Evening star., 1924-04-18
Analyzes Rent Problem.
Writer Blames Bryan Dollars
for Present Conditions.

III seems strange that no one sug-
gests the real and only remedy for
the housing situation. Though friends
OF the rent law say present rents arc
lalr' house within the former
means of the average government
clerk, renting for about SIS month.
now costs from $50 TO s74. Then
what matters trimming off 81 or $40
In few cases? The reason is simple
Our Constitution forbids such CON
hscation as prevails in some European
countries. where arbitrary holding
down Of rents has ruined house
owners. The Ball act prescribes a
fair return. but that return is not
based on the original cost Of build
ing. but on present inflated value.
Since the vast influx of population
greatly Increased property values.
especially of houses suitable for the
average government clerk. it is easy
To see that no commission can give
sensible relief.
1t is a simple operation of the law
OF demand and supply Since there
are not nearly enough houses in
Washington for the present popula-
tion. IL is not necessary to assume
the existence Of a real estate ring"
for none IS needed to keep rents up.
Relying on the Ball act is merely
another example of American readi-
ness to think that If the government
VIII appoint a commission, or pass
law against it." economic laws can
be overridden. The only remedy is
to encourage building in every proper
way. such as a ten-Near exemption
from taxes for dwellings up to a GER
tain cost built within a stated term.
Government has for years been pay
ing its employees in Bryan dollars in
Washington, worth hardly half the
rr ln1I l.,
average clerk had perhaps $1,000 a
year. though now the basic pay is
higher. The unhappily named bonus"
of S240 is 20 per cent of 81 200 and
II per cent of s1,400. and this increase
on an average of from Il to 20 per
cent does not pay the increase in
rent alone. According to government
figures the average American worker
has twice his pre-war pay. though
nowhere has the cost of living so in
creased as here. because nowhere has
rent. the largest item in the budget.
so increased Clerks have suffered
drastic cut in real pay. even with the
bonus" ReclaSSification does not
change this terrible cut. Those high
er up get an increase of 40 per cent
in some cases. and some near the bot
tom also get a substantial increase
over the present pay, but most clerks
get only the rate they get now. This
for the same style of living as before
the war. which could not be called
sumptuous, amounts to a cut in real
wages of about 40 per cent.
The most important item in living
cost is rent. which is usually assumed
to cost a fourth of the pay. To get
any kind of a house now costs half
the pay of the average government
clerk. What is the clerk to live on
if he pays half his wage for housing
alone? He must crowd his family
into a few rooms. much to the detri-
ment of health, simply because the
government does not pay enough of
these deprecated dollars for a whole
some living. Since it will not do
this. like employers elsewhere, and
does not pay enough for a decent liv-
ing. it is only fair for government to
protect it's clerks by actively encour-
aging building of small houses. which
is the only remedy for the present
extortionate rents Respectfully,
PHILLIP S. STEBBINS.