The Washington times., 1920-02-25
.TAKESA SLAP
At RENT BOARD
Hotel Owner Assumes Members
Are Sufficiently Ignorant
To Meet Law.

A "slap" at the District Rent Com
mission was taken this morning by
James l.. Karrick, owner or the
Monmouth Hotel. 1919 @ street north
west, In his answer filed TO the COM
plant against him by los tenants In
the hotel.
at Is my understanding" says Mr..
Karrick, "that the Ball act provides
that no owner OF real estate In the
District of Columbia shall be mem
Der of the Rent Commission. As this
practically requires all members OF
the commission be ignorant OF the
conditions governing ownership and
MANAGEMENT OF real estate, l assume
that the members of the commission
have qualified in that respect.
therefore, that in order that lay
man may become familiar with some
of the difficulties with which a real
estate man Is confronted. which Is
essential to his being able to arrive
at a fair Judgment, this answer must
necessarily be in detail, perhaps TO
the point OF weariness."
some Never Satisfied.
In referring to his tenants, Mr..
Karrick declares "all business men
know that some people cannot De
satisfied" He states that he does not
know. "but the petition filed against
me discloses that not less than four
people are living In my apartments
that do not belong there" He further
declares that some OF his tenants
have moved out and subleased their
apartments without his knowledge,
and that such new tenants now refuse
to vacate.
In answering the complaint about
II afQtea
that in one case a woman complained
about a cold apartment. although the
radiators were hot. He says that
when he pointed out that her rooms
were cold because she had the win
dows down about eight inches she
expressed surprise and answered that
she did not know II.
Janitor Locked Out.
TN other cases." Mr.. Karrick con-
tinues. ''in answer to complaints, ten
ants refused to let the tanitor into
their rooms to inspetc the radiators.
They did not want me to know to
what extent they are subletting and
profiteering.'
Mr.. Karrick stresses that the hotel
was built to accommodate $50 per-
sons, but that about 500 must be liv-
ing in 1t. "Some of the tenants have
themselves sleep in the kitchen" he
adds.
He declares that because of this ex-
cessive number of persons. 1t is no
fault of his own if they do not have
enough hot water. In spite of this.
however, he states that he Is making
every effort to improve his hot-water
system.
Mr.. Karrick complains that his
hotel was built during war conditions
and that the cost of construction,
therefore, was excessive. He points
out that before the building was com
pleted it was Communicated by the
Government and alterations were or
dered.
Blames Help and Coal.
These orders were changed and
countermanded and the building was
returned without a dollar in compen'
sation for the damage and delay
says Mr.. Karrick.
He states that he has installed the
highest priced heating system in the
hotel, but that certain defects have
effort to remedy.
about his failure to get the proper
help to run the furnaces. and also
that dirty coal has added to his
troubles.
In conclusion, he points out that in
the past year he spent $4,000 for i'm
provements to the hotel, and declares
that he Is prepared to expend more
money to please my tenants"