The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-03
To HASTEN
.ACTE)NO ON
RENTS
Board Plans to Clean Up
ocket-Assistant Counsel
Will Be Named.

Expansion or the starr OF tnt
District Rent Commission, in ar
effort to clear the decks for the
anticipated influx Of new easel
this fall and winter, will be un.
dertaken this week.
The first and one of the most
important steps will be the ap'
pointment Of an assistant counsel
to handle refund cases before the
District Municipal Court.
win Name Assistant.
The duties OF this assistant. who
will operate under direction OF
Chaplin Brown. counsel for the com
mission, will include the prosecution
Of all refund cases, and, in cases
where refusal to pay the refund IL
encountered, to supervise prosecu.
ton of suits for the refund and
penalties provided by the rent law.
Between 500 and 500 refund cases
are now pending before the Mu.
I'nicipal Court, it is stated by
Richard s. Whaley, chairman OF the
Board OF Rent Commissioners.
1T is the intention Of the com
mission to vigorously press all these
refund cases." declared Mr.. Whaley.
This time Of prosecution has been
allowed to lapse ana is now tar be
hind
1--WE will keep after the refund
cases until every landlord who has
refused to abide by decisions OF the
commission calling for refund OF
rentals in cases Of excessive rates
has either made the refund or until
the case has been thrown out OF
court.
"The rent law provides that the
penalty for failure to make refunds
Upon order of the commission shall
be payment Of the refund plus
penalty Of 100 per cent OF the
amount of refund and $50 lawyers
fees.
ut is the duty of the commission
to insist that these refunds be made
in the interest of Washington ten
ants who have been forced to pay
unfair rentals and to uphold the
authority of the commission.
Several successful young Wash
lawyers are being considered for the
post of assistant counsel, 1t was
stated today, and the appointment
will probably be announced before
the end of the week.
There have already been many set
Elements of refund cases under the
new m m s l n, Commissioners
Whaley stated today. The commits
sion has been especially anxious to
press these cases because OF the new
ruling that no second hearings shall
be granted until refunds on the first
case, If any are ordered, shall have
been settled.
There has been considerable pub
lie misinformation as to the manner
in which cases should be brought
before the commission and as re.
CARDS the duty of the commission"
Mr.. Whaley declared, land the COM
mission desires that these mtSappre-
tensions be corrected"
Recently an afternoon newspaper
(not The Times), announced that the
offices Of the Rent Commission are
in the District Building and that a
complaint before the commission
must be represented by an attorney.
Both of these statements are entire
ly incorrect and are typical of the
general ignorance shown regarding
lLle COIIlIlASSlOn ana us WOTk.
The District Rent Commission is
located in large suite Of offices on
the third floor of Temporary Build
ing I'D" on Sixth street between
Missouri avenue and B street north
west. The office of the secretary
of the commission, in which COM
plants must be filed, Is in room 331.
Form Is Furnished.
The commission furnishes a COM
plant from which the complainant
can fill out himself without the assis-
tances Of an attorney and In the
matter Of retaining counsel the com.
plafnant can follow his own dictates.
1t is never necessary to be repre-
sented by a lawyer in conducting
| cases before the commission.
The secretary's office Ia open for
the filing Of complaints from9 a. m.
| to 4:3O p. m. every week day ex-
cept Saturday. when 1t closes at
noon. Complaints are docketed in
the order in which they are filed
and are brought up for hearing in
this order.
Sessions of the commission for
the purpose of hearing evidence
and arguments are held for four
days beginning the first Monday
each month and on such other
days as the commission may de
termine.
Any person. corporation, partner
ship, company or association car
file complaint with the commission