The Washington herald., 1921-06-02
SENATE CONTINUES
HEARINGS ON BALL
RENT LEGISLATION
Cooperative Owners Say
Plan Meets With Pub
lie Approval.

senator Ball was unable yester-
day to complete hearings ON the
bill to prolong the rent law two
years from next October. and the
District committee of the senate
will meet again at 10 o'clock this
morning. Purchasers and sellers on
the cooperative plan are being
heard. several testifying during the
session yesterday morning.
Louis K. Valentine, Edmond
Murphy and Mabel A. Butler will
be among the first witnesses today.
They are to explain the circum-
stances under which they pur-
chased apartments. John l.. Smith.
Mrs. III. H. Lee, b. +. Saul, James
l.. Karrick and other owners will
testify.
William +. Browning, of local
real estate firm. said the statement
attributed to District Commissioner
James +. Oyster, former rent COM
missioner. that the cooperative
plan was a fake to get higher
prices and rents, could not have
emanated from an unprejudiced
mind.
Opposes Continuance.
william E. Richardson. a seller
of apartments on this plan, said 1t
should be encouraged rather than
discouraged. Judge Isaac Gates.
who has made a sale on this plan.
gave II his Endorsement. Edwin A.
Krauthoff concluded his testimony.
which was begun yesterday. He
declared that conditions here did
nf nf the
Ball rent act
Mrs. p. 4. Morefield. Mrs. A. Hart
and Charles Dabis. all tenants,
urged continuance OF the law as a
protection to tenants. citing expert
ences TO show that they had been
unfairly treated at the hands of
landlords. Mrs. Morefield said the
apartment she rented at s55 had
paying $40. She said when she ap-
pealed to the rent commission she
was notified to move. The COM
mission fixed the rent at $3.50.
Mrs. Hart said she is paying $50
a month on house that originally
rented for $40. She said her hus-
ment at sl.2e0 a year and they have
SIN Int H.
Eleven apartment houses have
been put on sale by his firm since
March. 1920. under the cooperative
plan. said Morrison, and 355 apart
ments sold at a total of s1.S5o. 900.
He said the average profit has not
been above 10 per cent He urged
that recognition be given the plan.
In some cases he said there were
losses.
Senator Ball told the witnesses
that IL apartment house owners had
not received a fair return on their
investment 1t was their own fault.
as they could have appealed to the
rent commission. In answer to Sem
ator Jones. who asked il he would
rather have vacant apartments than
rent them, a witness said he could
not afford to rent for less.
The District committee held an
executive session following ad-
journment of the hearing on the
Ball rent act. A favorable report
was ordered on the Jones bill for
daylight saving in the government
departments and on the street car
lines here.
Senator Capper received notice
from the bureau of education that
the special report of Commissioner
Claxton on school requirements
could not be made probably before
Saturday. The senator. who is
chairman of the subcommittee on
education which is in charge of the
school emergency legislative pro-
gram calling for 81 ,o0o. 900, expected
the amendment providing approxi-
mately this amount in the second
deficiency bill to be passed by the
senate. Conferences with Chairman
Ball of the District committee and
Chairman Phipps OF the appropria-
tions subcommittee on District af-
fairs, will be held however