Evening star., 1920-07-12
MANY Ev|CT|ONS
FOLLOW FAILURE
OF RENT BOARD
Eagle Hut Controversy
Blamed for Wholesale
Orders.

Wholesale eviction of tenants with
whom landlords have had rental dis
putes are following the action of the
District Commissioners in disregard
ing the determination of the District
rent commission in the Eagle Hut
controversy, it was stated today by
officials of the rent board.
The stand taken by the District
government. whether unwarranted or
not. has served to deal what amounts
to death blow to the rent commits
sion. temporarily at least. it is said.
Since the announcement by the mu-
nicipal officials of their intention to
oust the branch of the city post Of
flee from the Y. NJ. c. A. hut at 9th
and Pennsylvania avenue, in defiance
of the restraining order issued against
them by the rent commission. a sud
den cessation of new cases filed with
that body has occurred. Numbers of
cases already on the docket and list
ed for hearing have been dismissed
at the request of the parties con-
cerned. it was pointed out today.
Cnses Go to Court.
The cases will be taken directly
to the Municipal Court where own
ers will file pleas for possession of
premises under the old landlord and
tenant law.
Aroused at the serious situation
which confronts them. threatening the
existence of the commission created
by Congress expressly for the pur-
pose of regulating rents in the Dis
trict of Columbia. members of the
rent board have filed with President
Wilson a brief reciting the ramifica
tions in the Eagle Hut case with
view to gaining the support of the
White House.
While the intended action of the
praSidanf in r0fIld
be ascertained today. 1t is regarded
as probable that the brief will be re-
ferred to the Attorney General for
his decision. If this course is adopted
members of the rent commission feel
certain that city post office author
tiles will be sustained and the action
of the rent commission upheld. This
assumption is based on the attitude.
already announced. of the Department
of Justice. with regard to the author
| ity of the District rent commiss
The action of the District govern
ment in overriding the rent boards
ruling and threatening to oust post
Office authorities from the hut Is said
to have amazed members OF the EeIt
commission. 1t is contended that un-
til the Ball act is declared unconstt-
tutional by the United States Supreme
Court the authority of the rent board.
which the act created, must be re-
spected. especially by municipal and
federal officials.
The stand taken by the local ad-
Iministration is contrasted by friends
of the rent commissioners with that
taken by government departments and
oher federal agencies. The Depart
ment of Justice has come out in sup
port of the Ball act. The Interior De-
partment now has twenty three cases
pending before the commission. all of
them filed last week.
Confident that the President will
recognize the authority Of the COM
mission and that the Department OF
Justice will take similar stand. II the
matter Is brought to it's attention. the
rent commissioners are awaiting with
interest the reply to their brief. There
are enough cases scheduled for sew
eral weeks to come to furnish plenty
Of work, it is pointed out. The De-
partment of Interior cases will be
taken up Wednesday and Thursday.