Evening star., 1943-11-27
Realtors Feel Taxes
On Private Holdings
Should Be Adjusted
BY FRED H. MORHART, Jr.

JIIUuIu DC AuJuSICu
BY FRED H. MORHART, Jr.
Washington realtors, who this week
have been exchanging ideas about
their reactions to the results achieved
at the war conference" held in
Cleveland last week by the National
Association of Real Estate Boards
today seem to be in general agree
ment that demands for a more equi-
table taxation on property are in
order.
This was a large factor in the
adoption of a resolution asking that
the Government get out of the
housing field as soon as possible
Government holdings of real estate
today are the largest in the history
Of the Nation. This property, it has
been pointed out, is tax free, and
as consequence privately held
structures and lands are faced with
an increasing tax rate.
Though most of the realtors ex-
pressed a feeling that the Govern
ment should be removed entirely
from the land owning and land op-
Grating business" one group among
the Society of Industrial Realtors
expressed belief that the Govern
ment should continue to operate its
permanent housing projects and
also continue to provide Federal aid
through loans to private builders as
q "tideover" for the postwar read
justment period.
Suggestions Vary.
Several delegates to the National
Association of Home Builders meet
Ing, which was held prior to the
realty convention, agreed with this
viewpoint. BY and large, both the
home builders and the industrial
realtors saw reason for the Govern
ment to continue in the various real
estate fields until such time that
private enterprise may be in a posi-
Ion to handle the situation.
A number of the delegates re-
marked that the colossal Job of de-
molishing temporary housing and
factories should be retained by the
Government. Though the Govern
ment still is continuing a large
building program, the tempo has in
recent weeks been slackening and
plans now are under way as to the
disposition of the materials when
they no longer are Of use to the war
effort.
Some suggestions were made that
the temporary homes and factories
could be dismantled and the mate
rial used in construction of houses
or plants in areas where new in
dustries will arise after the war.
This, 1t was pointed out, would save
a considerable amount in raw ma
terial needs as we'll as diverting from
the scrap pile huge quantity of
usable timber and metal work.
Officers Listed.
The complete list of officers elect
ed for the association and its af-
tiliated groups includes John w.
Galbreath, president: Percy Wilson.
treasurer: James E. Atkinson, Great
Lakes Region; John McC. Mowbray.
Central Atlantic Region; Robert
Harper, Southwest Region; F. Poche
Waguespack, South Central Region;
Albert Balch, Northwest Region;
Theodore w. Slack, New England
Region; Ward Wright, Southeast
Region, and Theodore Maenner,
North Central Region, vice presi-
dents.
New members of the Board of Di-
rectors include Fritz w. Beck, David
D. Bohanon, Walter S. Dayton, Ray
Dolan, Morgan l.. Fitch, Van Holt
Garrett, A. I. Madden, Leland P.
Reeder, Duke Sewers and Alexander
Summer.
Heads OF the affiliated groups
named last week were j. BarroWs
johnson, American Institute of Real
Estate Appraisers; Charles F. Curry,
Institute of Real Estate Manage
ment; Bethel T. Hunt, Society of In
dustrial Realtors; Joseph Laronge,
Institute of Real Estate Brokers;
Glenn D. Willaman, States Council;
Hazel M. Long, Women's Council;
Robert P. Gerholz, National Asso-
citation of Home Builders, and Ed
ward K, Hardy, National Council of
Real Estate Taxpayers.
The realtors voted to hold their
1914 meeting in Chicago at the con-
clusion of their second largest meet
ing in AZ years. More than 4,2OO
delegates from throughout the coun-
try attended the Cleveland confer
ence.