Evening star., 1918-06-01
PRESIDENTS PEN r
= A|DSD. c. TENANTS
salisbury Resolution Re-
j ceives Approval Of
Executive.
AIMED At RENT G0UGERS


shall otherwise provide is today law.
1t was signed by President Wilson yes
terday afternoon, soon after it had been
sent to him from the Capitol.
The new law seeks to retain the pres
ent: status of landlord and tenant dur
ing, the war, or, until further legislation
dealing with the housing and profiteering
situation in the District has been en-
acted by Congress.
What Law Provides.
The new law provides as follows:
Prevents the eviction Of a tenant for
the period of the war or until other
wise provided by Congress If the tenant
himself and to protect the property. pro-
vided the tenant has held the premises
under an oral or written agreement OF
lease for one month or any longer
period.
Prevents the landlord from increas-
ing the rent above the rate fixed In
the lease or oral agreement of lease.
Enables an owner of property to
regain possession of the property II
1t is necessarily required by land
lord or bona f1de purchaser for occu-
patton either by himself or his wife,
children or dependents while he is In
the employ of or ohcially connected
with any branch of the government,
at the expiration Of the lease. whether
1t be for month or longer.
Enables a bona hde purchaser to
obtain possession. for his own occu-
sold to him.
Directs the District courts to re-
scind or modify an order of eviction
or Judgment where the order or judg-
ment has been made but not executed
before the enactment Of the law, If it
an order or judgment would not have
been issued had the law been on the
statute books at the time 1t was is
sued.
Makes the sale of property in the
District subject to the rights Of all
tenants that may be occupying the
property. with the exceptions already
noted.
Applies to all land, any building.
any part Of any building. house or
dwelling, any apartment, room. suite
OF rooms and every other improve
ment or structure whatsoever on land
situated in the District Of Columbia.
Conflict In Terms.
One seeming conflict in the terms
Of the bill lies In the two clauses
which deal with the ousting Of ten
ants at the end Of their lease in the
case the property Is sold to a bona
Ade purchaser for his own occupancy.
In the one clause II Is provided that
bona-fde purchaser who desires
property for his own use, which Is
under lease. cannot take 1t unless the
tenant desires to give; 1t up. except
the purchaser be connected officiaily
with the government.
In the second clause, II is stated
spsciacally that whore property is
own occupancy the tenant may a be
evtcted at the end Of his lease. No
condition is laid down that the pur-
chaser must be connected with the
government
Aepators' Opinion.
The opinion wasexpressed by senators
today who were concerned in the fram.
ing of the. Salisbury resolution that
the second clause will hold, and that
. bona. hde purchaser who wished TO
occupy the property himself, would be
able to get possession of 1t, whether
ne worked for the government or not.
the. theory upon which an owner,
who 10 now employed by the govern
ment or officially connected with it. is
restratned from ousting a tenant, even
though he desire the property himself
Tor his own use. IL that such an owner
Aeoe uevO OtncE 1dcliiIleS IOf dwelling,
and that therefore he is not entitled
at tbs time to oust a tenant. On the
other hand. bona dde purchaser Of q
house. who desires to live in 1t. the
senators believed, should be given that
privilege.
It Iha. ..,y many questions VIII come up
Tor settlement under the Salisbury
law within the next few days is ex-
pected by the legislators. The resoIu-
ton was INTENDED ~ most as . tenn
porary measure. pending further leg
islation by Congress dealing with the
District Of Columbia. The aim Of the
congress was to prevent the ousting
OF tenants by landlords who desired
70 increase rents unduly.
Text Of New Law.
The text of the new law is as fol-
Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives OF the United
bled. That until q treaty of peace
shall have been definitely, concluded
between the United States and the
imperial German government, unless
in the mean time otherwise provided
or Judgment for the recovery Of DOS,
session Of any real estAte in the Dis
trtct Of Columbia, now or hereafter
held or acquired by oral or written
agreement of lease for one month
or any longer period, or for the eject
Inent or dispossession of tenant
thersfrom. shall be made and an
leases thereof shall continue so long
as the tenant continues TO pay rent
at the agreed rate, and performs the
other conditions OF the tenancy,
which are not Inconsistent herewith.
unless the tenant has committed
waste. or has been guilty on
the premises of conduct which
S1sses Of the peass sSs'aess ss other or
misdemeanor or crime. or that the
premises are necessarily required
by a landlord or bona hde purchaser
for occupation either by himself or
his wife. children or dependents while
he Is In the employ OF or oficially
connected with any branch Of tho gov
been sold to bona fide purchaser for
his own occupancy: and where such
order. decree. or judgment has been
made but not executed before the pas
sage OF this resolution. the court by
which the order, decree, or Judgment
was made shall. II 1t is of the opinion
that the order, decree, or judgment
resolution had been in force at the date
OF the making of the order, decree or
judgment. rescind or modify the order.
decree or judgment In such manner
A. the court may deem proper for
the purpose OF giving effect TO this
resolution; and all remedies. At law
or in equity. Of the lessor based on
any provision in any oral or written
agreement OF Lease that the same
shall be determined or forfeited IL
the premises shall be sold are hereby
Suspended white this resolution shall