The Washington times., 1922-05-20
-FOUR SIGN =.
'AG GA|NST. .
ADOPTION
MiIIspaugh. Focht, SprouI, and
Lee Declare Act Should
Expire.

Declaring that no member of
the House would recommend the
enactment of such legislation in
his own district and that the pro-
posed extension of the Ball act
for Washington violates "every
fundamental principle of property
rights" the minority report of
the House District Committee
was submitted today by Congress
man Frank c. Millspaugh.
Four Sign Report.
The report was signed by Con.
gressman Millspaugh, Chairman
Focht, Congressman Sproul and Lee.
1t is pointed out in the report that
there Is no great demand" for apart
ments and houses for rental pur-
poses in Washington, "and inasmuch
as the summer season Is now at
hand, 1t would appear to us that this
is an appropriate time to allow this
act to expire"
In addition to the charge that the
act itself violates the principle of
property rights, the minority report
alleges that "the real estate building
promoters, through the act, have
reaped a rich harvest and have prof.
iteered to an unquestionable degree,
with helpless public, inasmuch as
1t has permitted them to build hun
dreds of houses of questionable con-
struction for which they found a
ready market at eXorbitant prices
upon the installment plan."
Says Emergency Passed.
"A comparison list of houses and
apartments In the advertising
columns of the daily newspapers,
with list appearing in the paper
seven months ago, when the act was
extended, should convince the most
skeptical that the emergency for
which this act was created has
passed"
The principle trouble in the rent
ing situation, states the report, has
not been caused by property owners
but sub-lessors who have in reality
been the worst offenders as profi-
teers."
The report further declares that
this practice was pursued by indi-
viduals who leased apartments and
installed cheap furniture, renting
them out as furnished apartments,
doubling and sometimes tripling
the original rent.
Coincident with the filing of the
minority report on the rent bill by
Congressman Frank c. Millspaugh,
of Missouri. in which II Is alleged
that the proposed act violates the
American principles of property
rights, Floor Leader Mondell, who
Is opposed to the bill, announced
on the floor that the House would
take the measure up on Monday,
the regular District day.
Mondell was asked by Congress
man Montague of Virginia II he
had any information "as to whether
the so-called Ball Rent act shall be
taken up on Monday"
That matter rests entirely with
the District Committee" Mondell
replied. "On Monday we will pass
the rivers and harbors bill, which
will require about an hours time,
and II the District Committee de-
sires to use the date it is my wish
to assist them"
CONGRESSMAN Stuart Reed OF
West Virginia, who is in charge OF
the rent bill. announced that the
measure would be called up imme-
diately after the passage of the
rivers and harbors bill and that he
would insist upon a limited debate
30 as to reach a vote by o'clock
In the afternoon with the hope of
saving the bill. as amended by the
House, concurred in by the Senate
conferees and possibly signed by
the President Monday night.