Evening star., 1922-05-01
HOW BALL LAW WORKS
ON OWNERS OF PROPERTY
Two Give Their Experiences in the
Workings Of the Rent Regu-
lation Statute.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The District of Columbia must have
a representative in Congress who un-
derstands the housing situation
About the year 1900 the electric cars
opened up the suburbs. where ground
could be purchased for few cents
per foot-houses appeared luxe magic,
and six-room, modern box house
could be built for two or three
monthly payment plan before being
finished.
For seven years, from 1903 to 1910.
there was a boom. The census Of
1910 shows that the population had
increased very little. that the new
1900 old houses in the center of the
city vacant. The year 1913 found
Washington overbuilt. Customers
were so few that new houses were
sold below cost. Some were rented
for a song to keep them form being
estate men and builders went bank
rupt.s Three prominent real estate
men committed suicide. Agents ad-
vised landlords to rent their houses
for what they could get. as tenants
were few. Agents called on tenants
reduce the rent. Numbers of me-
chanics, owners of several houses, re-
tired and. dependant on their rents as
an income, donned overalls again and
sought work. Women put ladders,
paint and mops in their autos, and
themselves painted and mopped their
vacant houses. Some rented their
modern homes and moved back into
the old houses.
One of my houses I had newly
papered. A colored woman looked at
it and said. Il don't like the pattern
- k6nA
over 1 will rent It" 1 had to concur.
It had been vacant months, and that
house cost me $4,000 and was renting
for $40. You could rent six-room
apartments, with heat and janitor
service for $25 per month in first
class sections.
And thsn the war came. When
owners found all of their houses
rented they were overjoyed. Then the
Ball law was passed to check the
landlord profiteer.
Real estate is assessed for taxes
market value. In 1914 bought
house that was assessed for $500
for $500. The same house is now
assessed for $3.50. A real estate
man appraised it last week at $500.
The rent commission will allow me to
price, or s2s.16 2-s per month. I have
been offered $1,000 for it.
Now suppose there had been no
Ball law. When wages were high
rents would have been high. More
houses would have been built and
sold. Legislation would have been
needed to regulate the selling price
OF new houses-possibly. How can
be. reimbursed for the loss 1 have
sustained? While the market value
of property is high, sell on the
monthly payment plan. thereby keep
ing my money invested for seven and
eight per cent? There is no other
way out. And the Ball rent law is
the cause of 1t all.
JOHN ]. SLATTERY.
To the Editor Of The Starr
OF all the nonsensical pieces of
legislation recently passed by the
Congress and enforced, this Ball
law Is certainly the first. Under its
operation the tenant can remain in
possession as long as it suits him
whether paying rent or not. Imagine
my feelings upon returning from the
war where I did my duty so we'll as
an officer and a gentleman that 1 was
decorated by three governments,
where I find all of my properties
occupied by siackers, whom / am as
yet unable to evict and must reside