Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-12
APARTMENTS FOR CLERKS
An Appeal for Government Help in
Housing Workers.

An Appeal for Government Help in
Housing Workers.
! To the Editor Of The Star:
| Why does not the United States
Government erect permanent apart
ment houses and run them on honest
business principles for the benefit of
government employees? There are
thousands of employees who do not
want to buy home in Washington;
some cannot afford to buy and make
the first payment, others prefer to
rent an apartment. as they are uncer-
tain as to length Of their stay in
Washington
| Is It fair to compel these employees
to live in constant fear Of having to
move because the owner OF the build
ing raises to an exorbitant rent: or the
owner wants to get some money in a
hurry and decides to sell the apart
ment house on the cooperative plan?
| The writer has lived in an apart
ment house for four years, paid rent
promptly and met all increases each
!year without complaining, and now is
asked Gin September. when every
thing desirable is taken) to pay
$4,000 on the cooperative plan for a
four-room apartment or move out on
l OdyS uOVlCc, OF less.
Many employees are placed in similar
positions; in. some cases they have
paid the greatly increased rent be-
cause they could not find a desirable
place to move. yet could ill-afford to
pay the u rem, s asked; Some are buying
others are buying apartments on the
cooperative plan simply because they
ARE unable to find a suitable place to
trent.
JAra <haoo cocd;+,.-. ,
good work from the government en-
ploye! Why cannot the United
States government erect apartment
houses on land owned by it (along
Pennsylvania avenue. for instance5,
and convenient to government build
purpose? These could be built
strictly for federal employees who
have been brought from different
parts OF the United States and ar
apartments at reasonable rental. so
that employees could rest secure In
the knowledge that they might have
the privilege Of remaining in that
particuiar apartment SO long as they
were desirable tenants. This would
help the employee who cannot afford
to buy home and yet wants a place
that can be fixed to suit individual
tastes and can be called home
1t Is not asking charity. only
chance to live on the salary maid nv
Uncle Sam without being at the mercy
OF some profiteering landlord.
congress can raise money to help
communities in different parts of the
country In ways which would not af-
rect nearly so many people as build
ing homes for the homeless employees
OF the United States government in
washington. When Uncle Sam shows
that he will look after his employees,
the profteer will realize that he will
have to play fair or lose good tenants.
The fact that the real estate men in
washington are pushing the cooper
alive plan apartment houses so
strongly shows that it is a good thing
ior the real estate man. but what Of
the families who buy the apartments
when things get normal again and
they try to dispose of them? But
what cares the real estate man-it
will come back into his possession il
the worthy tenant fails to meet all
apartment house.
/ Won't some good samaritan consider
the average paid employees and build
tor them . home?
N. L NUTTING.