Evening star., 1921-05-31
Real Estate Agents Blamed
for Gouging at Committee.
Deciding Life of Ball Act.
CONDITIONS WILL BECOME
ADJUSTED, REALTOR SAYS
Government Should Not Attempt
to House Underpaid Employees
at Expense of Owners"

were both aSSailed and defended at the
hearing today before the Senate Dis
trict committee Oh the proposal TO ex-
tend the life of the Ball rent act be-
y"nd October. The Witnesses were:
James T. Roberts, attorney en-
ployed in the internal revenue bureau.
VINO insisted that the housing emer-
gency still EXISTS in Washington and
that the rent act should be extended.
theodore +. Muliken. an electrician
at the washington navy yard, who told
the committee that inability to obtain
proper housing facilities in Washing
ton at reasonable rentals had caused
MIN an expenditure of $3.50 in excess
OF his income in the last six months
MIS-. Kate Spaulding Whitehorp. re-
Gently appointed resident manager of
me Naples apartment, who criticised
vigorously practices which she
charged have been INDUCED in by real
estate agents.
W. H. Linkins, real estate dealer.
VINO contended that conditions are
bettering here, and will work them
selves out il left alone.
Many Homes for Rent.
Edwin A, Krauthoff. lawyer and
owner of apartment houses in the
District, who told the committee that
the population in the District has
been greatly reduced since the war,
and that the advertisements in the
daily newspapers indicate that a con-
siderable number of apartments and
houses are for rent and he argued
that the government should not at
tempt to house underpajd government
en- mployes at the expense of the land
lords
Mr.. Roberts. in his testimony. said
that he came to Washington in 1918
to do war service. and that he had a
hard time getting place to live.
Saved From Eviction.
The Saulsbury'resolution saved my
family from being put out in the
street. and my youngest son from be-
ing born in the Union station instead
of in a decent abode" said Mr. Rob-
erts. THE Ball rent ace assures me
that I can still keep my home here"
The witness said that the owner of
the house in Cleveland Park, in which
he lived. had served notice on him to
quit in June. and that he believed he
wanted the house to put it on the
market. He said that he'paid s125 a
month rent for house which cosS
about $500 in 1900. The owner is
asking s1S,50O for it now.
at is probably worth $4,000 in
view of increased costs" said Mr..
Roberts Il have offered her that
amount this spring"
Mr.. Roberts said that he had con-
suited twenty-five of his associates
IN Inc internal revenue u. All
but two of whom are lawyers. and
that the consensus was that the hous-
ing emergency is continuing in Wash
ington. He cited the case of one man.
lawyer from Virginia. with eight
children. who rents house on Up
said, he paid $50 a month. His salary
is only little over $500 a month.
Another case he cited was that of a
lawyer living in Mount Pleasant. with
a salary of S1.SO0. He is forced to
pay s125 a month rent. BY taking in
month.
Average Rent Is $50.
Mr. Roberts said that he had. re-
Gently read a list of twelve unfur-
nished houses for rent. and the aver
age rent was over $50 "A month. An
other list of thirteen, he said, aver
aged s1SS month.
How can a government employe
on one or two hundred dollars a
month pay any such sum-" demanded
Mr.. Roberts.
He added that rentals are on the
increase in the District. and sa id that
some of the twenty-five men he had
questioned said that increased rents
had been demanded of them in the
last ninety days. He cited the case
of another government employe who
had had to buy a seven-room house
for $4,000, which. he estimated, would
be worth not over SS,Qo00 in a few
years. This employe, he said, could
afford to go home and loaf for n
year and not lose any more money
than he is going to lose now.
Appeals for Extension.
For the sake of the public service
and on behalf of government en-
ployes Mr.. Roberts appealed 10 the
to extend the operation of
the rent act
Mr.. Milliken told the committee that
some time ago he had gone to Neal
estate agent to rent an apartment at
1916 Harvard street at 500 a month,
and that he had left "A deposit of SO.
and later had gone back to sign the
lease. He said that when he came
back he was told he could not have
the apartment, although he had seen
the owner and the owner had said all
right. Finally, he said. he found that
the apartment had been rented to an
other party for s75 month.
He believed. that seeking to rent
house from another agent at sS5 a
month. he found that the owner in
sisted on including a clause that he
should vacate on thirty days notice.
He objected and was told that if he
would pay 800 the 30-day notice Z
would be waived. He moved into an
apartment at 1900 l. street, for which
ne paid SIS month. Friday in
asst November. He moved out on the
following Monday. because the heat
ng apparatus filed the place with
smoke. He said that he had tried in
vain to get back the rent.
Evil of Subletting.
Mrs. Whitehorn protested against
,ustom of subrenting apartments
which she said. had done great in
Justice to present occupants. She
mentioned one apartment which was
eased recently at S45~ month and
which is now Subld& at SIS, and has
,een so sublet for several years. She
insisted that the tenant should have
he advantage of the lower rent. Mrs.
y Nhitehorn also charged that the real
state agents have a practice. when
me tenant moves out, of putting some
heap furniture in and telling
tenant that the old tenant
will not give possession unless the
lew tenant buys the furniture at an
xorbitant figure. She also charged \
hat some real estate agents charged
,onusts for obtaining apartments
Mr. I.inknS said that he had been in
business with his father. George w.
.inkinS, for many years. and declared
hat the congeSted conditions in Wash
ngton "A couple of years ago were rap
div disappearing. He said that when
lis firm had announced that an apart
nant houSa WAS Ia ba thrown omen on