doubled"
he continued. Il have been look
ing for an apartment in which to
move for the past four months. !
have been unable to find place
principally because the Omaha land
lords will not permit my 2-year-
old child to live in their houses"
There are many Omaha landlords
who would permit children in their
a apartments, it is said, but for the
arbitrary rules of the combine. The
rules have been subscribed to by the
organization and if they are not OBJ
served in detail and in every partic-
ular, the member violating them is
made to suffer. The combine rules
with an iron hand, it is said, and will
not break the slightest violations OF
the rules, which were formulated
by the rich real estate interests.
Organizations Responsible.
Some of the leading members oil
the Real Estate Board and Rental
Combine, which two organizations
are doing all in their power to Keep
the matter of rent profiteering from
being taken up by the legislature,
are the following:
George & Co.
D. v. Sholes company.
Payne Investment company.
Payne-Slater company.
Traver Brothers.
Hastings & Heyden.
Glover & Spain.
Harrison & Morton.
c. G. Cariberg.
Board Decides to Install
Troncfnrn1pr at State H0lISe