Evening star., 1923-06-20
RENT COMMISSION
| Of D. c. INCREASED
T0F|vE MEMBERS
President Harding Makes
Appointments Just Before
Leaving Washington.
TWO OF FORMER BOARD
GET REAPPOINTMENTs
Richard S. Whaley, Oliver Metz
croft and T. E. Peeney Are
New Appointees.

President Harding today appoint
ed the following five members OF the
Rent Commission: William F. Guide
Richard S. Whaley, Mrs Clara Sears
Taylor, Oliver Metzerott and Thomas
Z. Peeney, effective July 1.
This personnel includes two mem
hers of the commission of three as
at present constituted, Mrs Taylor
and William F. GUIDE. A. Leftwich
Sinclair, the third member Of the
commission, was not reappointed.
Authorized in 1922
The Presidents appointments TODAY
were authorized by an amendment 10
the District of Columbia rent act
signed May %. 1922, which was to en-
large the membership of the Rent
Commission by two members and also
added considerably to its authority
by permitting it to sue in the Munich
pal Court to enforce its determina-
tions.
The three new members of the
Rent Commission, Mr.. Whaley. Mr.
Metzerott and Mr.. Peeney, are well
known in Washington. The first two
are lawyers and the last is clerk of
the Senate, District committee and a
native of Delaware.
Metzerott War Veteran.
Oliver Metzerott. who is a lawver
mas served as a member of the Mary
lanu state senate and house OF dele
gates. and during the world war was
d major in the Reserve Corps of the
he was born in this city December
b. 1874. the son of William and Hen
rlette Metzerott, and received his
education at Emerson Institute, the
National University Law School and
Princeton University. He holds the
/ degrees of b. S., Ii. B. and Ii. M
Mr.. Metzerott has maintained vot-
Ing residence in Prince Georges
county. Nd. for a number of years,
living at Hyattsviile. but having his
| nected with several local business or
| carnations. and has other interests
mere. He Is director of a Hyatts-
The prospective nominee is a mem
Trade. the Columbia Country Club.
the Cniversity Club. the Masons and
the ODD Fellows. He is member also
or All Souls Unitarian Church.
Ihomas +. Peeney is a native OF
Delaware. He came to Washington
with Senator Ball to take the posi-
ton of clerk TO the Senate District
committee, Of which Senator Ball is
chairman. Mr.. Peeney's home is in
Wilmington.
Although he is only forty years of
age, MIR. Peeney has had a wide bust
ness experience. At one time he
served as construction engineer for
a
Wilmington. He also has served as
secretary of the board Of health at
wilmington. and was secretary and
treasurer of the Rothacher Rubber
Supply Company of Wilmington.
Just before coming to WASHINGTON
MIR. Peeney was general manager OF
the Wilmington plant of the d. B.
Martin Company, packers. The COM
pany has been purchased by the Will
son company, and is now known as
the wilson Martin Company, packers.
Mr.. Peeney was educated at Will
mingto1, attending the grade and
nigh schools there.
Former Congress Member
Richard S. Whaley was formerly
a member of Congress from Charles
ton. S. c. He is forty-nine years old.
was educated in the Episcopal High
School at Alexandria, Va. ami took
l.
sity of Virginia in 1897. He was ad-
mitted to practice before the South
Carolina bar in 1897 and elected a.
member of the South Carolina house
of representatives in 1900 and re-
elected for five successive terms. He
was speaker of the South Carolina
house for two terms and presided
| over the democratic state convention
in 1910.
MIR. Whaley was a delegate to the
democratic national convention In
Baltimore in 1912. He was elected a
member of the Sixty third Congress.
serving in 1913 and 1915, filling the
vacancy caused by the death of Rep
resentative George 5. Legare He
was reelected to the Sixty-fourth
and Sixty-sixt Congresses.
Delayed Filling Places
The rent commission of five ap-
pointed today by the President was
authorized by amendment May %.
! 1922, to the rent commission act but
the President delayed more than
year in making his appointments.
Why he did not fill the vacancies
earlier is known only to the chief
executive himself, but the intima-
ton had been given earlier in the
spring that up to that time the Presi-
dent had hoped the situation here in
the District over rents might adjust
| itself, without the necessity of en-
! larging the commission.
1t was also said in some quarters
that the President had difficulty in
filling the posts, due to various fac
tors. He was said at different times
tCoRtinued on Page 2, Column A.