The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-10-21
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL


lDSJOn nave DSSu OIuSIeu W NdCdlt
because they will not pay the in
creased rents that have been de
manded. The rent commission al
thorized Dy congress has been declared
TO be illegal by III OF the courts o,
the District OF Columbia, but still an
other court holds that tenants cannot
be elected. So it is a standof be
tween the landlords and the tenants
For the first time in a number Of
years congress failed 10 remain IL
session most of the summer, and
when the lawmakers left here severa.
months age the greater part Of them
gave up their houses and apartments
The demand for desirable living quar-
tiers is as acute in Washington today
as it was during the war, and as a
result the congressman will eturn
here for the coming session of con.
gress and find that they cannot sc,
cure suitable living quarters. Octo.
Der first was moving day in the CAPT,
tai, as it is in all cities, and the
Ides of October" arrived in moving
vans. People who could, moved into
better places. And now the capital
is specializing regarding living quar-
tiers for the congressional contingent
after election. The only solace to
be found in the distressing condition
is that the congressman WILL all be
boiling mad" when they find how
they are shut out, and in retaliation
for their own discomfort they may
lay the scourge to the backs Of the
real estate prOfteers who have made
Washington as famous for their ideals
as was Milwaukee for another cause.
The Washington housing condition
is so serious that Senator Kenyon has
seriously proposed that a number of
the branches Of the federal govern
ment move TO other cities. He would
transplant the entire department of
agriculture to the middle west, the
shipping board to a sea coast town,
the federal trade to Chicago, and other
bureaus to places where they might
be more accessible to the people whom
they directly serve. 1t is a bad
idea" if you will believe Washing
tOnians, but Senator Kenyon proposes
it only as a method for relieving the
intolerable housing conditions of the
capital; and he says the suggestion
will be backed by a large number of
senator's.
Government clerks on small salaries
who are paying forty and fifty dollars
a month rent, and officials who pay
more than twice that sum, are hoping
for drastic action when congress re-
turns "all dressed up with no place
to go"
During the war period there was a
terrible row because the government
moved coal into the northwest in
quantities while it left Ohio, Indiana
and the middle west out Gin the cold"
From complaints that are reaching
the Interstate Commerce Commission
is appears that history is repeating
itself. and in consequence priority
orders may be looked for that will
direct the routing and shipments Of
coal, as was done recently in reliev-
ing the situation in New England.
The coal miners are all at work,
that great industry. The recent wage
increases among coal miners amount
ed to $4,000. 900, or an increase Of
around twenty per cent. While the
award was not satisfactory to the
miners, they have nevertheless. found
that it was not well for them to carry
out their vacation" scheme, which
was in effect a strike. However, they
have already asked the president TO
call conferences of mine operators
and miners for the purpose Of ad-
justing inequalities in the present
agreement"
The railroads are handling their part
of the problem in good shape, and the
concerted effort of the different com
panies to give thespublic more trans
portation is meeting with splendid re
suits. There has been but a small
falling off of traffic due to the in
creased rates, and reports to the car
service division of the American
Railroad association show that the
a situation continues to improve
throughout the country. The different
roads are gradually getting their own
rolling stock back on their own tracks,
returning them from the scattered
regions where they were sen through
government operation. And as the
cars are returned home they are be-
ing put in shape for service.
The agricultural department has
been obtaining the views of farmers
in the corn belt, and S31 of them who
have motor trucks are almost unani-
nous in the opinion that they will
prove eventually a profitable invest
ment. However, results show that the