Evening star., 1925-01-25
Hints From the States.

eSuidllpn by law. The other States
of the Union set precedents rejecting
such legislation.
II Congress. the Districts State
Legislature, decides to follow the ex.
ample Of New York and to ignore the
examples of the other States, what
kind Of rent regulation will result in
Washington? In other words, what
are the characteristics of the New
York law which are to be reproduced
in Washington?
Cd The New York law is not per
manent. but has a fixed date of ter.
mination February 15. 1926. No per.
manent rent law for Washington is
justified by the New York precedent.
~ The New York law is based upon
a public emergency" upon "congest.
ed housing conditions" which have
seriously affected and endangered
the public welfare. health and morals. -
The New York example forbids in
Washington any but temporary.
emergency rent legislation, justified
by proof of existing congested housing
conditions so serious that they threat
en- public health and morals.
(9 The New York law is enforced
by the regularly constituted courts
dispensing even-handed justice among
suitors, and it's precedent forbids for
Washington Il one-sided, punitive com
mission tribunal which is prosecutor
judge, jury and executioner all in one.
a. The New York law battles the
unjust and oppressive landlord by
enabling the tenant TO show in defense
to an action for rent that the rental
charge is unjust and unreasonable
and the leasing agreement oppressive.
Moreover, an offending landlord is. in
view of an existing public emergency,
forbidden to recover possession Of his
rented dwelling unless he can show
thai the hold-over tenant is objection
able" or that the owner desires the
dwelling for his own use. etc Wash
ington, if it will follow New York
must check and discipline the would
be unjust landlord by Gripping his
remedies when he seeks to collect rent
or to regain possession, and not by
creating new misdemeanors in order
to fine or imprison him
t5) The New York law, instead of
undisguisedly impairing the obliga-
tion of leasing contracts, turns the
tables by accusing the agreements
against which it arms the tenant of
being "exacted under stress of prevail
ing conditions whereby the freedom of
contract has been impaired" The hint
to Washington Of the New York prec-
edent on this point is obvious
(6D To prevent rentals regulation
from checking the building of dwell
ings to be rented, and thus defeating
the primary purpose of such legisla-
ton the New York rent law does not
apply to dwellings built after the date
Of its enactment, and such new dwell
ings are in addition in New York City
exempt from municipal taxation. New
York thus says to Washington: IF
YOU are going to follow my example in
regulating rents by law do not fail to
follow me also in applying my exemp-
tion antidotes to the poison germs
Of building paralysis
SO much for hints from New York.
Eighteen States of the Union have
adopted a comprehensive and well
considered licensing law for real estate
brokers, Washington should have
the benefit of such a law. The De.
partment of Justice is framing a bill
which will punish with severity rent
extortion based on criminal forms OF
trust-pyramiding and all other similar
devices of vicious financing. The
Capital may benefit from such legis
lation.
The advice of nearly all the States
to a community contemplating rentals
the same terms as Punch's advice to
very young persons contemplating
matrimony: Don't" But even il
Uncle Sam as legislative dictator OF
the District should in accordance with
these hints from the States refrain
from unconstitutional or unwise law
making as the Districts exclusive
legislature he can still control the stu
alton as the Capitals great employer
and in this capacity by constructive
and helpful policies solve many OF
our housing problems. In compensa
ton of his army of employees Uncle
Sam might take hint from Henry
Ford. Statistics show that since 1911
the average salaries of Government
employees have increased 20 per cent
while the cost OF housing has increased
SO per cent and the average of al
items of cost of living has increased
so per cent. The compensation o
all employees except those of Uncle
Sam has increased from 81 to 1913 PEI
cent.
In the matter of providing cheap
sanitary housing in model VII
lagos for his employees Uncle San
might, as an employer, take hin
from Pullman. In the wartime Uncl
Sam half-recognized his obligation II
housing to his army Of war-worker
and built or started to build dormi
tories and rooming hotels. II Wash
ington's housing emergency OF TIL
wartime is not yet over for the pur
pose of rent legislation perhaps Uncl
Sans wartime housing obligation
revives.
Many employers, including mum