Evening star., 1922-03-10

vestor today is coming to the rescue
of the man of small means?
Concern for Alley DweIIers.
1.-THE legislators seem to be very
much concerned about the alley
dwellers of this city. and it is sus-
gested that bonds be issued for the
erection of homes for these persons.
If it were not for the Ball act the
alley situation of Washington would
have been solved long ago, but if
the Ball act continues the govern
ment will not only have to look after
the alley dwellers of Washington.
but after their employers. Today,
where there are 1000 homes availa-
BILE there are LOO persons who want
homes or apartments.
what is going to be the final
answer? Do not the powers that
be see that so long as the Ball act
is on the statute books there is go
ing to be less production of mod
erately priced homes? Do I not read
between the lineS that there may be
a group of persons who know the
government will have to produce
the homes if this condition keeps up
Do the powers that be want the same
conditions in this country as exist
| in London today? The housing SIT
uation there is costing English tax
payers S60,O00,000 a year-S300 per
collector of rents is often stoned
when he attempts to perform his
duties.
This picture is not overpainted. J
know that when l was associated
with the bureau of housing there was
strong group of men who believed
| in government control of the home.
Is this not step in that direction
toward government control of homes
and business properties throughout
| the country? Who can tell but What
this unwise legislation may spread to
other cities?
Some Rents Would Go Up.
'"To be sure. some of our legisla-
tors, in case the Ball act is discon-
tinued, would have to pay, in some
apartments, few dollars more, but
| what is that compared with the way
in which the man on the street is
being crucifed because of lack of
production of rented homes. The Bail
act of this city and the rent control
act of New York have mace sreat
many realtors wealthy, but this result
was discounted when predicted.
"If the suggestions and recommen-
dationS of the realtors had been car
ried out by the legislators, WaShing-
ton would not have the deplorable
housing condition under which it is
laboring today. 1t is the Ball act
which permits a speculator to take An
apartment house worth one million
dollars and say it is worth two mil
lions / predict that il the act is ex-
tended conditions in this city will
grow worse, and If store and Office
buildings are included in the opera
ton of the law, it Will be only a Ques-
tion of time when they Will double in
rental value.
'The President of the United States.
in one of his addresses. stated he was
in favor of more business in gov
ernment and less government in busi-
ness" Certainly the thinking man
Of the country, when he heard this,
was of the opinion that American
initiative and productive power would
be left alone; yet Congress says to
the man who owns two houses that
he may live in one but cannot con-
troll the other: to the man who owns
an apartment house and wishes to
tear it down for the purpose of erect
ing a store or office building, that he
cannot do so unless he provides an
equal number of apartments or places
of abode, permitting one tenant in
such an apartment house to post
pone Indefinitely the proposed I'M
provements.
Predicts Worse COn0it1Ons.
1.-The law has never overcome one
economic fact: Washington has 1000
places in which to live and 1209
persons to occupy them. This condi-
tion will grow worse, in spite of all
laws Of the land. until production has
furnished 1.OO1 places of abode for
1000 persons. -,
Washington in its growth. AS sure
as the nation grows, it's capital will
grow. Continuation, however, of the
Rail act will make it very uncom-
Portable here for the man of average
means and less. reserving the city
for rich residents solely.
"If this legislation was designed to
reduce the American tenant to the
level Of the European tenant, it is
asst accomplishing its purpose. Study
las shown that every city in the
United States which enacted rent
control legislation is in just as de-
plorable condition as to housing as
| is the nations capital.
EVERY city which refused to enact
rent control legislation is well out OF
the woods as to housing it's families"