The Washington herald., 1918-10-27
WAR WORKERS
RIGHTS UPHELD
House Privileges to Be En-
forced by War De-
y partmcnt.

The Housing Corporation OF the
Labor Department may be futile
when II comes to providing housing
for war workers but the War De-
partment intends to see that the
war workers have their full rights
under the salisbury resolution
- In a statement issued last night
by Capt. julius L Peyser. chief OF
the Housing and Health Division
of the War Department, and con-
CURED in by Edwin 5. Hege, Of the
United states Housing Corporation
of the Department of Labor, the law
Is defined. Capt Peyser has de-
tended thousands of cases OF wal
workers in getting their rights un'
der the Salisbury resolution.
TIE statement Is issued TO coun'
teract a statement made by Edwlr
$. Heze on the day before. which he
requested by letter to be Published
In the Washington Herald.
Iaerpr-tatios of Law.
The Interpretation of the law fol
lows:
So that the public may be in
formed on the law pertaining &c
the rights Of dodgers, roomers anc
guests in houses, apartments anc
rooms, who rent for any period oi
time. it is proper to state that they
do not have the status of tenants
under the law. so that a person
renting a room or suite OF rooms
for the period aforesaid does moi
breach any convenant Of a lease
which prohibits subletting. How
ever, dodgers, Foomers or guests
who rent a room or suite of rooms
for a term of one month or longer
receive the full protection Of the
salisbury Resolution and The wis
dom Of this is amply demonstrated
to help the housing situation In the
District Of Columbia by protecting
all persons VINO rent any type OF
living accommodation.
Where a person rents a room for
a term Of less than one month, then
in that event. say for two weeks
then the person is not protected
under the Salisbury Resolution.
II will thus be seen that persons
now having control over vacant
the program Of the government by
utilizing such room for war work.
ers.
The salient points. opinions and
decisions setting forth the rights OF
owners and tenants under an act oil
Congress May 81, 1918. known a.
the salisbury Resolution. may b.
briefly stated as follows:
Agreements Continued.
Al agreements OF lease. written ol
verbal for one month or longer. ar.
continued upon their agreed rate ant
terms, and no tenants can be evictet
or have their rent raised until peacs
Is concluded or until Congress repeal,
or modifies this law. excepting as "a
tenants who have
staD Failed to pay rent at the azreec
rate
'b) Not performed conditions OF tn.
lease consistent with this act.
te) Committed waste destroyed tn,
property. etc.
i'd Been guilty of A crime. mis-.
derneanor. breach OF peace. or nuf,
sance on the premises. and also ex.
cepting tenants In premises which ar.
(e) Necessarily required for Oc
cupancy by the landlord or his wife
children or dependents. while he =
employed by or oficiaIly connected
with the government
% Purchased by bona fda. DUR.
chaser who necessarily requires tn.
premises for his own occupancy
whether he is in the government ser.
vice or not.
Cannot Raise Rent.
In further explanation Of the Law
and the above digest. the foIlowins
points should be noted.
!. A tenants rent cannot be raised
under any circumstances. Any at
tempt to raise rent subsequent tc
June !. 1918. 3 unlawful. unless, ot
course, the tenant NtluntariIy con.
sents thereto.
A tenant in an apartment cannot
be evicted by the owner Of the apart.
Tnent building as long as he pay!
rent and remains In peaceable posses,
sion.
3. A subtenant Of an apartment
cannot be eviCted by the landlord sf
the building a. long as the rent 1,
paid and peaCeable possession con.
ftnues: and a subtenant Of a house oi
an apartment cannot be evicted ex.
cept by his lesser when the lesser Il
in the employ Of or officially connect.
ed with the government and neces.
sarily requires the premises.
II the owner of a building rents
an apartment to A for so unfurnisheC
and A subleases the apartment fur
nished to B for 300. neither AS ten
ancy or BIS can be terminated BY the
landlord. II. however. A and B are
willing that A shall take his furniture
out, B may continue as a tenant OF
the landlord direct, paying so pei
month, or the same amount which A
originally paid
5. AL leases which expired on any
date after May 81. 1918. are auto,
nnatically extended until peace is con-
luded and II is not necessary for ar
'riginal tenant or a subtenant tc
ign new lease to avail themselves
the protection afforded by the law
8. A landlord of a house may re-
gain possession from his tenant when
he Is in the employ Of or officially
connected with the government and
necessarily requires the premises for
his own occupancy or the occupancy
of his wife, children or dependents
Z A bona fda purchaser of a house
may obtain possession from the tenant
only when he can prove that he
necessarily requires the premises for
his own occupancy and he need not
be in the government service to es-
tablish his case.
Note: Under both the buying cases
and I. II is a question OF fact as to
what constitutes Necessarily requir.
ing the premises for his own occu-
pancy." In some cases the court has