Evening star., 1924-06-18
RENT BOOSTING PLOT
CHARGED IN DISTRICT
owners and Realtors Seen ConspH-
: ing to Gouge People With Com
mission Crippled.
APPEAL TO JUSTICE CHEF
Attorney A. S. Lanier Asks Action
: Under Antitrust Laws.

,iCbarring A combination and COM
sniracy' among Washington real es-
tate owners and realtors, with We"
to keeping up high rents Alexander
Sidney I-anier, an attorney, mas VIII
fen letter to Attorney Heherai
stone demanding action by the De-
nartment of Justice under antitrust
laws.
There exists here combination
and conspiracy by tacit understand
ing among apartment house owners
and realtors" said Mr. Lanier IN MS
Ietter. ito maintain the eNoroltant
apartment rentals that now preVali
and to increase them whenever op-
portunity offers. in nasrant Nioia'ioii
of the antitrust iaW
:. Commissions Power in Doubt
.,The fate of the Rent Commission
is in doubt. with strong posslpiiits
that the courts Will hold uhcoh9th ,h.
futional the law creating IT on tne
around that il is no longer Justiheo
by an emergency: in which event, anu
unless the statutes mentioned are IN
voked, a condition Will at once art
here that will be intolerable ana
likely TO lead to grave consequences.
Referring 10 antitrust laws, MT.
Ianier continues, with the enforce
ment of these statutes, there VIII
be no need for the Rent Commissl on.
And now that the matter has oeen
thus called to your attention, 1t is
earnestly hoped that you will direct
the district attorney to proceed
without delay under these statutes
to dissolve this criminal conspiracy
and to secure the appropriate pun
ishment of its promoters.
Laws Quoted In Letter.
Laws quoted by Mr.. Lanier in his
letter include the following; :,
Every contract camblnation IN
form of trust or otherwise or con-
spiracy in restraint of trade or com
merce in any territory OF the uniteo
States or in the District OF Columbia
or in restraint of trade or commerce
between any such territory and an
other or between any such territory
or territories and any state or states
or the District of Columbia or with
foreign nations, or between the DIS
trict of Columbia and any state or
states or foreign nations. is declared
illegal. Every person who shall
make any such contract or engage
in any such combination or con-
SpiraCy shall be deemed guilty of a
miSdemeanor and, on CONVICTION
thereof, shall be punished by hne
not exceeding $4,000 or by impris-
onment not exceeding one year. or by
both said punishments, in the discre-
tion of the court (26 s., 2o9).
The several district courts of the
United States are invested with jur-
isdiction to prevent and restrain vio-
lations of the act of July 2, 1890, 26th
Statutes at Large, chapter 647, being
sections 71e6 to 710S, inclusive, and
sections 7113 to Ills, inclusive, of
the laws of the United States: and 1t
shall be the duty of the several dis
trIct attorneys of the United States,
in their respective districts. under
the direction of the Attorney General.
to institute proceedings in equity to
prevent I'D restrain such violations.
Such proceedings may be by way OF
petition setting forth the case and
praying that such violations shall be
enjoined or otherwise prohibited.
When the parties complained of shall
have been duly notified of such petit
tion the court shall proceed as soon
as may be to the hearing and deter
mination of the case, and pending
such petition and before final decree
the court may at any time make such
temporary restraining order or pro-
hibition as shall be deemed just in
the pemiSeS'