Evening star., 1947-02-14
Price Lid Ends for Hotel Rooms
And Motor Courts Tomorrow
D. 6. Is Unaffected,
Nearby Areas Only
SLIGHTLY So

| Neurby Areas Only
! Slightly So
The Nations hotels and motor
courts, except for those in the Dis
trict, got set today to as the Office
of Price Administration to let them
charge the travelling public more
for rooms.
Tomorrow all hotels having more
than Is rooms and commonly known
as hotels, and all motor courts be-
come eligible for decontrol. But
decontrol is not blanket PROPOSE
ton. Landlords must apply sep
arately.
OPA officials said the lifting OF
controls did not apply to hotels with
less than Is rooms, nor did it apply
to tourist homes.
Asked why, they explained that
lit was feared regular boarding
houses might attempt to qualify as
tourist homes long enough to raise
their charges and then, rent their
rooms to permanent and semiper-
manent guests at the new rates
Relief in the future for bona fide
tourist homes is likely, however, II
was said.
Regular Occupants Protected.
The removal OF controls applies
to transient rooms only, an OPA
spokesman said. This SO any one
actually living in a rented room
even If 1t is in hotel, will continue
to be protected.
District hotels, however, are not
affected by the removal of national
controls. They come under the Dis
trict's own rent law, which does not
expire until December 81, 1947. The
law does provide, though, for indi-
vidual relief, and the Hotel Asso-
citation of Washington, which repre-
. sents IS per cent of the city's hotel
accommodations in 80 establish
mentS, said today that half its men,
bers already have applied for price
increases and that many already
have been granted.
The increases average 10 per cent
Arthur j. Harnett, executive secre-
tary of the association, said today
Highest increase allowed by District
Rent Control Director Robert F.
Cogswell, he said, has been so cents
on single rooms and 81 on double
rooms.
District rent control officials today
bore ont the information given by
Mr.. Harnett.
Nearby Areas Affected Slightly.
There has been no particular in
crease In applications from small
hotels and rooming houses, however
they said.
The effect of decontrol on nearby
Maryland and Virginia, which come
under national policy, appeared
slight today.
Frank Taylor, OPA chief for near
by and Southern Maryland, said he
had received no applications from
suburban and rural hotels. There
are few bona fide motor courts this
side of Laurel, he added.
Chance Buchanan, Mr. Taylor
opposite number for Northern Vir-
ginia, was out of town. His aides
said they had little idea what the
situation will 0e in Arlington and
Fairfax Counties and Alexandria
Some applications, they said, likely
would be forthcoming.
The national picture on transient
rooms, however, emerged as follows
M. O. Ryan, Washington repre-
sentative of the American Hotel As
ISOLATION, said today he expects a
majority" perhaps 5000 to 10000
of the estimated $4,000 hotels in the
country, to apply for decontrol. But,
he said, I'VE do not expect any per-
centage-wise increase throughout
the entire country as whole"
The $4,000 hotels have about l.
100000 rooms under ceilings, of
which 100000 are reserved for per-
manent guests, he estimated.
General Increases Discounted.
Mr.. Ryan predicted that most
hotels will boost rates mainly on
higher priced rooms and luxury
suites and added, Il don't think
it will average 10 per cent for the
country as a whole.
Weighing against ' general in
creases, Mr.. Ryan continued, is the
fact that hotels count on food and
bar sales for much of their income
Large rent increases, he noted,
might cut down ting present high
rate of occupancy and thus reduce
these sales.
An American Automobile Associ-
alton official told reporters today a
recent survey shows motor court
operators will boost their rates 10
to 20 per cent in most cases, and
even more in resort areas.
The AAA estimated there are 49,
900 courts with some 175,000 rooms.
Those occupied by permanent guests
will remain under ceilings.
Results Differ In Other Cities.
In New York City, hotels esti-
mated that increases might range
up to II per cent, but spokesmen
said all such moves would be tenn
pered by the return of competition
dIllOlS I1ic ClGy nOGelS LOT Clle
first time since the establishment
of controls.
Other large cities will follow a
different pattern, according to
reports submitted through hotel
circles. Boston hotels expect ad-
justments to average less than 10
per cent, and Denver hotel men
said increases there would mot
exceed 10 per cent"
Philadelphia operators said they
contemplated mo general raise
and in Pittsburgh, increases will be
confined to "a few cents to correct
Iinequities" existing under ceiling
prices.
R. K. Middleton, 50, Dies;
Navy Worker for II Years
Reid K. Middleton, SO, a pattern
! no