Evening star., 1922-01-18
CITIZENS IN PLEA
FOR CONTINUATION
Of BALL RENT ACT
over 200 People Crowd
Board Room in District
Building at Hearing.
INVESTIGATOR FINDS BUT
ONE SATISFIED TENANT
woman Witness Urges Laws Ex-
tension for Protection of Persons
With Children.

WIN CnllQren.
more than two hundred men and
women crowded the boardroom of the
District building today for the hear
ing called by the Commissioners 10
obtain an expression of opinion from
the citizens as TO whether the Ball
rent act should be continued for two
years or go out ofeexistence in May.
brief colloquy between Charles W.
Griffin. tenant. and Louis Gutenberg.
attorney. enlivened the morning ses-
sion.
Mr.. Griffin had finished testifying
concerning his rent and living condl-
tions in a northwest apartment house
when Mr.. Gutenberg arose TO ask him
il he knew what ii cost the owner
to maintain that apartment-to meet
trusts. water bills and other cx-
penses.
Commissioner Rudolph suggested 10
Mr.. Gutenberg that I'VE are not get
ting anywhere"
Asks General Inquiry.
Mr.. Gutenberg replied that he want
ed to point out only that the Com
missioners will hear many statements
Of personal complaints, and that al
such a hearing arguments should be
directed along more general line.
Commissioner Keller interposed that
a witness can live in only one place at
time and that such statements Of in
diviiual experiences were good evil
dence.
All of the witnesses heard this morn
ing were tenants, and they expressed
to the Commissioners a fear that II
the Ball act dies this May tenants will
suffer.
Charles H. Burke, the first witness
told the Commissioners he had can
vassed the northwest section for three
months in connection with several
civic movements, and had inquired at
houses he visited for opinions on the
rent situation.
But One Satisfied Tenant
He testified he found only one ten
ant who was satisfied with the rent
he was paying. all Of the others with
whom he talked feeling they were
being required to pay too much.
f! Samuel A. Pearl told the commits
! sion that six months after his rent
had been fixed at $40 for an apart
| ment the agent asked for $50 III
| crease. ..... 81. =
Miss Marion Clark. a school teach
! er. related the difficulties she has
| had in her apartment. and then sub
mitted to the Commissioners clippings
of advertisements tending to show
that the purchase of apartment
houses is being advertised as q profit
able form of investment.
Would Protect Children.
Mrs. A. v. Horstman, living in a
| northwest apartment house. appealed
to the Commissioners to recommend
+
tinued for the protection OF persons
with children, many of whom, she
! said. would be unable to find places
to live if they were required to move
] from their present quarters after the
Ball act expires.
J F. G. Griffith. who said he WAS a
retired minister. urged the commits
! sion also 10 stard for continuation
| of the Ball act.
! Judge OConnell. former solicitor for
! the Treasury. a tenant o 1863 lintwood
place, told the Commissioners !hat the
! rent of the apartment Occupied by HIM
1 had been increased from $50 N lSi6 10
| $3.50, now asked. and that the building
| has rot been kept IN good repair. De-
! spite his eighty two years. lie said. he
! is able to climb 10 the fourth aoo!. He
/ expressed the hope that the Commits
/ sioners will recommend the extension OF
the Ball act. for where would we be
without it," he asked.
Judge Declares Act In Just.
The act is just and fair. and the
rent commission has shown itself fair
and just" Judge O'ConneH said. Miss
Elizabeth Cross, a teacher who lives at
the same place. corroborated statements
made by Judge O'Connell
Mrs L. H. Boggs of the Rockingham
apartment. presented a petition con
| tanning a thousand names, asking for
| the extension of the rent law.
I'VE are passing through hades in
our apartment at this time" she said.
applause from the crowded hearing
room. The rent commission Is d
| podsend 20 this town." she continued
| without it there would be a riot in
! this city. In our apartment old ladies
have to wrap up in blankets until the
heat COMES up.
Mrs. Boggs told how she had cofnbed
the real estate agents. over the tele-
phone. in an attempt to find another
| apartment, and at last found one
agent who had an apartment at
price she felt she could AFFORD. The
! agent asked her. she said. II she had
taken advantage Of the Ball act"
Determination In Alleged.
Il told him yes. and then. he said.
L wouldn't rent to you. then. under
any circumstances
| Another witness. living in two
family apartment on street. testifled
| that real estate men have a list OF
those who went to the rent commits
sion, and I understand they declare
! that all who went to the commission
| will find 1t hard to rent apartments"
D. Notion Of s16 Westminster street
said he was partly in favor OF the eN-
tension of the act, but thought that
the act should have nothing to do
with the rents OF houses at $z5. OF
! under. He said there is great need
for small houses. &
"Do you know that there Is more
building going on here than everT
asked Commissioner Rudolph.
"Do you know" returned the wit
ness, "that they are all for sale, and
very few for rentT' ~ o..
Two to One for Extensiea.
Following this witness, Commits
sioner Rudolph asked that all in the
room favoring the extension OF the
Ball act arise, and when they had
done SO the Commissioner counted
sixty-two persons, leaving perhaps
thirty persons who. by remaining
seated, indicated that they were
against the extension. The chairman
,he,, announced that the hearing OF
those in favor was concluded, and