Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-05
Senate Asked to Take Action
for Protection of People
Living in Capital.
DISTRICT COMMITTEE
UNANIMOUS IN REPORT
Senator saul,Sury Asks Immediate
Consideration, But Postponement
to Tomorrow Il Ordered.

The. 6enats District committee late
yesterday called upon the Senate to
adopt joint resolution to prevent the
ousting Of tenants occupying houses III
the District of Columbia until Congress
has time to perfect and enact into law
an anti -profteering rent bill.
Committee Report Unanimous.
The committee was unanimous in its
report of the resolution and Senator
Salisbury. who presented it to the Sem
ate, asked for it's immediate considera-
ton. Several senator's objected, how
ever, to acting upon a measure of such
Importance until they had an oppor-
tunity to examine it, and 1t went over
until tomorrow. when another effort will
be made to put it through.
The District committee also completed
Its redraft Of the johnson rent profteer-
ing bill, which will be reported to the
Senate tomorrow by Senator Pomerene,
chairman Of the subcommittee which
handled the measure.
The joint resolution that the committee
seeks to have adopted strikes at the "col-
ored sales," many Of which, it has been
reported to the Senate, are being forced
by owners of property at this time. The
committee. it was said, realizes that it
may take some time to get the rent
proiteering bill through. and desires to
hold matters in statu quo until the pro-
posed law can be enacted
Text of Resolution.
The resolution follows:
Until the adjournment sine die Of the
present session Of the Congress, no judi
cial order for the recovery Of possession
of any real estate. now or hereafter held
or acquired by oral or written lease. or
for the ejectment or disposition Of a ten
ant therefrom. shall be made, and all
leases thereof shall continue SO long as
the tenant continues to pay rent at the
agreed rate, or as 1t may be modified
under the provisions Of this act. and
performs the other conditions of the
tenancy, except on the ground that the
tenant has failed to take reasonable care
Of the premises or has committed waste,
or has been guilty Of conduct which Is a
nuisance or amounts to disturbance OF
the peace Of adjoining or neighboring oc-
cupiers, or a violation OF law, or that the
premises are reasonably required by
landlord for the occupation by himself
or his family while in the employ of or
ohicially connected with the government:
and where such order has been made, but
not executed before the passage Of this
resolution, the court by which the order
was made may. II 1t is of the opinion that
the order would not have been made If
this resolution had been in operation at
the date of the making Of the order, re-
scfnd or modify the order in such manner
as the court may deem proper for the
purpose Of giving effect to this resolu-
ton.
THAT any provision In any oral or writ
ten lease that the same shall he deter
mined or forfeited II the premises shall be
sold Is hereby declared to be void while
this resolution shall be in force. and every
purchaser shall take the conveyance Of
any premises subject to the rights of
all tenants in possession thereof under
the provisions of this resolution"
Senator saulsbury's Statement.
In urging the passage Of the resolu-
tion. Senator Salisbury said:
"The Senate District committee has
attempted to deal with the rent prof
iteering in a different way from the
House. The measure will have to go
to conference and may be there a long
time. The object of this resolution.
therefore, Is to preserve the status of
landlord and tenant until Congress has
time to act.
'The committee has been informed
that In rows upon rows of houses in
this city. which have been rented to the
same tenants for years. the tenants
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