The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-27
N|ARDMAN ST|RS
RENT CROWD
TOCHEERS
Junk Dealer" Millionaire
ReaItor Calls Self, Telling Of
HE Great Activities Here.
By JOSEPHINE TIGHE.

AMAANA1
"I'm a junk dealer" declared
Harry Wardman, millionaire and 10.
cal real estate operator, in what no
said was the maiden speech Of his
life, delivered last night before the
District subcommittee holding ses.
sions on the rent act extension. II
was q good speech and applauded
even by his alleged enemies, the ten.
ants Of Washington.
UncOnsciously, Mr.. Wardman is a
comedian and kept the packed and
jammed hearing room in an uproar
Of mirth at his dry witticisms and
quick repartee. It would have been
great stuff for WCAP and WRC,
broadcasters, and for X, Y and u,
radio fans.
Yes, I'm q junk dealer" he said.
II buy old buildings, rags Of houses,
bones and bottles of discarded build
ings. and turn them into habitahle,
homeiike dwellings and apartments.
My success Is due to the fact that
/ have never been a clock watcher,
and while getting start from less
than nothing I worked twenty hours
out Of twenty.four.
II was equal to such strain and
responsibility. You've got to have
men Of my type to run this great
country of ours. There il no man
in Washington who forces business
as do"
Cheered by His Hearers.
Mr.. Wardman apologized If such
an assertion sounded egCstical and
was cheered for several minutes by
real estate men present and by most
Of the listening tenants.
One of his opening numbers was
the declaration that q certain woman
tenant who had appeared at the
House subcommittee hearings to pro-
test that her rent Of $SO-Odd was too
high, wore a $4,000 sable coat.
There was an exclamation from
several members Of the committee
Of "Oh, surely 1t didn't cost that
much" Without a trace Of q smile,
Wardman shot back, "Oh, yes, It
did! know. I've bought emit
Nf the gentleman has been able to
buy q sable coat for $1,000, he il az
clever q trader as he IL realty mani
"Why, have found out there ID
50 much money lying around loose
in Warrington" Mr.. WardmAn next
declared, ''thAt can pick 1t UP of
the street0p'
The combined sentiment OF the au,
dience was that they would be up
and about prospecting with shovels
and brooms early today.
ReAlists, real estate dealers and
idealists received a shock when Mr..
Wardman exclaimed.
"The trouble Is that there are too
many idealists In the world and
never yet saw an idealist that was
not hypocrite and an impractical.
ist."
Hammer Suggests Names.
At this point Congressman Ham
mer Of North Carolina fought his
way out Of the crowded hearing
room and, returning some minutes
later, presented a paper containing
a list Of names.
"Mr. Wardman," he said, "I and
this committee have found YOU to
be a fair, pleasant and honest man,
but I cannot let go unchallenged
the assertion that all idealists arc
hypocrites. The names Of the Ia.
nous men that I am about to read
to you were certainly idealists and
just as certainly were not hypo.
critics.
Were Washington, Jefferson,
Franklin, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, the
Wright brothers, Edison, and many
more great men hypocrites?
"Is william Randolph Hearst with
his ideaS and ideals OF journalism u
hypocrite?" Mr.. Wardman replied