Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-23
OF WORK
FOR SENATOR BALL
AND HIS COMMIT TEE
Complaints Of Increased Rent
ais in District Of Columbia
Call for Action.
PREPARING TO CHECK MOVE
Special Dispatch From Every Evenings
washington Correspondent.


Special Dispatch From Every Evenings
washington Correspondent
Washington, Jan. 23.-Senator L
Heisler Ball. Of Delaware. who ~ chair
man OF the Senate District COMMITTEES,
is leading q movement TO force tho
District Rent Commission 20 perform
In moro acceptable way the Vital
duties dtvolved upon II 20 the end that
tenants here. helpless without protsc-
ton, may have relief when extortion
is practiced.
It has been charged TINT the COM
mission has failed 10 enforce fully
and satisfactorily the Ball Rent law.
and Senator Ball. author OF the law.
feels that something should be done
to force more activity on the part of
that important body.
| Senator Ball at first though. no
would call members OF the commission
before the committee. but later he de-
cided to hold the matter in abeyance
until Wednesday Of this week. whom
the District committee is 20 meet, and
take the matter up with the entire corn
mittee membership, when II WIN BE-
possible TO take effective action az
once.
| III lS-H1fp tDer SeffIfT BAN afrTG
with other Senators VIII insist upon
the members Of rent commission ap-
lpearing before the fun District COM
n1ittee and state why the rent law has
not been enforced. Senator Ball thinks
that a more aggressive policy should
be pursued by the rent commission
in their investigation OF rents. He said
he did not believe tho commission was
showing the proper degree Of activity.
and that the Senate COMMITTEES should
call members OF the commission before
Il and ask an explanation Of this sp-
iparent dereliction.
Senator Ball said that there - a
prolific field for good work. and that
conditions demanded more activity on
the part OF the commission 20 the end
that the proper relief may be secured
and large element Of the population
OF the District Of Columbia may secure
their rights under the law.
It is openly charged, and 50 related
Ito Senator Ball, that innumerabie ex-
tortions in unreasonable increa ses in
rents have been practiced. II is said
that on account o, this unlawful prac-
I tice a number OF business firms have
been compelled TO close Up ard quit
n Increased Rentals.
e Thousands Of CAGES OF increa sd
, rentals for apartments and residences
are calling for settlement. There ara
numerous cases where rents have been
!. nearly doubled during the past few
years, and this has been done in the
face OF the Ball lay. Landlords. in
I - -
= threaten tenants with eviction at the
earliest opportunity or as soon as the
= Ball rent law shall expire which Is
!, within a few months. Thousands a'
!. tenants, in view OF this fact. are now
J. living in dread of being put out into
! the street. This class is confined "a
those who have protested TO the rem,
commission against raises IN their
rentals Many threats along this line
have been made. Wait until this
Ball law is out" the landlord says
\, "and then I will throw you out OF nny
- house" This Is the condition con.
= fronting many of those people here
, who have refused 70 submit 20 ex.
cessive raises in rents.
>. Those people who now dread N.
> wrath of the Washington. landlords ar,
y looking 10 the Congress OF the United
h States for continued protection agains
Al their organized pillage on the part Of
~ property owners who are determined {,
q enrich themselves through their com
bined strength regardless OF the down
ward tendency in prices. They Zee
that Senator Ball is a worthy cham
pion of a good cause. and they are re-
On lying on him for protection agains
i'll extortion that would result in grea
IN hardship to those who must rent Twin,
rs quarters.