The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-11
OF
BALL ACT THIS
TERMD0UBTFUL
Senate Will Probably Pass Ex-
tension Bill Today, But snag
10 Seen In House.

with the Senate due to pass the
Ball rent extension act today, another
snsx arises to block the troubled and
tortuous progress of this bill to
passage.
Only nine days remain before Con-
sress will recess, II the plans OF the
leaders are carried out The bill must
be forced through the House In this
brief period. 1t might be done save
for one ominous and important fact:
Three weeks have passed since the
House District Committee has been
able to obtain q quorum. and without
a quorum q report upon the Ball bill
from the committe is impossible.
Blanton's Action Feared.
A report might be made. and the
WAYS might be clear for committee
action upon the bill. save for a can
tankerous ans ohstreperous individual.
one T. Bianton, Of Texas. Blanton
seems to get light summer amusement
out Of throwing monkey xrenches INTO
the machinery whenever unani-
NOUS consent proposition-such as re-
portinR a bill from committee without
a
Therefore there Is a new nightmare
confronting District tenants. or
course, something will be gained with
the passage of the bill by the Senate;
the House will act next October and
November, when Congress reconvenes,
and the conditions then may be more
favorable to a real extension OF the
act than at present.
The Ball act was made the unfln-
ished business Of the Senate yesterday
after a number Of Republican leaders
had prevailed upon Senator Poindex-
ter to withdraw his obstructive tactics.
Leaders Busy as Beavers
These leaders were busy as beavers
all day trying to fix definitely the pro-
gram to have Congress recess by Au-
gust 20, and they saw that the muddle
involving the Ball act would have to
be gotten out OF the way before the
path to a recess was clear. Other fac
tors also were thrust into the situa-
ton to make prompt action upon the
bill advisable.
The Ball act is now assured Of a
vote and probably will be passed by
the Senate shortly after o'clock to-
day. Whether there il time for the
House District Committee to report
the measure, and for action by the
House itself. in advance of a recess,
il a debatable question. 1t probably
can be gotten through II the leaders
desire such action. Otherwise 1t may
languish until October or November.
While no poll Of the Senate has
been taken, Senator Ball is confident
he has sufficient votes to assure the
passage of his extension bill by a sub
stantial majority. Apparently there
will be no further debate.
Some Want Time Heightened.
In the House there is a considerable
faction which believes the Ball act
should be extended for a much longer
period than seven months, and II is
not improbable that the Begg bill, ex
tending the life. of the Rent Commits
sion for two years, will be adopted. II
this action should be taken there Is
little doubt that the Senate conferees
would agree to the House bill, or at
least to a compromise that would ex
tend the act considerably beyond the
period now contemplated in the Sen
ate bill.
Only nine days remain In which to
have the measure enacted into law,
however, and there will have to be
some real speed on the part Of Con
gress to do the work.