Evening star., 1948-11-15
Realtors President
Attacks Rent Control
As Morally Wrong
= by Robert J. Lewis
Sser Steff CORES spendent

Association Of Real Estate Boards,
today assailed rent control as eco
nomically unsound, morally wrong
but politically expedient," and fore
cast that the associations conven-
ton, which opened here today,
would take the fight against con-
trolls to Congress.
Mr.. Brady, in q press conference
preceding opening Of general ses-
sions Of the convention later this
week, said he believed rents would
not be raised more than about 20
per cent" beyond 1912 levels in the
event rent controls were abolished
except by about is per cent Of
landlords"
The real estate broker, whose
home is in Wichita. Kans., said IS
per cent of landlords were perfectly
hne and decent people" and that it
had been found only about Is per
cent Of landlords had done any
'gousing."
Mr.. Brady said he believed rent
controls had encouraged an over
consumption Of housing" and ex-
planned this by saying that If rents
were increased there would be fewer
1ngle persons able to afford separ-
ate apartments
you would have more sharing of
houses and apartments If rent con-
troll were removed" he said.
Declaring continued controls
would further discourage" invest
ment in housing, the realtors presi-
dent said:
"The housing shortage is tenn
porary but investment is per-
manent."
Urges Dispersal of Industry.
An ofncial Of the National Secur-
tty Resources Board warned in
dustrial real estate dealers that the
United States is playing right into
the hands Of potential atomic ag-
gressors through continued concen-
tration of population and industry
IN large metropolitan centers.
Declaring that the only relative
safety for the Nation lies in dis
persion of industry, Gayle w.
Arnold, assistant director of pro-
duction for the security planning
agency, said there are many indi-
cations that the country's 40 met
ropolitan districts continue to abb
sorb the lions share of the popu-
lation increase"
Mr.. Arnold spoke before the So
ciety Of Industrial Realtors at a
meeting held preliminary to the
opening Of general sessions of the
real estate boards convention.
More than IS members of the
Washington Real Estate Board, the
Alexandria Arlington Fairfax Real
Estate Board and the Montgomery
County Real Estate Board are ex-
pected to attend the convention.
Targets Made Attractive.
Mr.. Arnold. declaring that "in-
stead Of learning from the expert
ence Of the war" and seeking to
disperse prime targets" the Nation
is making those targets more at
tractive every day."
Does that make SenSe?" he asked.
TT would to any group of military
planners considering the strategy of
IN attack upon us. It would make
their job easier.
But it should not make sense
to us, who most certainly will be on
the receiving end II any mass at
tack = ever made BY any powerful
natdon On another. We are inttrsi-
flying our weakness at the very time
we should be building up our
strength"
Mr.. Arnold urged that new cities
be built and that smaller comnu-
mites become the haven of indus
tries instead of large ones.
Holding 1t would be unfeasible in
the "foreseeable future" that an ag-
gressive nation would have enough
atomic bombs ito permit use of one
on any area Of industry concentra-
ton Of less than five square miles,
or urban concentrations of less than
50, 900 people" Mr.. Arnold advised
industry to seek out smaller places
when it expands or replaces plant
facilities.