Evening star., 1925-01-11
BROADS|DE AIMED
At D. c. RENT BILL
Realty and Business Men in
Many Cities Protest Pas
sage of Measure.


sinns in opposition to the proposed
whaley bin Fr- the permanent con-
troll of rental properties in the Ma
tiOual Capital are being received by
the office of the Washington Real
Estate Board and are reaching mem
bers of Congress and the President.
Not onEN realtors but merchants
and Chambers of Commerce have been
wiring Congressman and local real
tors, urging them to oppose the pend
ing Legislation, These men and or
Eanizations are unanimous in hold
ing that the proposed bill is a danger
Gus precedent and a menace to the
sauctity of contracts.
Scores of letters have been re-
ceived from local bankers, business
mon and property owners appealing
to those opposing the bill to continue
their fight against 1t. while from
Kansas City, Denver, Cleveland. Bos-
ton, Des Moines and other cities com
muniCatiOnS of all descriptions have
been sent to Congressman condemn
ing the bill
Fear Effect Elsewhere.
The office force of the local real
estate board has been swamped with
similar letters and kilograms. Fear
that the legislation as proposed for
the District Will be the basis for
similar enactments in the State legis-
latures and that other businesses
may be similarly regulated. is said
20 prompt this nation wide reaction
to the WhaIey bill.
The following telegram and resolu-
tion was sent by the Newark, y. j..
real estate board, senator's and rep
resentatives in Congress from that
State:
We protest and oppose proposed
reRt legislation for Washington as an
infringement on property rights and
National menace. The law of sup
ply and demand has manifested itself
by reduced rents throughout the
country, which is proof that the need
for such Legislation no longer exists
This telegram was also sent &c
senators an Representative from
Missouri by the St. Louis board:
Called Dangerous Bill.
Proposed rent control board fol-
Washington would establish a danger
Gus precedent for every city in so far
that it would discourage building
construction and thereby preclude re-
lief from high rents, which must come
as soon as the supply exceeds the de-
nland"
From Fairmont, W. Va, the follow
ing letter was sent by the board there
TO Senator Neeley Of that State:
The proposed Legislation strikes a.
the vrey vitals of the Fundamental
rights of property and the sanctity Of
contracts. The District courts have
held that the emergency which ne.
ceSSttated such legislation has passed. >
1t urges the senator TO oppose the bill
To President Coolidge and the Rep
resentatives and Senators from New
Jersey the Real Estate Board of East
Orange, New Jersey, sent the follow
ing communication:
We are of the opinion that this
legislation is shortsighted and will
not attain the object sought, but re-
dects discredit on the city of Wash
tngton and possibly on the country al
large and creates a dangerous prece-
aent. We request serious conside era
tion of our request that this legisla-
tion be defeated"
Illinois Board Protests.
The board in Aurora, Ill, has adopt
cd the following resolution:
I'VE, the members of the Aurora
Real Estate Board of the city of Au-
Fora, Ill, hereby desire to go one rec
ord as being against Senate Bill No
1854 and House Bill 1107S, which have
Kor their purpose the creation of a
permanent rent control board in the
District of Columbia. We feel that
basic rights of property owners"
The board in Bethlehem, Pa, sends
the following telegram to Represen L
Rtives and Senator'S from Pennsyl-
vania:
Resolved that the Bethlehem Real
Estate Board strongly opposes iegfs-
lation creataing rent control boards
as proposed for the District of Colum-
bia, as such legislation violates fun
2 ri Oh civ are
to such board to regulate a commod-
ity which the laws of supply and de-
mand are competent to regulate. II
will create a more perpicious housin G
shortage than that now existing, in
that it STILES the initiative of specu-
lative builders and further is inimical
to the sanCtity of contracts"
To the President, Senators and Rep
resentatives of the State of Massa
chusetts, the Boston Real Estate Elk
change communicated as follows:
Boston Joins In Attack.
Resolved, that the directors of tn,
Boston Real Estate Exchange hereb,
record their conviction that the crea
tiOn of a rent commission for the Dis
trict Of Columbia as proposed in Con
gress is unjust to the owners of resi-
Dental real estate in the District al
the sanctity Of contracts, which
would injure real estate the countr,
over, and a measure which would ag
graVate the conditions which it al
leges exists and which it is INTENDED
to cure, for the solution of tht
problem lies in the free play of en-.
terprise and investment, not in pub
lie control which would discourag,
new building"
In a letter to Senator Bingham O.
Connecticut and other members o-
Congress the following communica
zion was sent from the Meridian
Conn, board:
This board is unaIterabIy opposed
20 such Legislation proposed for Wash,
inGton having for it's purpose tn,
creation of permanent rent contro
board"
In Reading. Pa, the Chamber ot
Commerce, the Merchants Association
and the Real Estate Board have ex.
pressed their opposition. The Har.
-isburg board has communicated theil
opposition to their members in Con
gTess and the members of the sub.
committees in Congress considertur
the Whaley bill The Cleveland board
states it has wired representatives il
Congress from Ohio to oppose tht
measure. The Cleveland board says
Tie Lane" OOu, ONO, Cham Der OF
Commerce and Chamber of Industry
are cooperating.
Urge Defeat of Bill.
The board in Denver, Colo, and tn,
State Real Estate Association ther.
have urged Colorado members in Con.
gre.%s of their vigorous opposition.
The Des Noines. Iowa, board in E
telegram condemned the Washington
rent commission.
From Indiana comes a message from
the Indianapolis board that they hay,