rokerages under state authority. This
sentiment is still growing, and the secretary of the association says
that realtors in several states continue to introduce bills in their
legislatures with the belief that it will be possible to pass them.

In only one state has such a law passed. The state of Wisconsin enacted
a law in 1919[18] which provides for the establishment of a state
real-estate brokers' board consisting of three members, at least two of
whom are real-estate brokers in the state, appointed by the Governor.
The Director of Immigration, Department of Agriculture, acts as
secretary to the board. The latter issues licenses to the real-estate
brokers and salesmen doing business in the state. An annual license fee
of ten dollars from a broker and five dollars from a salesman is
required. License may be refused or revoked by the board for
misstatement in application, for fraud or fraudulent practices, for
untrustworthiness or incompetence in real-estate business.

The board receives complaints against any real-estate broker or salesman.
It may conduct hearings and investigations, subpoena and compel the
attendance and testimony of witnesses and production of documents, books
and papers. The board shall, from time to time, publish the names of
licensed real-estate brokers and salesmen, with information as to when each
license expires. The publication shall include the names of those
real-estate brokers and salesmen whose licenses have been revoked at any
time within one year prior to the time of the issue of publication.

This Wisconsin Real Estate Licensing law has been in operation a year.
Mr. B. G. Packer, Director of Immigration, and secretary to the Real
Estate Brokers' Board, gave to the writer the following information in
regard to the results of the operation of the law so far.

This law requires registration of all real-estate brokers and salesmen
doing business in the state. In the past there was no way to tell who
they were or where located. The license is good for one year, and
thereupon a new application must be made. This gives the board a check
on the dealer's operations the preceding year. The board requires him to
cite all legal actions arising out of his real-estate business whether
he was plaintiff or defendant.

It is a common practice with some dealers to take a judgment note for
commission which can be entered up without process and execution levied
against the property of the defendants.