The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-09


er or not private capital can be
induced to undertake the con-
struction of apartment house
buildings in Washington as a
means of reducing rentals was
ordered today by the House Dis
trict Committee.
Tells Of New York Plan.
Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor. member
Of the District Rent Commission.
appeared before the committee at
the invitation of Congressman VIII
liam C. Hammer of North Caro-
lima. Mrs. Taylor told the commit
tee of an apartment house project
now under way in New York city,
where" rooms are rented to poor
families at rate of So a month.
If you can build for 50 a room,
we certainly need a rent commits
sion in the District, where S45 is
asked" Mrs. Taylor said
Congressman Hammer charged
that some District realtors are in
flating values so that they secure
rs to 40 per cent return on their
investment. He declared that the
District Committee was responsible
to a certain extent for high rentals
in the District and that it is the
duty of the committee to take ac-
ton toward relieving the condition.
Congressman Ralph Gilbert OF
Kentucky stated that the natural
law of supply and demand is not
permitted to function in the Dis
trict.
There is a surprising condition
here in relation to housing .condi-
tions," he stated. I'm the face of
this situation, am not only in
favor of such measures as contin-
uing the Government hotels on
Union Station plaza, but If condi-
tons continue as they are, we might
do well to recommend the construc-
ton OF similar hotels for men EN-.
ployed in the Government SERVES"
Combine Is Charged.
People must come here to work
for the Government and it, is our
duty to see that they are not
robbed" he said.> There is
combine which prevents outside
construct homes and apartments in
the District. Steps should be taken
to break UP this combine"
The subcommittee which will in
Vestigate charges of realtors pre-
venting outside capital from operat-
ing here and which will induce the
construction of additional housing
facilities, Is composed of Congress
men F'lorian Lampert of Wiscon-
sin, chairman; Gale H. Stalker, of
New York; Clarence j. Mcleod, of
Michigan; William c. Hammer, Of
North Carolina, and Thomas L.
Blanton, Of Texas.
The investigation will be made
by the subcommittee which has
been in charge of the bill to extend
the District Rent Act
The rent act bill probably will be
brought up on the floor of the
House at the next District Day,
scheduled for Monday.
Opposition was voiced in COM
n1ittee to a proposal to make the
rent bill the order Of business at
the next District Day. Congress
man Charles L. Underhill of Massa-
chusetts, said that the present pro-
gram for District Day calls for dis
posal of non-controversial bills on
the calendar. He warned the COM
nnittee that the House would not
grant the District Committee time
II 1t persisted in bringing up bills
Wnicn coulu not De paSSeu WlInOud
q long fight.
':If they are going to take this
arbitrary stand" Congressman
Oscar E. Kellar, of Minnesota,
iuterjected, 1T am willing to launch
filibuster until the District is
given an opportunity to procure
the legislation it needs"
The Distpct Committee today re-
Torted the Mcleod bill to create
an artirial highway system for the
District, as means Of relieving
traffic congestion and lessening the
number Of accidents.
The committee reported a bill
TO permit the sale of small plot
OF land now held by the Depart.
ment Of Agriculture in the vicinity