New-York tribune., 1920-05-02
World Is Watching Effect
OF Our Curb ON Profiteers
English Rent Payers Leader Asks Tribune for De.
tails of March ON Albany and Anti-Rent Laws;
Australia Allows Per Cent Net to Landlords

II fs reasonable to say that the entire
world is watching New York's solution
Of the housing and rent problems.
Attention is particularly centered on
the manner in which the evil practice.
two years, of speculating in rents is
being handled. 1t seems that every
large community in the world has been
confronted with the rent profiteer, and
bis elimination in many places has been
tantamount to the social welfare and
peace of these communities.
While all agree that the man who
owns property should get fair return
from his investment, It is the opinion
of the lawmakers and economic eX
perts of every cline and every coun-
try that there should be limit and
that people should not be made to SUI
fer for an economic condition brought
on them, especially when it can be
prevented.
Edward G. Theodore, Premier of
Queensland, Australia, is now in this
country in the interest of housing in
his country He is buying building
material. steel and other things, III
addition to machinery for the manu-
facture Of these articles of prime neces-
slty to the antipodes.
English Renters Ask How We Did 1t
In the last few days The Tribune
has received communications from the
pres dent and counsel Of a large rent
payers' organization in England, asking
for information regarding our anti-rent
legislation and also about the details
OF the march on Albany by landlords
and rcntpayers. The request indicates
clearly that the agitation launched here
against the rent gouger has not es-
capped the attention of other parts Of
the world.
England has had its rent gougers
aplenty, and the request Of the leader
Of the English rentpayers for this in
formation indicates that New York
methods are to figure in the drive
against English property owners who
have taken advantage Of conditions
there similar to those in New York.
Australia Has Curbed Landlord
Premier Theodore visited the head
quarters of the Mayors Committee on
Rent Proiteering to get better &C
quainted with the operations and the
features of the New York ant-rent
measures. Australia has had similar
curbs in operation against unfair land
lords for several months. They are
known as the fair rents act, which
was passed without any opposition. The
act was the work of the people; they
framed it and then passed it on to the
legislature 10 be made a legal condi-
tion.
No landlord under it's term is per-
mitted to charge more for his premises
than will give him 8 per cent net on
his investment The New York law
allows 10 per cent, which shows the
magnanimity of the New York law
makers despite the invictives which
have been hurled at them by the men
who have been curbed.
A fair rent tribunal is established
by the act, over which presides
judge of the district court or of The
police court. But the law is merciless
to the man who is discovered profiteer-
ing in rentals.
Government Building Homes
The Australian government also has
been given the power by new legisla-
tion to engage in home construction
The governmental built houses are for
the use Of those whose yearly income
is not more than f200, or $1,000. The
family man who makes more than that
amount, say $4,000 year, may borrow
from the government and build his
own house, the money to be paid back
in installments in addition to low in
terest payment.
The man whose income in year is
$1,000 or less is termed worker" and
the house erected for him costs about
$4,000. 1t is of frame construction and
Al rule comprises FIVE rooms and bath
and has modern accommodation In
cluding electric lights and the means
of using electricity in household work
The financial plan requires the
worker to invest s5 to every f10O Of the
governments money; in other words,
the house buyer would put in S25 to
every $500 by the government in the
project. This would make his invest
ment in a $4,000 home $780, Every
week after possession is gained the
house buyer pays 20 shillngs, or So.
Out of those 20 shllings sinking
fund is provided for fire and life in
surance, 50 that in the event of the
death of the worker before the expira-
ton of twenty-five years the govern
ment, by reason of its insurance plan,
can give over to the workers widow
house free and clear in le1 of life in