Evening star., 1922-04-15

Md, where they stopped yesterday for
the MONDAY meal.
commissioners of the written applica-
tion therefor. and in the event an ad-
vance in rates is granted the same
requirements with reference to- the
posting Of notices and filing copies
thereof with the Rent Commission of
the District of Columbia, as above
provided, shall apply"
For violations Of this provision OF
the law it is, provided that persons
found guilty shall be fined not less
than $40 nor more than 500 for each
offense. and shall be deemed guilty OF
a misdemeanor.
was not seeking to thrust upon the
Rent Commission the duty Of trying
to ascertain whether hotel charges
are just or unjust; am simply seek
| ing to provide some means Of prevent
ing hotels from advertising, in case
Of conventions and other meetings in
Washington, that there will be no in
crease in prices charged by them in
order to induce people to come, and
then practicing all kinds Of extor-
ton"
He said he had one time engaged
rooms in one Of the best hotels in
Washington for persons coming to a
convention. at 81 day.
II offered to pay in advance" said
Senator Caraway, but / was assured 1t
would be reserved. When the people
came, and they came more than 1000
miles, they found their reservation had
been Cancelled, and they were charged
and compelled to pay $50 day for
their rooms"
Rent Commission Increased.
The bill as passed by the Senate ex-
tends the rent act for two years from
May 22. 1922 1t increases the size Of
the rent commission by adding two ad-
ditional commissioners, and provides for
two inspectors at salary not in excess
of $4,000 each, to be appointed outside
the civil service.
1t is provided in the bill that the Dis
trict Supreme Court shall not issue in
junction. permanent or temporary. re-
raining or enjoining the commission
from fixing rents.
The senator's voted on the extension
bill as follows:
For the bill (36)-Ashurst, Ball,
tbs, Dial. Glass, Gooding. Hale. Harris.
J Harrison. Hefiin. Jones, Washington;
Kendrick. Keyes. La Toilette. Len
| root. Lodge. McNary. Nicholson. Nor
! beck. Phipps. Pittman: Pomerene.
land, Townsend, Trammell. Walsh,
Montana: Warren. Watson, Indiana: !:
Willis.
Against the bill UD-Broussard
Ernst. Harreld, King, Mckinley
Poindexter. Reed. Sheppard. Stanley.
Wadsworth, Watson. Georgia; Will
liams.
Attacked by Poindexter.
The rent act extension bill was Wig
| orously attacked by Senator Poindex-
! ter of Washington. republican, who
asserted that it was un-American; that
it had failed to accomplish what it
set out to do. and that because of
| the rent act housing conditions in
! Washington still were bad. He said
| private bargaining.
i Doesn't it suggest something that
Lenin has done.'' interrupted Sena-
F! tor Mccormick. of Illinois. republican.
II was just going to say" replied
Senator Poindexter, that although il
| is a far cry to Genoa. .he interna-
| tional conference there hinges On a
| proposition laid down tn the Russian
! delegates that Russia shall recognize
! =
same question is presented in the Sen
ate of the United Sta-es.
| Senator PoiEdeXter declared that he
best argument against the extension
bill was found in the report of the
! District committee favorin,y the pas
/ sage of the bill. Referring to unsatis-
! factory housing conditions IN the Dis
| trict. the reports says, your commit
| tee finds that the same conditions con-
| tinue to exist, If they have not grown
| worse"
Says 1t Failed in Purpose.
! "The committee" said Senator Poin-
! dexter, says the law hasn't ac-
complished the purpose for which it
was intended. 1t has failed Of its
| purpose, notwithstanding the fact it
has been in existence for more than
| two years"
Senator Poinaexter charged that the
extension bill was fostered by persons
! now on the salary roll. under the
rant commission act. He and Senator
walsh of Montana engaged in a COL
1onuy when Senator Poindexter said
that should every senator and repre-
sentative who has benefited under the
act refuse to vote on the pending
bill the number in behaf OF the Dill
4
po;nGexter read a statement from the
owner Of an apartment house saying
that senators members of the House,
justices of the Supreme Court and
| other officials were renters in the
n; strict and in a position to receive
foyors from the rent commission. 1t
| u,as alleged that in one case the rent
| commission had fixed the rate of
e. ng5 per foot for room occupied by
| y senator. while the rate charged for
! other tenants of the same building
| Eo,iowing a debate with Senator
walsh in regard to this matter, Sena-
80 Poindexter said he did not be-
iiaye any senator, representative or
indp-e had been influenced by the
csrcumstai,ces to which he had re-
! ferred.
Defended by Pomerene.
rhe extension bill was defended by
senator Pomerene Of Ohio. democrat.
| He said:
| 1--WE can talk as we choose about
/ th. wisdom or the unwisdom OF laws
AZ this character. recognize that
i there Is room for an honest difference
~ opinion, and say very frankly
that 1 do not like such legislation.
would rather that the conditions were
| s,ch that 1t would not be required:
mt M I eae the situation here in the
/ District. the question Is whether the
| royernment shall control the affairs
~ the District or whether the 4eaaHts
! shslf be ~ the mercy of q few exact