The Washington herald., 1920-01-19
DELUGE FEARED
BY RENT FIXERS
Commissioners Preparing
For Fling Of 5000
Complaints.
WILL ORGANIZE STAFF
District Attorney to Be
Called Upon to Draft
Standardized Leases.
WILL ORGANIZE STAFF

with 1000 or more tenants an,
knnords ready to nle complaints
Dsnbsrs Of the District rent com
miszioh who expect to be sworn a
hDdsy or tomorrow upon receiving
khsir commissions. are, making plan
b preSsnt being swamped with ad
tnstmsnt disputes at the beginning
u thsir task.
win the view to minimizing tn,
D1azms Of problems involving rent
md hotel rates under the Ball act
Ne eommissioners are taking step
b build up an organization Of ste,
bpgrsphers. fle clerks. typists anc
= derical assistants, to insure {
prompt and business-like admins
nxfion.
A All property. any part of which
- rented. leased or sublet by tn,
owners, their agents 'or lessees, II
case Of dispute may be made thu
snb5ect Of proceedings before tn
commission upon the filing of {
scmplaint, there are in the Distric
approximately 100, 900 potential ap'
RAANoHNG AOA PAOHNOcA IA Z
landlords or unreasonable tenants
Personnel eff Board.
me rent commission, OF which
Cspt James F. Oyster Is chairman
b composed Of three persons. TIT
other members are Guy Mason and
A. Laftvich Sinclair.
Daniel c. Roper, Jr.. son of the
Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
who was named secretary of the
board at its first meeting on Satur-
day. h q graduate Of the District
public schools and Central High
School Since his discharge from the
army, in which he served as a sec
ond lieutenant in the A. z. F. In
France. Mr.. Roper has been employ
ed at the Capitol and more recently
al the Bureau of War Risk Insur,
ance. where he held the position Of
chief OF a correspondence section. in.
surance division.
Held In Allegiance.
Commissioner Mason. discussing
problems with which the board will
be confronted, declared last nigh
that probably several thousand ap
Hh~eNAOhS AOA doJdcNAhChAo AChtd
disputes are held in allegiance and will
be fled by landlords ana tenants a,
soon as the commission obtains office
quarters and announces it is ready
for business.
Application has been made by the
commission. Mr.. Mason said, for of
fee space in the temporary building
at Fourteenth and B streets north.
west. two blocks from the Districi
Building Mason said II is hoped Con-
gress. in view of the fact. that only
$4,000 Is allowed the commission IN
the appropriation authorizing 1t!
creation. will donate quarters, fol
which Il would otherwise have tC
spend large portion Of the sun
allotted.
Lawyers' Aid Desired.
Rules Of practice and procedure
in the presentation of disputes To
the commission by landlords and
tenants will be drawn at once" Mr.
Mason said.
I'VE are going to try to make the
administration of the law as euui-
table as possible. and to this end
are seeking the cooperation of all
concerned. The commission has
asked the president of the District
Bar Association to appoint a COM
mittCe to draw up model forms OF
leases and sub1eases, which the
commission will adopt under the
provisions of the law creating it
In this way. the experience of Dis
trict attorneys will be utilized and
make possible the adoption after
due consideration of standard forms
Of leases which will stand the test
Of the courts"
At Work In n Few Days.
Under the terms of the act all en-
Dloyes of the board. except the three
commissioners, who receive salal les
Of $500 year each. and the secre-
airy, who receives 5000, will be Sc
lected from a list Of eligibles to be
furnished by the Civil Service Com
mission The Civil Service Commits
sion has been asked to furnish the
necessary clerical personnel. and it 1;
expected the board will get down TO
work within a few days.
Rental disputes may be brought be-
fore the board in three ways-by ten
ants, by landlords. or by the commits,
sion on its own Initiative.
Until the members of the board arc
actually sworn in and the office ma
Chinery organized, il is requested that
all complaints be withheld by owners
Of real estate and tenants.
NHT HNY-~