Evening star., 1922-02-27
|EXPLA|N new BALL
| ACT TO PRESIDENT
Senator and Republican
Leaders Confer With Ex-
ecutive on Measure.

Senator Ball of Delaware. chairman
Of the Senate District committee. and
author. of the Ball rent act, accom-
panied by William T. Galliher, chair
man of the republican state commit
tee Of the District and Edward F.
Colloday. republican national commit
teeman for the District. conferred
with President Harding at the White
House today regarding. the provisions
has been approved by the. committee
and will be presented on the floor Of
the Senate tomorrow. They explained
In detail the several new and more
important provisions included in the
proposed new act.
Presldent Shows Interest.
President Harding, as a resident
and property owner in this city
for a number of years, has al
ways taken an interest in the work.
ings Of the rent act. and it was with
the view to reassuring him that the
proposed act proves more bene-
'hcial generally throughout the city
1t the details of 1t were explained
e him today. However, the primary
object of the interview was to ex-
plain clearly that provision Of the
new act providing for a rent COM
mission of Ave members instead of
the present three.
Senator Ball explained that the
work of the commission had increased
SO that this additional membership
on the board was found necessary.
He told the President. though. that
had eliminated the creation of a sec
jond attorney for the commission pure
ly as means Of economy. but that it
was thought this could be overcome
by the President when the time comes
for appointing. the two new members
| the local bar. He pointed out that
the legal part of the commission work
! could be well taken care of with the
one present attorney if the commits
SION itself was composed of at least
! three lawyers. there being one on the
| commission at present.
Names Are Suggested.
1t Is understood also that in dis
cussing the increase in the size of
! tie commission the delegation sug-
gested to the President the names of
! several local lawyers whom they con-
sidered especially well qualified for
the post in question. The names
/ were given TO the President in order
! that he might consider them when
| the time arrives for him TO make his
; selection.
| Senator Ball expressed much opti-
ism regarding the final outcome of
ane rent act. He said he had been
given every assurance that the bill
| will be passed readily when it is
; brought before the Senate, and that
ittle opposition is looked for when
II is brought up in the House.
teps;ae psGaests 3, against the proposed ex-
are coming to the Senate District
committee from real estate. boards
located In many parts of the country
Some of those from which letters
have been received in regard to the
matter are the real estate boards OF
Cleveland, .Buffalop Evanston, III;
!: Lansing. Mich; Burlington, Iowa, and
Frankfort. Ind.
Hamper BuiIainx Charge.
/. in general, the letters of protest in
dicate that such rent legislation ham,
pers building operations, and that the
building of new houses is needed no,
only in Washington. but all over the
country. 1t is dangerous. they say, tc
continue further restrictive meas.
ures." such as the Ball rent act.
The fear is expressed also that the
city councils outside the District OF
Columbia will take note of the action
of the Senate # 1t passes the hill ex.
tending the rent act, and may adop,
| similar measures.
ut sets bad example," one lette.
says. lin other cities, where such
measures are not so badly needed as
| in Washington"