The Washington herald., 1918-06-23
bEN JOHNSON
MAKES DRIVE
FOR RENT BILL
Representative, Irritated,
Writes to Conferees and
Commissioners.

ternoon paper that the senate con-
ferees on the antiprofiteering rent
Dill would not meet with him. Rep
resentRtlve Ben johnson. In q sign
ed statement issued yesterday,
threw his hat IN the ring, bringing
<the alleged controversy TO a head.
II was stated that because Of some
remarks Mr.. johnson IL alleged to
have made in reference to the atti-
tude OF the Senate on the bill that
the Senate conferees would dis
cipline him and probably decline to
meet with him to discuss the eill.
Representative Johnson prepared
. series of fourteen questions.
copies of which he has submitted
20 each Of the eight House and Sem
ate conferees.
Questions to Csnferees.
i They are as follows:
]. Are, you unalterabie to create
a rent administrator?
Y ?. IL 30. are you unaltsrable In
your purpose not to intrust the
work with anyone unless he 10 a
resident OF the District?
= J. Are you uHalterable in your
purpose not to permit the Presi-
fdent to select a Rent Adminlstra-
z tor for the District Of Columbia,
I just as he selected the Food Ad-
tmlnistrator and Fuel Administra-
tor. l. e. without your consent and
approvaI7
4 l. Are you unalterable in your
seeming purpose to permit profiteer-
ing In house rents by imposing q
fne less. than the amount of prof
steering. or will you accept some
Splan like that recently suggested
By the President in his message to
Congress, whereby all the money
taken in a profiteerins transaction
shall be surrendered?
= ). Are you unalterable in your adj
herence to that part Of the Senate
: bill which would compel the ten
ant to leave his work as often and
as long as Il would be necessary for
him to leave it in order to prosecute
or defend the several appeals al
lowed?
g. Are you unalterable in your pur-
pose not to fix a gross return to the
landlord. but instead. to give him a
net return. notwithstanding the fact
that thereby the landlord would have
no interest whatsoever in keeping
down the operating expenses Of the
premises?
]. Are you unalterable in your pur-
pose TO saddle upon the tenant the
cost OF permanent street and similar
improvements by the real estate alone,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
erstwhile enant enjoys the building
alone?
S. Are you unaIterabIe in your pur-
pose to compel the tenant to account
for vacancies in the house and de-
faf af Il
low him to offset that by the growing
increase In the value of the land
upon which the house stands?
2. Are you unalterable in your pur-
pose to permit a landlord TO profiteer
With a business house because It
may. once have been used as a resi-
dence?
10. Are you unalterabIe in your pur-
pose to fasten the present annual rate
OF rental on the tenant by fixing the
rate in effect on the first day Of last
october as the basls7
II. Are you unalterable In your pur-
pose that the rental for furniture shall
be as much as 30 per cent of its
value?
II. Are you unalterable In your
seeming purpose to exempt the orig
inal landlord from all the provisions
Of the bill by your definition OF
landlord?
a. If you are unalterabIe In your
seeming purpose to adhere to the
remedy Of fine" Instead of that of
taxation as set out in the bill
passed by the House, would you be
in favor Of having a fine levied on all
those who violate any provision of
the act. or you'd you insist upon lin
iting 1t to those only who ''evade or
attempt to evade its provisions?
Letter to COmmIssIOners.
The second letter, which Mr.. john
sou wrote after seeing a newspaper
article about the meeting or the Sen
ate District Committee. follows:
June q, 1913.
TO the Senate Conference on II. r.
Se4s: the anti-profteering rent BILL
Washington. d. s.
"Gentlemen-The Washington news
papers Of yesterday contained the
statement that at least some of the
lSenate conferees on the anti-profiteer-
Ftng rent bill contemplated having me
denied the privileges of the Senate
floor because Of the criticism made
By me Of the Senate amendment
which has come to be known as the
.Pomerene Bill
Il do not care continental about
.hat-run along and get through with