The Washington times., 1920-11-06
FLAYED
AS GOUGERS
Socially Prominent Held to Be
Real Estate Pirates by
Department.
ADVOCATES PUNISHMENT
Would Cause Them Mental Dis
comfort by PitiIess Publicity,
Says Report.
ADVOCATES PUNISHMENT

The Navy Department this morn
ing through Secretary Daniels an
nounced the result Of an investiga-
ton into housing conditions In this
city and made the unique recon-
mendation that IL all methods "a
curb rent profiteering fail, pro-
gram Of "pitiless publicity" be re-
sorted to which, It Is declared, would
not only have the effect Of reducing
rents, but would bring considerable
"mental discomfort to persons 90
cially prominent in the District whc
are among the foremost real estats
RESULT OF sEA1CM
The Investigation was conducted
BY Commander y. ~. Klein. tr... U,
S.7N.. -ana has been eiven The ln-
idorsemepk Of the BuFeau q NayiGAr
ton, Skcrstsry Daniels has inter;
ested himself IN the flndines and
personally trarsmitted the results
70 the District Rent Commission for
AassE other sssssstie.s. the ~.
port recemnenas that ~aitAeuEh the
war 10 over. the Gevernnent stan pos.
sesses additional war powers % sebse,
appralse, and suhlet houses o. apart
naents at = fair Pental - army anA
navy officers ana Gevernnent en-
plsyes, which procedure weall seea
cause real estate agents 10 loosen NJ
sn houseAs
The investigation was started by
Commander Klein on July I, since
which time he states he has been
unable to find anywhere in this city
q suitable unfurnished house within
his means or those OF his fellow OFF,
GERS.
The report makes the charge tAat
there are sufficient apartments and
houses vacant In this city t. accom-
modate the present Dopulatton, but
sthe owners and agents are purposely
heldiag them empty In er1eR 10 force
the helpless transients into buying n
peak prices ranging fren 30 to 100
per cent above the erigfasl buildins
cost. There are many untenanted
houses held for sale only.S
The report continues:
"Investigations among an classes
Of aGents, heme hunters, etc, haa
convinccd me that the aetual situ-
alton 10 not N acute ~ representel
or rather ,as misrepresented. and that
II any actual - Implied threat were
made by some one In authority, the
officers and Government employees
would be speedily previded for.
FICTITIOUS VALUES.
81 believe that the present hisA
rentals are hctitious values fereed ~
By skfllful agents prspaganSs and
held - due 70 the igneSanes ef ths
average renter. whe believes any
thing he b. told ana signs . lease a
once for fear ef being he.eiess fsr
the winter"
The report cites what II declares to
be specimen rental cases In this city,
II states that . typical home in Six
teenth street near U street which In
1914 rented at fS5 a monh, furnished
now brings 5000 unfurnished.
Another home is mentioned as To-
Gated In Florida avenue nesr Mas
sachusetts avenue, said to have rented
for ss5 several years ago, and now
bringing $3.50.
Nunsereus other cases are given t.
show that rsatal values have Junped
anywhere from 70 70 30 per cent
since the war began.
The Bureau - Nayigaties IN In
dorsing the repest states thst the
present sstuauooa would De mats-
rally beneAted through . puhlicity
prcsram against the ALLEGED priht-