Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-10
ARE SEEKING AM|TY
| IN FEUD OVER RENT
Local Realty Men Striving to
Adjust Landlord and Ten
ant Differences.

! Alarmed at the crisis in the real es-
/ tate business which threatens to re-
| suit from the feud between landlord
! and tenant in the District of Column
! bia, intensified as it has become by
I the recent rent tangle created by the
! conflict of the courts and the rent
. commission. local real estate men
have determined to exert every EFFORT
! to bring about an amicable under
! standing between the opposing fac
/ lions.
! 1t is realized that while the final
| solution to the problem lies in the
decision by the United States Supreme
Court as to the constitutionality of
the Ball rent act, much can be done
to set at rest, to a certain extent. the
unwarranted wave of ill-feeling which
has developed between owners of
property on the one hand and tenants
on the other
1t is pointed out that unless the diff
ferences are soon arbitrated to the
satisfaction of all affected. at least
until the validity of the rent law is
decided, a serious situation will be
created in local realty circles as well
as in the courts.
Enlargement Of Investors.
The most perplexing problem to
date. according to real estate men. Is
the estrangement of investors from
the building industry. This. it is de-
clared. is due primarily to the fact
that real estate does not furnish the
very best return to investors since
the war; and. secondarily. moneyed
interests prefer not to plunge their
earnings in real estate and thus be-
come FACTORS to controversy the
outcome of which is at most uncer-
tain.
II investors back up the landlords
with their resources the enmlty or
the tenants will be incurred. Radl :
calls among this class will brand
them as ..profiteers," however unrea-
sonable and unfounded this may be.
The risk, as whole. is too unpleas-
ant to assume, it is averred
That the landlords as a class are
not profiteering is drastically shown
in figures Just compiled by Irving E.
Macomber. retiring vice president of
the United States Housing Corpora
ton. made public by the corporation
today.
Facts Revealed in Figures.
A striking fact developed by the
tabulation is that investment returns
on residence properties average put
AZ per cent in 1919. Apartment prof.
ects netted the investor but per
cen.
cannot be laid to the door of exor-
bitant housing costs, the figures re-
veal. Dwellings have increased in
cost only 80 per cent since before the
war, as compared with 81 per cent
rise in food prices, 159 per cent in
clothing, As per cent in the case of
fuel and lighting. 173 per cent in fur
niture and furnishings costs and SO
per cent miscellaneous costs.
The statistics were compiled from
data returned by the constituent bod :
les of the National Association of
/ nat q rdS md .~i.
ers, in response to missionaries
sent out by the housing corporation.
which operates under the supervision
of the Department of Labor.
Antagonism Retroactive.
Washington real estate men and
rental agents have become aroused to
the Importance of ameliorating the
condition resulting from the belief
that persons are using tenants as the
goats in get-rich quick schemes.
They are seeking to convince their
clients and the public generally that
in maligning the property-owner they
are hurting themselves the most
boomerang fashion.
Houses must be provided without
interruption to care for the thousa nds
of persons which each census sees
added to the population of Washing
ton. The production of DWELLINGS dur
ing the war fell far behind the in
crease IN the cltys homeseekers and
the tie-up in building operations due
to the recent. freight congestion. ex-
pensive labor market and Tightening
money interests has effectualIy pre-
cluded an early start in reconstruct
ton activities, SO that under even the
best circumstances from now on the
supply of houses must fall short of
the increasing demand
Investor Backbone of Business.
With the loss of the investor the
very backbone of the construction
business is gone. it is explained. In