Evening star., 1924-02-14
RENT COMMISSION
UPHELDbYLAb0R
A. F. of L. Agent, at Hearing,
Says 10000 Workers Want
Board Continued Here.

Organized labor today appealed to
the special subcommittee Of the
House District Committee. of which
Representative Lampert of Wiscon-
sin is chairman, to extend the life of
the District Rent Commission indefi-
nitely on the ground that the land
lords have in the past been guilty OF
holding up" "gouging" and "merci-
less profiteering" on the housing ac-
commodations that workmen must
have. -s..
Edward F. McGrady. legislative
agent of the A. T. of L., said that the
organization is in favor Of continu-
ing the commission and that he rep.
resents over 10000 members of the
organization in the District.
I'VE cannot take the word of the
landlords who say that if the conf
mission ceases TO exist they will not
increase rent. We know that they did
hold up and gouge the workers in the
past until Congress itself had to step
in and stop it" Mr.. McGrady said that
If a referendum vote was taken he
believes that people in the District
would be unanimous for it and he
knows that the workers would.
c. f. Adams, Sth street southeast.
submitted resolution from the
which Representative Hammer had
read into the record. Mr.. Adams said
that while it was impossible for any
considerable number of the organiza-
tions he represents to appear at the
hearings, he speaks for $4,000 wage
earners, in addition to their families.
which makes several hundred resi-
dents.
Opposition to Board.
The resolution of the Central Labo
Union sets forth that this commits
sion has been performing in a just
and equitable manner covering a
period of about five years a necessary
and invaluable service TO the com.
munity. The life of this commission
Will soon terminate, and a powerful
opposition on the part of real estate
bodies of the District, assisted by like
bodies throughout the country, is
bending every effort to prevent the
sion.
"The rapacious greed of the prop-
erty-own1ng class is SO manifest by
the case now before the Rent Com
mission that the Central Labor Union
believes that the interests of the rent
ing public will be best conserved
through the enactment of legislation
that will provide for it's continuance"
The resolution. which is signed by
A. NJ. Rogers. secretary Of the Cen
trail Labor Union, concludes that: 1--WE
condemn the efforts being made to re-
fuse the extension of the life of this
admirable commission and instruct
our legislative committee to render
every assistance possible toward Sc
curing of legislation that will extend
q af a ice
1t continues in the future the equita-
BILE and fair treatment as it has in
the past"
Case Applied to Labor.
r. A. Dean, representing the Wash
ington Association of Building
Owners and Managers, questioned tho
labor representatives. He asked if
they would be in favor of a bill ap-
pointing a commission to determine
fair rate of wage for the worknen
they represent. Both Mr.. McGrady
and Mr. Adams said that they would
not. Mr.. McGrady also in reply to
compulsory arbitration and explained
what, in his opinion, was the diff
ference between arbitration on wages
and the duties Of the Rent Com
mission.
Mr. Dean asked Mr.. McGrady if he
would submit statistics to substan-
tiate his claim that rents had been
Increased $50 per cent and to su ubmit
for the record the names Of the vari-
Gus labor organizations in the Dis
trict favoring the proposed legisla-
tion to extend Indefinitely the life Of
the Rent Commission.
Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor, member
of the Rent Commission, testified that
the increase in rent has been 125 per
cent over the pre-war period for the
types of houses occupied by the
working people. These houses were
six rooms or less, which formerly
rented from $3.50 to $25 a month,
she said.E THAT is where the great
est scarcity exists today" Mrs. Tay-
lor told the committee.
Average OF Wages.
In reply to questions by Represent
ative Lambert, Mrs. Taylor said the
average wage of this class Of women
vaa 81 100 and 81 500 for both man