The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-18
SEES.
JUMP IN
RENTS
Real Estate Man Admits Rise
viii Follow Dropping Of
Old Law.

Immediate increase Of rentals
for the cheaper apartments in
Washington will result if the
rent act is allowed to expire.
This statement was made by John
F. M. Bowie, vice president Of the
H. L. Rust Company, during
cross questioning at today's hear
ing before the rent subcommittee
of the House District Committee.
Bowie Against Act.
Mr.. Bowie, who appeared in op-
position to extension Of the rent
act, told the committee that one
fourth Of the apartments now rent
ing at $50 or less would be in.
creased upon expiration Of the pres.
ent law. Congressman Gale HI.
Stalker, of New York, who elected
this information declared that this
fact alone is sufficient to insure
the need for extending the rent act.
Charges that Washington tenants
rather than landlords are resorting
to intimidation were made at the
meeting OF the subcommittee.
Mr.. Bowie denied charges that
landlords have intimidated tenants.
Tenants Use Threats.
"In fact" he said, ''the shoe Is
on the other foot. There are many
cases on record in which tenants,
by threats to go to the Rent Commits.
sion, have secured reductions Of rem
tails from landlords.
"The landlords knew that II the
case were taken before the commits
sion rates would be fixed on all the
apartments, which would cut down
entirely their profit and destroy the
value Of theiR investments"
Mr.. Bowie testified that there is
q surplus Of vacant apartments now
existing in the District. He told the
committee that this condition has ex.
listed for the past year. He stated
that as a result rentals are steadily
dropping.
He told the committee that the
population OF the District is at its
heighth at this time of the year, be.
cause of the fact that Coneress ia
IN session, but that despite this fact
there are a number Of vacancies.
He stated that when Congress ad-
Journs the number Of vacant apart.
ments will be doubled. He stated
that the competition to secure ten.
ants win be so great that landlords
Will havb to resort to the policy of
offering months rent free in order
to secure contracts.
Offering Free Rentals.
He stated that this process In be.
ing resorted to at present in q lin.
ited number Of cases.
Bowie listed for the committees a
number of apartments and the ran.
tai rates to show the fairness which
IS now being displayed by Wash
lngton landlords and owners.
During his recital of this list he
was twice interrupted by members
OF the Rent Commission who offered
testimony to discredit his figures.
He cited the fact that landlords
have been compelled to advertise re-
peatedly in order to rent properties.
He stated that q four-room apart.
ment for which q rental rate Of $40
had been fixed by the Rent Commits
sion had remained vacant for eev-
eral months despite the fact that It
was well advertised. Mrs. Clara
Sears Taylor, a member of the Rent
Commission, testified that the apart.
ment was in an undesirable neigh.
borhood and developed the fact that
the owner himself had invited the
commission to fix q valuation on
the property.
BlantOn Objects.
At this point Congressman Thomas
l.. Blanton OF Texas, made objection
to the questioning Of witnesses and
the committee decided that here.
after witnesses will be permitted to
complete their statements before
permission IL granted to question
them.
Bouie read into the record a COM
parison Of rentals in Washington
and other cities. He stated that in
fifty-two cities listed by the Depart
ment OF Labor, Washington was
among the lowest in the average
rate Of rent. He stated that during
the period from 1918 to 1928, the
average rent increase in the fifty.
two cities was 66A per cent, while
the increase in the District was only
81 2-1O per cent. Only two cities
out OF the fifty-two showed rental
rates lower than Washington, he
told the committee.
Settlement of differences between
washington landlords and tenants
by the rule Of brotherly love was
advocated as q substitute for the
rent act by Congressman Thomas L.