The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-19
EXTENSION MAY
BE ASKED FOR
BALLRENT LAW
Commissioners Impressed
With Appeal Of 200
Tenants at Hearing.

act for two more years with "a few
amendments to aid the Rent Com
mission. is expected from, the Dis
trict Commissioners, according to
information received at the District
Building following the public hear
ing, held yesterday.
|, More than 200 persons packed the
board room to testify before the
Commissioners as to the need for
continuing the law Tho Pomerene
biil now before the Senate proposes
that the Ball rent act. which ex-
pires May 1, be extended for two
years. Nearly all the tee.imony Of
Tered was that of tenants who
pointed out the danger Of rent in
creases in case the extension is not
granted. .a.
included among the amendments
that will probably be recommended
to Congress by the District Commits
sioners will be one requiring the
Rent Commission to make investi-
cations when complaints are made
rather than to rely on testimony
submitted at the office. Such in
vestigation should be made by
agents of the commission in every
case that Is at all doubtful, accord
ing to one of the Commissioners.
Rasins Buildings Hindered.
Another amendment which prob
ably will be recommended would re-
| move the difficulties which now
make 1t almost impossible to tear
down a tenanted building in order
TO construct other buildings in its
place. At present it is necessary to
provide an equal number of living
accommodations elsewhere before an
owner can have his building va
Gated for remodeling or other con-
struction.
AIDED to the testimony sub.
mitted at yesterdays meeting NJ
the board. the secretary, Daniel e.
Garges. has a large number of
letters and petitions asking that
the rent act be extended, One
petition submitted by Mrs. 1T
| Boggs. OF the Rockingham apart
ments' contains over 700 names.
Another petition was headed with
the name of William A. Craig.
Thinks Tenants BIacklIsted,
c. w. Griff1n, of 1893 Meridian
place northwest. stated that he
| believed the real estate agents
maintained a blacklist against all
tenants who had made use of the
Rent Commission. Mr. Boggs also
testified that the landlords were
not renting to tenants who had
appeared before or made com.
plants TO the Rent Commission
One witness said that real estate
men themselves admitted they were
not renting to any who had com.
planned.
Mrs. Harry A. Horstman, living
at the Princeton apartments, 1885,
p street northwest, broke down
while testifying to the trouble.
tenants with children had in get.
ting a place to live. She begged
the commission to continue the
protection Of the Rent Commits.
sion. Numerous witnesses testified
that they had been told by ,theiI
landlords that as soon as ting Ball
rent act expired they would have
| to get. out.
During the hearing Commissioner
James F. Oyster stated unequivo-
cably that he intended to do all in
his power to- extend the act for
| two years. Commissioner Keller
| broke into an argument between
| Charles w. Griffin and Louis Often
| berg, an attorney. to say that II
was the testimony OF those whom
the act was intended to benefit that
| he wished to be brought out.
Would Encourage Building.
Charles H. Burke, the first wit
I ness. said that after canvassing the
northwest section of the city for
| three months he had found only one
satisfied tenant. d. Notion, OF Gle
| Westminster street. stated that he
believed aN houses renting for less
than s.5 should be free from the
operation of the act in order, that
| the building of small houses might
be encouraged.
Opposing the extension of the act
Bates Warren. a property owner,
stated that the act put a check on
building operations and that were II
removed there would be an increase
! in places for rent. He said that
most builders were erecting houses
| to sell. Commissioner Oyster asked
whether conditions for ending the
act would not be better two years
| from now
]. Raymond Hoover told the Com
mission that he did not see why
rents were singled out for regula-
ton. A number of those present
were opposed to the act on the
ground that it was class legisla.
! ton.
Following the submitting of evil
dence, Commissioner Cuno H. Ru-
dolph called for a standing vote on
the extension and found that nearly
all present were in favor At the
beginning of hearing, Commissioner
! Oyster barred all discussion on the