Evening star., 1922-05-16
TEST Of FAIRNESS
UP TO REALTORS
Congress Members to Note
Results, Should Ball Rent
/ Law Fail of Extension.

Prominent members. both repub-
licans and democrats. Of the House
are expressing the opinion that 1t may
be a good thing when the Ball rent
act expires by limitation next Mon
day to give the real estate men Of
Washington an opportunity to show
how they would act with restrictions
removed.
Representative Frank c. Millspaugh
of Missouri, who led the fight in the
House District committee against the
new legislation to extend the life Of
the Rent Commission, said today that
assurances he is receiving from his
colleagues indicate that the House
will go slow about passing a new
rent commission act. He believes that
the Washington Real Estate Board
will itself create an effective. fair rent
commission. The greatest evil in the
situation, he says, Is that OF sub
letting, and he warns people who
have been engaged in this business
that If they attempt to- take advan-
tage OF the lapsing of the law they
will find speedily enacted a new law
designed especially to thwart their
practices.
Mr.. MillspauEh Grntdhed.
1T is extremely gratifying" said
Representative Millspaugh today. Ito
know that the Washington Real Es-
tate Board has determined to create
a fair rents commission from the per-
sonnel of their board. While there
will be some landlords who will
doubtless seek to take advantage of
the situation which will be created
by the lapse of the Ball rent act, it is
hoped that vigorous and fair action
by the Washington Real Estate Board.
commission, together with the chasten-
ing effect of public opinion, will so
control the situation that there will
be a minimum of distress caused by
the lapse of the act.
The base ball interests and the
moving picture industry of their own
initiative" Representative Mills
paugh continued. Influenced very
largely by public opinion, have been
able to overcome very many of the
reprehenSible practices which had
grown up in their business activities.
and inasmuch as the real estate board
Gems disposed to profit by the expe-
rience Of the base ball and moving
picture interests. it seems only fair
that the Ball rent act should be al
lowed to expire and give them an
opportunity to clean house them
selves.
Points to Source of Trouble.
Inc hearings DSfOTe Ine Rouse
District committee have established
tho fact beyond the shadow of a
doubt that almost the entire trouble
in the rent situation has been caused
by the avaricious profiteering of sub
lessons instead of the owners of prop
erty."' Representative Millspaugh em-
phasizes.
In thousands Of cases." he pointed
out, "it has developed that parties
owning no property whatever, some
Of them being government clerks,
have leased apartments on the chain
principle, have Installed a minimum
of furniture Of a. very inferior grade
and in many cases second -hand-fur-
niture-and have often more than
doubled the rent by subleasing-
1T might be well to call attention
to the fact that this reprehensible
practice is doomed. whether the Ball
rent act is extended or not. for the
bill, which has been reported by the
House District committee. puts a
quietus upon this practice, SO that
II the Ball rent act is extended this
practice will be outlawed, and II
the Ball rent act expires and is not
re-enacted the. owners of the prop
erty will be able to control this sit
uation through the terms of their
leases.
landlords who are not members of
the Washington Real Estate Board
will give their hearty cooperation
to the proposed plans of that board
and will refrain from paying any
grudges that they may hold against
their present tenants by evictions,
to the end that a spirit Of harmony
and good feeling may again be es-
tablished by the landlords and ten
ants. as this Is the ultimate solution
Of the problem"
Fair Rentals Board Planned.
First steps toward definite organiza-
ton of the realtors fair rentals COM
mittee will be taken this afternoon by
a special committee of the Washing
ton Real Estate Board, at a meeting
in the offices of the board. Interna-
tional building.
The committee, composed Of B. F.
Saul. Thomas Bradley, William =.
will develop preliminary arrange
and also will propose the names of
members of the board for appoint
ments for forming such committee
mont to the rentals committee by
the executive committee.
The action today follows announce
ment Of policy of the board In an
open letter issued Saturday by Presi-
dent Harry K. Boss. This letter urged
members Of the Real Estate Board.
owners in general to refrain from
taking advantage of any lapse of the
BAH rent act by unjustifiably in
creaSing rents. arbitrarily seeking
possession of properties or discrimi-
mating against tenants who may have
appeared before the Rent Commits
sion.
Pledges to Take Action.
The Real Estate Board accordingly
pledged itself to create fair rentals
committee of realtors, to function in
q manner that will assist landlords
and tenants in the adjustment of dis
putes and the fixing of fair rentals.
while without any legal status, it is
expected that through the pressure
of public opinion gained by publicity.
owners and agents tas well as those
tenants who sublet will respect and
ment Of rental controversies, Execu-
tive SECRETARY Petty announces.
The services of the committee will
be free to both landlord and tenant.
realty board recognizes it has a
serious responsibility in helping to
adjust any housing conditions that
may develop by reason of the lapse
of the rent law. and fs willing to
use the strength and influence of
fair and equitable agreements be-
tween landlords and tenants are ac-
complished.
Senator Ball Doubtful.
Senator Ball. chairman of the Dis
trict committee and author of the
Ball rent act. said today that he did
not believe the voluntary rent COM
mittee. which the real estate board OF
Washington proposes to establish,
would be adequate to meet the situa-
tion here in the event the bill extend
ing the life of the rent act fails to
become q law.
senator Bali pointed out that the
nropOsed committee would have M