The Washington times., 1921-06-05

SkilifulIy Worded Clauses Allow
ing Eviction Put Forth
as Amendments.

When the resolution TO extend the
Ball Rent Act for a period OF two
years is presented to the Senate next
week, two amendments probably will
be added to the law.
One of them-a skillfully worded
and constructed clause-will make it
practicable for the landlord to evict
an Undesirable tenant"-that is, a
tenant not merely undesirable to the
landlord, but to his fellow tenants.
WILL sAAKE SALES EASIER.
Another one will attempt to deal
with the cooperative plan of selling
apartments--to permit owners of
apartments to gain possession of
their property Tor purposes of sale.
Both of these amendments have
considerable support in the commit
tee Senator Ball himself says:
The only misgivings ! had about
the rent act when IL was framed
two years ago were that IL did not
provide way TO put an undesirable
tenant out of his apartment; that
Ia was so phrased as to take the
control OF rental property almost
entirely out of control of the owner.
However. IL was found difficult
10 not impossible to provide for
such action by the landlord without
taking the teeth out of the law. !
think II is possible we will be able
to get around this trouble now"
LANDLORDS -sPITE. FEARED.
There are other members of the
committee who will oppose this
amendment on two grounds First,
that any change In the existing
statute will AFFORD certain interests
another opportunity TO test its con-
stitutionality. and thus to obstruct
it's operation for time; and. second,
that any clause of the kind can be
taken advantage Of by landlords to
eyict tenants for spite" or for any
o.her cause.
These members point out that the
police power gives landlords ample
scope to get rid OF tenant who Is
actually and demonstrably "undesir-
able and obnoxious, and that there
are many such cases OF recent record.
The suggested form of the amend
ment is that the landlord be allowed
TO - change the tenant of a given
apartment at the expiration of his
lease. but that he shall not be given
power to change the rent of this
apartment, II such rent has been fixed
and established by the Rent Commits
SION.
There are many tenants who AL
ready have written to Senator Ball OPP
posing this clause, inasmuch as II
affords the landlord a chance to pen
Alize any tenant at his pleasure. II
would give free and unlimited scope
for spite work" and intimidation, in
their opinion.
WILL NOT BAR SALE
A. Leftwich Sinclair, chairman of
the Rent Commission, is of the opin-
ion that any amendment TO the act
providing for the cooperative SELL
ing of apartments. and for possession
whenever such sale is determined up
on, is unnecessary He says that the
Rent Commission will unhesitatingly
give landlord possession whenever
he desires to sell his property.
Senator Ball. however, believes
that the existing law regarding pos
session should be clarified, and he
probably will introduce an amend
ment OF the type indicated.
The senate District Committee will
meet Wednesday, it's regular meeting
day. to determine its report upon
the extention of rent law. While
no poll of the committee has been
taken, II is believed that an over
whelming majority will support the
extention, although a minority re-
port may be put in by Seator King and
perhaps several others who believe
that the housing emergency in Wash
ington has been partially abated.
1t probably will be many weeks,
or even months, before the extern.
ton is finally determined upon by
both branches OF Congress, and It 10
too early to predict what action the
House will take with reference to