Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-01
The Rental Chaos.

"A prepoSterOuS situation prevails
now in respect to the relations between
landlord and tenant in the District of
Columbia. During the war housing
was so inadequate in Washington that
sents advanced, sale prices were in
creased, everything that would shelter
a family or an individual was at a
high premium.
After a few months of this condition,
in which great hardship was expert
enced by many thousands of people,
an emergency law was enacted by Con-
gress, called the Salisbury law, which
gave protection to tenants and pre-
vented their custer save for bona fide
purchase and occupancy. Safeguards
were thrown around them to such an
extent that the law reacted seriously
against the owners of property, who
we're in many cases deprived of the
use of their buildings and of an ade-
guate return upon them. Efforts to
ODtd1u lHoiC CQQltdOAC Id" WIZ
thwarted in Congress for long time,
but finally an act was passed, styled
the Ball act, which, while subject to
certain objections, was a closer ap-
proach to equity than its predecessor.
1t created a rent commission to sit in
hearing of complaints and cases, with
appeal to the Court of Appeals.
Promptly the constitutionality of this
act was challenged, test case was
arranged and was carried as quickly
as. possible to trial. The Court of
Appeals declared it unconstitutional,
and there the matter stands, with APP
peal to the United States Supreme
Court in process of arrangement.
The decision of the Court of Appeals
il, not final, but it has the effect of
depriving the rent commission in very
great measure of its prestige as the
administrative factor of the Ball act.
Now it is claimed that if the Ball act
is nu1lifed by the courts ruling the
Salisbury act is automatically restored
to, effectiveness, inasmuch as the Ball
act carried repeal of the earlier
statute. If the repeating act is void
the repeal fails and the earlier enact
meat becomes again effective. But, it
is argued, the repeating act is not yet
'"Qaite Dead" inasmuch as the appeal
has not been taken to the Supreme
Ceart and a ruling obtained there. As
far as the Ball act is concerned it
has practically been nullified by the
Court of Appeals decision, but that de-
cision does not yet serve to restore its
predecessor, for the reason that the de-
cision is not final.
ground to wonder that both landlords
and tenants in the District are thor
Oughly puzzled as to "where they are
att The Municipal Court, working on
the theory that the Ball act has been
set aside, is hearing cases under the
old statutes, but, the District Supreme
Court, to which appeals are taken from
that court, being in summer recess,
procedure on that basis is slow and
uncertain. This situation is unsatis-
factory to both sides. 1t tends to dis
courage development, and yet there is
nofrelief. No statutory enactment is
possible for many months and no final
court decision can be had for much, If
any, short Of half year. The rent
commission, its right to exist chal-
lenged by court decision, continues to
function, but is now taking vacation
after a strenuous career Of three OF
four months.
About the only people in the District
who are comfortable in these circum-
stsnces are those who own their dwell
ings, and even they are not particularly
happy in view of increase in taxes re.
eeuflv voted nv Conoyeas