The Washington herald., 1918-06-28
BEN JOHNSON STRIKES HARD
AGAIN AT RENT PROFITEERS
District House Committee Chairman, in I'm
usual Satire, Remains Unhumbled by
Senate Rebuke.

4
ate yesterday in connection with
the attitude of the body toward the
antiprofiteering. rent bin. In re-
porting the Pomerene resolution to
the House from the House District
Committee with the recommenda-
tion that II lay on the table, Mr..
Johnson gave the Senate another
piece of his mind"
The Pomerene resolution was
agreed to by the Senate last Sat-
urday. and it excused the Senate
conferees on the antiprofiteering
rnt bill from duty in connection
with that bill. because of remarks
made by Mr.. Johnson concerning
the Senate attitude on the bill.
AS matters stand now, Washing
ton will get no relief this summer
from the profiteering landlord, and
probably not until next winter. The
Senate will not recede from its po-
sition in the matter. it is under
stood, and until it does, there is no
way for Congress again to take up
, the bill.
Mr.. Johnson realizes this and
doubtless had it in mind when he
! raked the Senate fore and aft be-
cause. it has failed to do anything
to protect the tenants who are be-
ing squeezed by the landlords. In
Mr.. Johnson's remarks, which fol-
| low, he has again taken a fling at
the profiteering landlord and cham
pions the overcharged tenant. The
assault on the Senate's attitude fol-
lows:
.Further Seryiee' Is Good.
Il assume that this entire member
| ship is familiar with the status of the
anti-profiteering rent bill passed by
the House March Il. 1 likewise as
sumo that all are familiar also with
the present barnacled condition of the
bill. Therefore, 1 deem it not to be
necessary at this time to speak of the
bill itself in extenso, but, rather, of
the resolution. which was offered by
Senator Pomerene, of Ohio, aud which
is now pending before the committee.
"The resolution-somewhat lengthy
in 'whereases'-advises the House that
the Senate conferees have been 'ex-
| cused from furthr service as such con-
ferees, until other wise ordered by the
I Senate Further service is good,
since none has been rendered, and
| none seemingly contemplated.
However, prior to this / had been
advised through the news columns of
the local press that Senatorial pass
ports were to be handed me, and Dip
| lcmatic relations severed with the
House because:
''First-I hand made. some remarks
on the floor OF the House which were
accepted as reflections on a part OF
the Senate membership; and,
'Second-I had violated precedent by
submitting to each Of the Senate con-
ferees a list OF questions indicating
the probable points of disagreement
which would arise when the conferees
on the part Of the two Houses met;
and,
Third-That I had written twolet-
ters to the confereeS which, later, the
author Of the resolution state, one
gentleman would not write to another
gentleman.
| Stated Facts.
Concerning the First'-My re-
marks on. the floor Of the House
1 shall only say that I confined my
self to a statement of facts without
in any way attempting any conclu-
sions; and 1 disclaim having said
that any Member of the Senate had
been paid any Of the money which
Mr.. Worthington. by letter, told his
Fellow Realtors had been spent by
the National Association Of Real
Estate Brokers to aid the local as
sociation of real estate brokers in
q, its fight in Congress.
"As to the author of the resolu-
tion now before us-Of him particu-
larly wish to say that I have
never thought for a moment that
he got any of the money.
My reason for singing him out
for this disclaimer is not because
he, in his remarks before the Sem
ate. read from my speech in the
House what said about the money
paid by the real estate brokers in
their local fght in Congress; nor
because he seemed to construe nv
remarks to mean that he had been
paid q part of that money. Ny
reason for singing out this par
ticular Senator for my disclaimer Is
because 1t Is my opinion that he is
not, Enthusiastically, at least, in
sympathy with the tenant class in
the legislative controversy now GO
ing on.
A Man of Liberty.
This Senator enjoys the reputation
Of being capable of thinking intricate
ly and accurately: and, at the same
time, his reputation for being able IN