Evening star., 1948-08-27
Political Rent Control
To the Editor Of The Star:

io the EuIor Oh Inc SlAr.
noticed the editorial in The Star Of August
IL, suggesting the possibility Of extending the
rent law for another year. also quoting the
rent administrator as saying that except for
buildings of the apartment-hotel type, no
large apartments have been built in Northwest
Washington since the war began.
I note likewise that the rent situation has
gotten steadily worse on account of the high
cost of materials and labor. That may have
something to do with it, but the crux Of the
whole business evidently is the communistic
character Of the law itself and its thorough
llselessness.
Many features of the law, think, are un-
constitutional. 1t is class legislation Of an
Objectionable type: it usurps the functions Of
the State governments in violation, specifically
Ct the Tenth Amendment of the Con-
'titution: it has produced slum districts in
Inany cities and towns largely because the
rent examiners are so ignorant or so inten-
tonally unfair that they will not allow owners
+, make expenses on their properties. 1t is
cheaper to let properties 60 to ruin than to
b,ther. If an owner wants his property back.
1t is very difficult to get 1t. And that in So
culled free America!
: Union labor can obtain an increase of from
5}qo to 1000 in its wages, but If q man owns
property he gets an increase Of go to pay
expenses of many times that amount.
No sensible owner of rental property is 60
ing TO allow partner in business to be forced
oIs him without his consent, who instead OF
investing money, takes it away, even If this
forced partner Is politician who never has
rented any property.
The very idea of the law brands every owner
as gouger. If there are gougers, they should
be treated as such and plenty of honest owners
allowed to tend to their own business just as
all other businesses are run.
Variations in Rentals Noted.
The administration of the law, at least in
Maryland near Washington, Is so bad that I
can cite many cases where identical proper
ties show variations in rent Of from 500 to
nearly 100eo. Three houses exactly alike near
the District now rent for $95, $85 and SOS.
Why? -
Again by the very nature of the business OF
renting property, it Is so complex that 1t Is
gross travesty of justice to appoint these rent
examiners fIoEn among people who know prac-
tically nothing Of renting.
No rent law can be fair. 1t started out with
gross injustice by freezing rents as of January
/, 1912
There was no need whatever for
rent law in the Second War. If it had not
been for this law, there today would probably
be far less trouble in adjusting housing than
there is now.
AS long as this law continues to curse land
lords and tenants, just SO long will the busi-
ness of renting property get steadily worse.
The only possible remedy is to scrap the law
entirely and let rents settle at their normal
level. The longer this is put off, the worse
for us all and the harder it will be to adjust
T1l& political regulation of rents can never
be any more intelligent than the idea of price
control itself, politically conducted
The rent law since its inception has been
dismal failure. There are today nearly 100000
fewer rental properties in the United States
than before the war in spite of many new
buildings that have been erected
H. F. MITCHELL.