Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-12
CLAIMS LANDLORDS.
| PL.0T.RENT BOOSTS
Mrs. Taylor Says End of
Commission Means so to
1926 Per Cent Increase.

1925 Per Cent Increase.
Although more than half OF the
average Washingtonian's salary is
paid to the landlord now, real estate
men are preparing to boost the rents
OF their tenants from so to'l25 per
! cent over pre-war prices, Mrs. Clara
Sears Taylor told the House subcom-
mittee today when 1t resumed hearing
on pleas for the enactment of legis-
iation extending the life Of the Dis
| trict Rent Commission.
co mns, Taylor. member of the Rent
| commission, told the committeeman
mat conditions in Washington are
| uiIferent> from any other America n
CITY because 40 per cent of the Capt.
"a residents are government EN-
| ployeS working for very low, salaries
she said statistics show that the aver
age. salary, OF the federal worker is
9i,ooo year, including that of the
| Houses In Storage.
I One of the reasons for. high
rents" Mrs. Taylor continued, lis that
| the real estate men, have taken les
son from the packers--they are hold
ing their houses in cold storage, cree
| ating fictitious demand by curtaii-
| ing the supply and then boosting the
rents beyond reason. The only houses
! a person can rent for as low as $40
IA month are shanties located out on
the district fine, without light, with
tout water and without the comforts
working people. need.
! Il have seen conditions that l never
thought could possibly exist. They We're
simply frightful Colored families
packed into miserable quarters because
owners had increased the rent 125 per
| cent. Neritable dens Of disease And
II is to those places we send our clothes
to be Numbered. 1t is a menace to the
health and the progress of our National
Capital that such places should be per-
mitted TO exist.
! Laughed Mt Widows.
Il think one of the most disgrace full
things 1 ever saw in my life occurred
in this committee room last night
when number of real estate men
deliberately laughed at the testimony.
iof hard working widows that they
icould not get along under the burden
Iof existing rents, let alone the in
tcreaSe the landlords are prepared to
leNact once this commission goes out
tof existence"
At that. point Representative Blan-
| ton of Texas interrupted to a3k Mrs.
Taylor If she did not think it would
be good idea for widows with chill
dren to stay away from Washington
If they could not afford to pay the
prices here. Even some congress
men," he said. want to stick around
| Washington after their terms of Of
flee have expired, instead of going
| back home and going to work.
n Wi RI 1trh ar n n
best leave their daughters back
| home, 1 think"
Admits Rents Too High.
Mrs. Taylor replied that the widows
she referred to had lived here for
,years. that their place of employing Mt
was here and that the District had
no right ito kick them out just be-
cause rents are exorbitant." When
Mr.. Blanton remarked again that per-
haps those who objected TO their
rents might move elsewhere, the wit
ness said there was mo place else to
GO At this point MIR. Blanton ad-
Initted that there was no question
Mr.. Blanton." Mrs. Taylor con-
tinued, addressing the representative
direct, you once said we should give
the real estate men a chance. l would
chance. All they figure is net profit.
Why should they want to see the
Rent Commission disbanded IL they
did not intend to raise their rents
If they were not afraid of justice"
/ Will Increase Rents.
Representative Blanton. granted
permission to ask Harry Wardman a
sQuestion, inquired whether that
builder intended raising the rents at
"a certain apartment house he re-
,cently acquired. Mr.. Wardman ad-
mitted that he did, but not before
1akfng certain improvements which,
he said, would warrant the increase
Mrs. Taylor promptly produced a
lease showing that the agents for the
ChaStleton not only intended increaS-
ing its rents, but making them re-
troactive as of last October. if the
courts will permit them TO do so.
| why" continued Mrs. Taylor 1.-The
tenants are even asked to pay fol
cigars and Christmas gifts given by
the janitors to the policemen on theil
beats. The majority of cases brought
before the Rent Commission now are
those Of owners asking for increases
amounting to from so to 125 per cen1
over pre-war prices.
There is every evidence of their in.
tention to put those prices in force
How can you believe otherwiSe?"
Harry Wardman, speaking from his
chair in the spectators section, sale
J some apartment houses pay their own
erS only 2 or 3 per cent interest anG
. had been traded off by their Disguised
owners for anything they could get
The committee then adjourned unit
Thursday evening.
II See "Renf-Raising Orgy"
At its first meeting last night, the
subcommittee was told by Oliver
Metzerott, a member Of the rent
commission, that IAN orgy" of rem
raising would sweep Washington un.
less the rent act is extended. De.
claring the law had not checked
building operations, the witness sale
present demands are for apartment.
costing less than SIS a month.
Some conception of what subsequent
speakers said the subcommittee could
fexpect on a larger scale if the rent Law
BECOMES imperative, was furnished BY
eleven tenants of the New Berne apart.
! ments, who appeared to protest effort.
n of the WardInan Construction Company
i to increase Its rentals from 30 to s.
per. cent.
James G. Massey, spokesman for the
7 tenants. produced a letter he had re.
4 ceiNed from the Wardman company, in
forming him. that his own rent would
fsQ up SO per cent beginning the first o.
the current month. One by one tn,
other tenants were sworn and heard
l Each cet,la red If ssxrouId h, :, r,rjx,,o,, e.