The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-05-23
RENT LAWFOES
OUTFLANkED BY
CLEVER TACTICS
Opponents, It Is Believed, Made
To Feel Harding's Approval
of Act.
BY A. NJ. JAMESON.

Slcuit lOi lhe pdbbdkt vi inc todn
rent act extension yesterday by Con.
gress must 90, in part a. least. to
President Harding. Although the
Executive pursued strictly hands
off" policy, it is well understood that
Senator Ball. at the time OF his visit
to the White House last Saturday.
interested him in the locdl housing
crisis.
IF the act is not extended" Sena.
tor Ball told the President, thou.
sands of tenants will be evicted or
charged rentals beyond tn .ir pow or
to pay, and a disgraceful situation
will be seen in Washington"
A moving plea was ciadc by Soma.
tor Ball, and although the President
remained entirely neutral sharp
shift in the situation was Eoted II ON
that time forward.
Hard-shelled leaders OF the House,
who have flatly refused to unit
the Ball act to come up for corsid.
GRAFTON in the lower chamber, began
to waver in their resolve. Il became
| apparent that they had bitten off
more than they could chew They
| ONtE"nGlFnlnK
timent In Congress against th,m.
but various influential Government
officials began TO take a hand against
| them.
Mondell Turns Over.
Congressman Mondell paid a visit
TO the White House yesterday morn.
ing and as result reversed his atti.
tude in opposition TO the Ball act
completely. All day yesterday he
labored with the other supporters Of
the law TO break the filibuster. In
| the meantime Senator Ball had called
upon Congressman Longworth and
enlisted his support.
IL was observed that Congressman
Longworth was the presiding officer
| In the House during the most difficult
period Of the debate yesterday after
noon, and the skill which which he
kept the bill from going on the rocks
was very apparent.
To Senator Ball himself. however
goes the major credit for the great
victory scored on behalf OF the ten.
ants OF the District OF Columbia. A
few days ago the fight to pass the
utterly lost. Real estate operators
y
office received many talks over the
telephone from them.
Senator Ball never wavered In his
hope. and belief that the bill would
he passed in time to save those who
were threatened with eviction. He
| conferred with various Senators and
Congressman and made steady prog.
| ress. The most remarkable part OF
his work came last night. when he
succeeded in having the Senate con
| cur m the House amendment in the
face of considerable opposition.
Very CIeverIy Managed.
II the slightest shadow OF a fila.
buster had developed in the Senate
last night the Ball act would have
failed to pass. Senator Poindexter.
the strongest opponent of the bill.
was in the hospital. But a number
of other Senators, including Moses
and Myers. remained to be placated
and the way in which their objec.
tons were outflanked, and Senator
Ball with the least possible friction
effected his purpose. was a most un.
usual instance of legislative man.
agement.
Never has Congress shown such
speed in getting a bill to the Presi.
dent after all the formalities con
neCted with its passage were gone
| through.
The actual enrolling OF the bill
was completed before the bill was
passed. Senator Cummins, Presi.
dent pro TEN. of the Senate, was
held in readiness at his home to
sign the bill the moment 1t waE
brought to him in a taxicab. Last.
| but not least, President Harding re
i manned In his study during the early
| part of the evening to place his sig.
nature upon the bill.
AS he did so, shortly after 8
o'clock, he turned to Senator Ball,
congratulated him and presented
him with the gold pen with which
| he signed the measure.
This morning Senator Ball pre-.
scented the gold pen TO Miss A. r.
Piser, Secretary Of the Senate Dis.
trict Committee, who has Iabored foI
many months on behalf Of the pas
sage Of the bill.