The Washington herald., 1922-05-04
RENT BILLREPORT
WILL OTTO HOUSE
ON NEXT TUESDAY
d. C. Committee Votes to
Conclude Hearings
Saturday.
HAG N Err OPPOSES
Rep Millspaugh Compares
Terms to Red Russia
HAG Err OPPOSES

Pub4c hearings being conducted
BY the House District Committee on
the exssnsion of the Ball rent act
will close Saturday afternoon at S
o'cloek---A motion 10 this effect was
made yesterday by Representative
oiBrisn, of New Jersey. and car
ried litter a debate Of more than
an hour.
1t was also agreed among COM
mittef members that an executive
session would be held next Monday
and Che bill reported out the fol-
lowing day.
Chspln Brown. counsel for the
Rent commission. at the request OF
the c9hmittee. read into the record
decision OF the Supreme Court of
the JiHited States. the. opinion be-
ing delivered by Chief Justice Taft.
relating to a constitutional prohi-
sition' against iniunctions. He de-
elared that under this decision
landlords who have threatened to
nave injunctions issued against the
Rent Commission would not be
Successful.
Hngner Asks Changes.
Randall II. Hagner, real estate
Broker! was the principal witness
appealing for the opposition. He
ssid that he had no quarrel with
he Rent Commission but desired to
invite the committees attention to
he urgent necessity OF defining def
nitely rwhat constitutes business
oropeftS." Hagner pointed out that
many hardships resulted to prop
srty owners from the fact that
property declared in the business
section by the zoning commission
rad Seen determined to be resi-
iences because room In the
building was occupied by a tenant
Is a home.
Haener stated that real estate
brokers' had made more money
since the Rent Commission had been
IN existence than ever before. But
ne maintained that the rental busi-
ness was being killed. as property
owners were now building for sale
only. He pointed out that brokers
make much larger commissions
rom sales than from rents.
Hammer Reads Record.
Representative william c. Ham,
ner, of North Carolina. read into
he records a letter received from
rohn S. Healey. of the District
suildinE department. showing the
number of building permits issued
md the total amounts involved for
he past four years 1t disclosed
hat during the first three months
" this year there were issued zoos
permits involving an expenditure OF
,7s2.42O. This is larger than for
any other similar period. he said. in
he history of Washington.
Opposition to the bill was led by
Representative Frank c. Mills
,auEh. OF Missouri. who declared
| hat certain sections Of the bill un-
Ter discussion sounded as if they
had been written in Petrograd. "
ie denounced the sections which
provided for a fine of 81 900 and
Imprisonment for one wear. OF both,
,or failure to file with the Rent
Commission plans and other data
,r to furnish heat. electric current
Dr other service under order Of the
commission.
Brown Defends Terms.
In explaining these sections of
| he bill Chaplin Brown said that
| Wch provisions were not unusual
md that they applied to tenants as
veil as landlords.
Representative NillspauEh al
eyed that there were many in
tances where tenants have lived
n houses and have not paid rent
or a period as long as seven
months. He stated that he would
noduSe evidence to prove his state
nent.
Chapfn Brown contended that
hese cases arose where tenants had
endered rent money in the amount
ound by the commission. but that
andlords had refused to accept it.
The hearings will be resumed
his morning at 9 o'clock.