Evening star., 1922-03-20
LACKING BALL ACT,
SEES RENT RAISE
Correspondent Declares His
Landlord Waits Chance
to Fix Increase.

Two varying views on the Ball
rent law for the District Of Columbia
are contained in letters to the editor
Of The Star from John Ward and
Judson I. KinGman. Ward, in defense
of the act. declares that II Congress
fails to enact rent law for the
District there will be a very sud-
den and unusual raise on rents: the
prices of homes will be raised to
enormous heights and many will be
forced to buy who cannot keep up
their payments"
On the other hand, Mr.. Kingman
states that zone good thing about
the Ball law is that 1t has boosted
the price Of property about SO per
cent"
Mr. Ward says he is the owner
Of house which he rents to tenants
rented apartment that has just
been increased 81 per cent in price.
MY landlord" he added. lis only
awaiting an opportunity to raise me
again but if he can force me out
of my apartment by an unjust high
rent. l can force my tenant out, so
I am protected.
What I want is a fair rent law
that will protect us all until con-
ditions will adjust themselves as
near painless as possible" he added.
Mr.. Kingman said he is supposed
NV. and has been trying to get
possession of 1t, for his son. since
last August. Il found to my amaze
ment when / went to the rent COM
mission early last August. Mr.. King
man wrote, that there was only
hn
tenant out---by occupying it my
self, or tearing it down completely
and erecting a new building"
Mr. Kingman said he then sought a
fair rental for the house. which has
nine rooms and bath. and on Febru-
AIRY 6. he stated. the Rent Commission
handed down a decision raising the
rent from $40.50 per month to $52.5O
per month. A few days later. he con-
tinued, the tenant appealed to the
commission for a rehearing, which
was denied.
Collected, Bat Wouldn't Pay.
II sent the tenant a bill for the
back rent due and also the month of
March," wrote Mr.. kingman. HE i'm
mediately went to his subtenants
and told them as his rent had been
increased he would have to increase
theirs and collected from them $50,
but refused to pay any rent to me,
even the original s4O5o This man
has a position in the Commerce De-
partment, and I am wondering il the
good old U. S. A. really protects such
people"
"it is too bad Mr.. Ball or some
are such ardent supporters of rent
legislation do not own rental prop
erty." Mr.. kingman wrote. II think
II they did they would be the biggest
kickers in the District.
Il see by the papers committee
is to be appointed to see what the
trouble is with the housing situation.
Possibly some of the supporters of
the Ball law will want to invest in
rental property here. 1t is such a good
thing. My idea is that no sane per-
son will put in a dollar under the
present conditions"
In connection with his statement
that the Ball law has boosted the
price Of property about so per cent"
Mr.. kingman said he would have
sold long ago "if 1t wasn't for the
fact that this particular piece 1 speak
and do not wish to cut my property
in two"
Believes Motive Selfish.
Returning to Mr., Wards letter: He
said he is member of the Washing
tion and the City Club. Il do not
know one man in the organizations to
which belong that was In the first
line trenches, nor do l know a man
who had son in the first-line trench
es," he declared. IAN that ] know
in the organizations that 1 have
mentioned, that were in the great
war. had S o S (save our skim Jobs
They believed in the paint trade slo-
gan, Save the surface and you save
all None cared for any one to Saw
it with flowers We all believe that
there were many men in the first-line
trenches. as evidenced by the funeral
and burial of the unknown hero. Ap-
Earently these first-line trench men
were not sons of real estate dealers
or real estate owners, but the sons of
real estate dealers tenants, whom
the real estate dealers and owners
are now pleading with Congress to be
allowed to squeeze to the limit of
supply and demand. so called"
Il have talked with a number of
real estate Dealers" he continued,
and am convinced that the only
interest the real estate dealer has in
the lapse of the rent law is a purely
selfish one, the enormous profits that
will accrue to them. They are not
concerned in the suffering that will
entail upon the father Of the man
who was i'm the frst-line trenches.
If there is trouble over the high
rent question, who will enforce their
demands-the sons of the real estate