Evening star., 1924-11-30
700 ADOPT PLEA
FOR RENT Relief
Gathering at Central High
School Petitions for New
Housing Law.
Booming forth a determined aye"

Booming forth a determined aye"
700 enthusiastic tenants voted TO
adopt resolution proposed by the
Tenants League, calling upon Con-
press promptly to enact Il permanent
rent law, at the conclusion OF Il large
mass meeting held under the auspices
of the league in the Central High
School Auditorium last night.
The crowd applaudcd many times
as the speakers related situations
und instances OF rental raises during
the course of their addresses. Sew
eral hundred of those present Joined
the Tenants League.
Resolution Adopted.
The resolution which was adopted
and addressed to Representative stu
art +. Reed, chairman OF the Dlserict
House committee, reads:
we. citizens of the District of Co
lumh:a, are now suffering from the
chaotic rental conditions CAUSED by
the cripplng of the Bali rent act'
which was duly authorized by Con
grrsS. and are without franchise, and
have no resources or aid except
through Congress. Therefore We
citizens OF the District OF Columoia
in mass meeting assembled, do pray
that earnest and prompt attention pe
given "A situation which calls Tor d
just anu permanent law, Iaii ~ iAho
lord and tenant alike.
Presents Alternatives.
Declaring that the situation would
result in eItner relief or submission
10 tyranny" Philip J. Doherty, CHAIR
man OF the Clifton Terrace commit
tee OF twc.ye and chairman OF the
evening, stated that those gathered
were 'iaw-a biding to the core. with
see what could be done to relieve
the community OF serious Sltua-
ton"
We have called you together to
sec If there is enough American spirit
in Washington 20 make Uncle sam
lstL:i to US, said tIr. Eoherty.
V. ". Lowe OF the District Fedora
ton Of !'c IL Employees declared that
he Ie. e.,euteu 10000 Government EN-
ployc., ana that his organization had
indoIs ed the Tenants League. He told
the audience Inat despite the adjust
mentS of the personnel ciassihcatlon
board ;ne Government workers were
losing Sac to $iO0 a month pS ingh
renta >. The merchants also feel the
rehectlOn OF this III the lack of the
purchasing power of the Government
empioye anu snouid be Interested,
dec aieI Mr.. Lowe. He stated that
the budget experts SAID that 2o per
cent was d fair proportion to be paid
out of salary Tor rent and that the
Government employees were paying
from 80 per cent to so per cent OF
their earnings on rent. Mr.. Lowe
urged the registering of apartment
owners TO prevent the menace of
absentee landlordism." He also urged
a permanent tenant organization SINH
lar to the organization of the realtors
and building owners.
Mary Speakers Heard.
George A Warren of the Central
Labor Union and the League for In
duStrial Democracy addressed the
meeting and urged those present to
join the league in the fight against
high rents. Mrs. Z. w. Schwartze,
chairman of the West End branch
of the Tenants League, spoke and
urged national tenants league. She
said that before the war she lived
in a Groom house with two baths
and paid half the rent she now paid
for a 4-Toom apartment. Mrs. Mar
garet Hopkins Worrell of the Clifton
Terrace committee dwelt on the lack
of representation in the District and
requested that all present ask their
friends in other States to influence
their congressman in the matter.
Other speakers were Mrs. Henry c.
Brown, secretary of the Tenants
League; Mrs. Vernon Dorman and
Mrs y. w. Weikert.
Letter From Low.
Joseph Low, manager of the Clifton
Terrace and Sixteenth Street apart
ments, forwarded a letter to the
Tenants League yesterday congratu-
lating them upon holding meeting
in an orderly and lawful fashion" at
the Central High School.
aI,ara raSiH r-o-
view of the claims of the league in
regard to the rent situation in Wash
ingtOn.
Mr.. Lows contentious are that the
cost of property to an individual is
an immaterial factor in determining
the rate of rentals. He points out
that the owner may have received the
property as a gift and still may de-
mand a rental commensurate with
the location and based upon the law
of supply and demand, the cost of up
keep and reproduction.
Poiats to Vacancies.
Mr. Low further contends that no
one can raise rentals higher than
what new buildings can be rented for,
and points out that thousands of
apartments are vacant in the city.
His letter denies that financing has
any bearing upon the rentals, because
properties. He ella inns high financing
of buildings will trend to lower rents,
as the owner would be satisfied with
d smaller income than If he put all
his cash in one building.
Rental legislation is scored by Mr..
Low on the ground that all previous
Government regulation of business
has turned out q failure and that
both Federal and State public utility
commissions have invariably raised
rates ard dropped into constant
Bquabhle and litigation which tends
to raise the rate.
Mr.. Low states that the cost of
reproduction should be considered be-
cause OF increased values and urges
the tenants go let the law Of supply
and demand stabilize conditions here
and thus attract investors who will
place their money in the erection of
more buildings, thus creating q
greater supply. He closes his letter
to the league by pointing out that
tho Government employees should
press for more adequate wages.