Evening star., 1922-04-04
bETTERPA WOULD
END HOUSING ISSUE
Brigham, Citizens Commit
tee Adviser, Urges Higher
Federal Salaries.

so long as employers, lncluQlnS tne
United States government, do not pay
wages sufficient to enable their en-
ployes to live in suitable housing
accommodations, there will be hous-
ing problem, members Of the City
Club were told today by Henry r.
Brigham. expert adviser to the local
citizens housing committee, who
came from Boston especially to ad-
dress the weekly luncheon forum.
Free rein should be given to the
law of supply and demand. withou,
interference of restrictive legislation
he declared. The golden rule should
be practiced by landlord and tenant
alike, both demanding the right o,
contract. Mr.. Brigham said.
would not the government profit
by increasing all its salaries, from
those of the heads of bureaus, sena-
tors and others down to clerks. al
rises in costs of living?" the speaker
asked.
Home Ownership Urged.
The committee appointed by Com.
missioner Rudolph to investigate the
housing situation in Washington "seems
to have been wisely chosen, with the
idea in mind of getting all points OF
view," he stated. Until that committee
has made it's investigation 1 prefer no,
to discuss your local problems. except
so far as they apply nationally. 1 may
before I get through in Washington, and
I hope that I will, have specific con-
structive suggestions to make here to
hasten the building OF houses for rent
but now wish to leave with you just
two concrete suggestions, the value OF
which is being proved throughout the
country:
Every man who can possibly af-
ford to do so should own his own
home and build one if he can do So
will help more to stop threatened
revolution than home ownership. II
is being preached all over this couA-
try, and the happiest cities today are
those where home ownership is the
strongest, New York city being the
with the smallest percentage of home
ownership. Home ownership will
help stabilize the government better
than anything else ! know of. 1t is
also very important to note that Des
Moines and Grand Rapids. which have
tHe 6cSI pSECCuld6CS VI uoiiC y"
ers in the large cities of this coun-
try, both report the largest building
booms they have ever had.
Favors Higher Wages.
ITO help those who can't afford to
build or to buy homes, stimulate the
golden rule in your own business and
it will spread. Let every employer.
{,cYvdgno %ba oroyarppoap< Gao %o q
that he pays at least a living wage
and let every employe see to 1t that
he gives the best service ne can give.
"Since I understand that my pro-
posal to postpone action on the Ball
rent act extension until after the
committees investigation has not
therefore, the committee will not pre-
sumably have any chance to make
any recommendations regarding it,
will say that the destruction of the
right of contract by tie Ball rent
act, and particularly as 1t is proposed
to extend 1t to business property. is
most dangerous and selfish legisla-
tion. The merchant who favors the
extension to business property. hop
ing to pay less rent than his COM
petitor is willing to pay, is just as
had as any profiteering landlord OF
whom he may complain, and he can
only favor 1t because he wishes to
profit at the expense Of the property
owners and by driving capital out
OF business property to cut down
growth of his competition. That
total destruction of the right of con-
tract aHd the extension to business
property have not been, attempted
anywhere else, not even in New York
where the rent laws are most radical
It clearly violates the spirit of the
Constitution of the United States
and it can only result in -pQstponing
the solution of your building prob
lem here.
Sees Relief Retarded.
Restrictive rent legislation after
the real emergency is passed can have
only one effect-namely, to retard the
relief desired. The longer you keer
down rents below their natural level
the longer you will be in inducing
persons to build more houses to rent
It il like a drug-it relieves the pain
at first and then 1t is hard to give
It up, but 1t doesn't cure the ailment
which grows steadily worse. Ger.
many is suffering from restrictive
rent laws, and in Vienna, although
incomes have, risen 10000 per cent
(Continned ON Iase :. Col1mn -