Evening star., 1922-02-23
No Opposition Develops Thus
Far as Measure Is Order
ed Reported.
EARLY Enactment SEEN
/ EXTENDING PRESENT ACT
Important Amendments Tend to In
crease the Efficiency and Effective
ness of the Commission.

The life of the Ball rent act for the
District of Columbia is extended until
May %. 1924. under a bill ordered
reported to the Senate today by the
Senate District committee.
The report will be made formally
within day or two by Senator Pom
creme of Ohio. 1t Is expected that the
bill will be passed by the Senate.
Practically no opposition to the meas
.ure has been voiced by members of
the Senate. In fact, there has been
strong approval by senators for the
continuation of the act. AS soon as
the bill has been placed on the calen-
dar. its supporters will seek the first
opportunity to get it up for considera-
ton.
The present rent act is due to expire
May %. 1922. There is ample time in
which to put through the bill extend
ing the life of the act, 1t was pointed
out today.
Amendments Made.
The bill ordered reported by the
District committee makes a number of
important amendm ents to the existing
act. In the first place. it places busi-
ness properties under the jurisdiction
Of the District rent commission. as in
the original Bali rent act. The first
extention OF the original act, put
through last year, exempted business
properties from the operation of the
law. But the great increases in rent
demanded for those properties has
reused members of the committee. The
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation is on record as favoring the
inclusion of business properties in the
jurisdiction of the rent commission.
operation of the law. But the bill will
be so worded that the owner or man
ager Of an apartment house will not
be able to claim that he is operating
hotel and so avoid the act. g-y
The bill calls for an increase in the
members to f1ve They are to be APP.
pointed by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate. The existing
commission is to continue In opera
tion until the five are appointed and
confirmed. In the future the commits
Inspectors Provided For.
Provision is made in the bill for the
appointment by the com mmission of
two inspectors-outside OF the civil
service-at salaries not in excess Of
$4,000 1t Is also provided that any
member of the commission may con-
duct hearings The rent comm ssion
is given wide authority to call for pa
pers and summon witnesses, and any
violation of these provisions OF the
law are punishable by fines not ex-
ceeding $1,000, or Imprisonment not
exceeding year, or both.
to increase the efficiency OF the Rent
Commission and to prevent any delay
in its determinations.
Appeal Only to One Court.
: The bill especially provides that
appeals may be taken from the de-
cisions of the rent compission only
to the Supreme Court of the District,
and no case involving matters de-
termined by the rent commission may
be taken up in any of the courts,
except on appeal, and in the manner
indicated, to the District Supreme
Court. Unless within ten days after
the filing of the commissions de-
termination in a case any party to
the complaint appeals therefrom to
the District Supreme Court, the de-
cision Of the commission shall be
final.
The bill declares that the emergency
in the housing situation in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, to meet which the
original rent act was passed, still
continues to exist, and that the pres
ent housing and rental conditions in
the District require further extension
Of the act.
The bill, in form, re-enacts, extends
and amends the original act and the
act of last year extending the rent
act to May %, 1922.