The Washington times., 1922-05-12
GAG RULE MAY
bLOCK'PASSAGE
. Of RENTAL ACT
Unlikely New Bill Will Go
Through Before Present
Law Expires.


lief that the Ball rent act would not
be passed before the expiration Of
the present law, which will be in
effective after noon Monday, May 20.
Proponents of the rent extension
act, however. are relying on the
retroactive clause OF the bill as a
means of protecting Washington
tenants from any raise in rents,
pending final pa ssage of the bill.
There apparently Is no disposition
on the part of the House to rush
the bill through that body before
May %. This was shown when
the subcommittee of the House Dis
trict Committee was refused sp..-
cial rule by House Leader Mondell
and Chairman Campbell, OF the
Rules Committee. for a special rule
permitting the rent act the right
of way over other legislation.
There IL a possibility that the
rent act might come up next Mon.
day under the unanimous consent
rule. Should It be brought up, how.
ever, on the unanimous consent cal.
endar, the objection Of one mem
ber from the floor would block It's
passage as a unanimous measure.
No Alternative.
Should this objection be offered,
there is no way that the measure
could be brought before the House
previous to the expiration of the pres
ent law. Had the Rules Committee,
however, acted favorably upon the
request of the District subcOmnlIt.
70 o1 taly kn
measure up, the bill could have been
fought out on the floor With this
denied by Chairman Campbell, the
House is powerless to consider the
measure out of its turn.
The retroactive clause Of the now
measure. II is expected, will pass
judicial judgment. and should land.
lords raise the rents Of tenants after
May %, and the date of the pas.
sage of the new act. the Purpose of
the retroactive clause, II was stated,
will protect them.
Should there be n lapse IN the time
between the expiration OF the old
and the passage of the new act, rro-
ponents Of the measure fear that q
great deal Of litigation will arise. in
which event there probably will be
made a test case for the tenants.
While there is apparently no or.
ganized opposition to the measure
in the House, there Is no ovcrwheln-
ing desire on the part OF the mem
bers to sidetrack other LEGISLATION to
take up the rent act.
Warns on Increases.
Congressman Millspaugh, who Wig.
orously opposed the new rent, bill,
trIa hot tn hn
Ball act expired before the passage
of the new rent bill or in the event
OF the failure Of its passage. realtors
and landlords should exercise judg.
ment in the conduct OF their busi-
ness sndSrefrain from arbitrary in.
creases in rentals and unwarranted
evictions.
The public will watch the action
OF the landlords and IL they take
advantage Of the situation there
will be a speedy re.enactment OF
the law and its rigid enforcement"
said Congressman Millspaugh.
Realtors and landlords are en-
TITLED to a test of the effect of
the absence OF the Ball rent act
and with a proper appreciation of
the conditions they should be able
to adjust the situation to the sat
isfaction of all concerned"
Il think the House rent bill is an
excellent measure" Senator Ball,
chairman OF the Senate District Com
mittee, declared today.
The same view was expressed ty
Senator Pomerene. who drew the act
that was presented to the Senate sew.
eral weeks ago. The present plar of
Senators Ball and Pomerene is to
present the House bill to the Senate
as soon as 1t Is passed and move that
the Senate concur in the House
amendments.
Senator Ball does not think hat a
conference will he necessary. II"
thinks that the House bill can be
adopted by the Senate without delay
and without any technical difficult
ties.
II am sorry that the House cnt
out the provision for two inspectors
Senator Ball said. II have talked
with Congressman Zihlman, and
think an effort will be made to rein.
sert this provision when II reaches
the floor OF the House"
Senator Ball declared that the
phraseology OF the House bill is an
Improvement over that passed by the
Senate and that the bill is better now
than IL ever has been.