Evening star., 1950-02-03
Virginia Studies
Rent DecontroI
After Hearing
Landlords Ruthless
In Quontico Area,
Legislators Told
By Alex R. Preston
Sfor StoH Correspondent


officer said housing in the Guam
tico area warrants congressional
investigation.
Comdr. James Davis, staff civil
engineer at the Marine base, tolo
a joint committee of the Legis-
lature yesterday that he was
shocked, appalled, and sickened'
by treatment of military person
mel by landlords in the vicinity OF
the base, including the Dumfries
area.
you have seldom seen such
ruthlessness as is shown by the
landlords of Quantico," Comdr
Davis told the committee. ''It is
a fact and not theory, gentle
men. that the housing situation
at Quantico warrants a congress.
sional Investigations"
Tells of Rent Gouging.
After painting a picture of rent
gouging and lack of adequate IA
cilities, Comdr. Davis said:
"Quantico is a scab on the fair
face of Virginia"
The House and Senate General
Laws Committee conducted a
three-hour public hearing on a
bill by. Delegate John B. Boat
wright of Buckingham County
1t would terminate Federal con-
trolls and also end this State s
standby law.
There was a sharp division OF
opinion expressed among the 300
or more spectators and witnesses
who crowded into the hall of the
House of Delegates. Those from
Northern Virginia were almost
unanimous in urging defeat OF
the BoatWright bill.
Comdr. Davis was one of four
representatives of the military
services who presented the views
Of their respective commands.
Trailers Rented at $50.
Comdr. Davis testimony, COM
ing almost at the very end of the
hearing, brought renewed inter-
est in the proceedings from COM
mittee members, who had beer
lulled into a sense of boredom
by the long session.
The Navy officer said some peo-
pie were buying broken down
urailers for $3.50 and renting them
for $50 a month to service per-
sonnel.
Delegate G. Edmund Massie OF
Richmond inquired how this could
be accomplished under rent con-
troll. -... .s-e-
Comdr. Davis said service per-
sonnel. in order to bring their
families with them, would pay
higher. rents than they received
receipts for. Besides. he added,
there were not enough enforce
ment officers to carry out the law.
Reads Message.
Comdr. George D. Sullivan of
Washington read a message from
the commandant. Potomac River
Naval Command. This COM
mand, Comdr. Sullivan said, is
concerned with the effect that
the decontrol of rent might have
on the preservation of the morale
and efficiency of naval personnel
residing into Virginia"
Col. James K. Keating, inspec-
tor and legal officer at the Guam
tico Marine base, read message
from Maj. Gen. Lemuel c
Shepherd, jr., commandant.
"I therefore view with grave
alarm and deep concern any
legislation that would permit the
increase of rents in the Quantict
area" the message concluded. 9.
take this occasion to strongly rec
ommend against any modiflca
tions in the existing law. -
Excessive Rents Cited.
Continuing with the comman
dant's message, Col. Keating said
"The families of many military
personnel are forced to live II
dilapidated dwellings in the towr
of Quantico, local farmhouses il
the surrounding country, and ever
rent trailers and tourist camp
cabins. In many cases the rent'
charged by unscrupulous landlords
are far in excess of the value o1
the properties
One of the Northern Virginia
Representatives in favor of the
bill was Rufus S. Lusk of Wash.
ington. He said he favored con.
trolls when needed and added thai
he helped write the District Of
Columbia law. He claimed, how.
ever, there are housing accom-.
modations for 100000 in tn.
Washington area with popula.
tion of only 100000.
Conrad Reid. chairman of tn
Arlington-Alexandria Rent Ad
visory Board, cited figures to in
dicate that in some decontrolet
units in Arlington rents sky
rocketed from $47.50 to $85 ,
month.
Daniel A. Dugan of the Airing
ton County Board said man.
sharpsters in the county woult
double their rents, PARTICULAR.
those from out of the State whit
own rental property in th'
county"
$4,000 Rent i'm Arlington.
Mr.. Dugan estimated $4,000
people out of the 5000 who liv'
in Arlington. rent their homes
He said the present law permit
decontrol by the localities wfler
deemed necessary and that Ar
lington residents don't give {
tinker's damn about the rest o.
the State.
Mrs. Donald r. Murtha of Fair.
lington and Mrs. Albert A. Car.
retta were among others oppos.
ing the bill.
Carleton K. Snyder of Wash.
ington, representing the Nationa
Association of Real Estate Boards
said the Census Bureau show.