The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-08-17
SENATE VOTES
EXTENSION OF
BALLRENT ACT
Amendment Adds Seven
Months Extra From
October %:
ACTION BY HOUSE
MAY BE DELAYED
Eight Senators Opposed
To Act Engage in Spir-
tied Debate.

By vote of IS to s the Senate
yesterday passed the amendment
extending the District rent law
seven months from October %.
The measure went to the House
with little prospect of passage be-
fore Congress recesses. probably
next Wednesday.
Senators Brandegee. of Connecti-
cut: Ernst. Kentucky Hsrreld.
Oklahoma: Knox. Pennsylvan q /;
Poindexter.. Washington; Short.
ridge California: Wadsworth. New
York. and Watson. of Georgia,
voted against the amendment while
four Senators withheld their votes.
Property Owners Letter Read.
Nearly an hours debate preceded
the vote. Senator Poindexter de-
clared that the bill. to be consistent,
should be amended so as to permit
tenants to obtain money from
property owners. Under the rent
law. he said. tenants are given pos
session of houses without consent
Of the owners. and IL they haven't
sufficient money with which to buy
provisions, why shouldn't they be
permitted to take the money for
these necessaries from property
owners, as well as mere shelter.
He laid before the Senate a let
ter from Judson I. Kingman. .
property owner who said that he
had been unable to gain possession
Of a house on H street, either for
purposes Of remodeling or shelter
Ing members Of his own family.
Addressed TO Senator Rail-.
The letter. dated August IL, was
copy. the original Of which was
addressed to Senator Ball. chairman
Of the Senate District Committee
and father Of the rent law, which
said:
'T read In this mornings Wash
ington Herald that you stated the
Rent Commission dealt justly with
property owners. am the owner
Of a house on H street. the lease
on which expired August I. As ]
had not received adequate rent,
asked the Rent Commission to give
me possession. so I could remodel
my house. saying had two married
children would like to have oc-
cupy 1t to be near me. I was in
formed nothing could be done SO
long as the rent was paid. Cp To
the last two weeks my tenant re-.
"Aived up to $40 a month sub-rent
besides own shelter 7 understand
there Is nothing In the rent law
shout tearing a hose down to the
ground. this ruling being made bv
the Rent Commission"
Wants to Leave District.
The writer of the letter said he
longed for the day when he can sell
his District of Columbia property
and move back to Illinois where
people have a vote. and II they do
not get justice don't have to stand
around and see their property con-
| hscated
Senator Shortridge, of California,
voicad his opposition to the law on
legal grounds. He declared It to
he unconstitutional, now that the
war emergency has passed. and said
that whatever reasons may be as
signed for the recent decision OF
the United States Supreme Court.
upholding by a bare majority of
one the constitutionality of the law,
tho decision manifestly applied To
the law as !: was passed to take
care Of a wartime emergency, and
not to the extension of the law,
applying to a peace-time situation.
The war is definitely over, the
California Senator declared, and the
time has come to remove restric-
tions from business and private
affairs.
Defended byNPomerene.
Senator Pomerene, Of Ohio, de-
Tended the legality Of the amend
ment, declaring that the United
States Constitution gives Congress
authority over the District of CO.
lumbia. and 1t has a right to reg
ulate rents IL rents become a pub
lie question affecting the health
and welfare of the citizens of the
District. He sad there Is but one
| rreat business here, and that is the
business of government; that
Washington has one great plant,
which is the plant in which its
'itizens are engaged in govern
ment business. People affected by
CONTINUED ON PAGE NINE.