Evening star., 1923-03-08
B. & 0. CHIEF HERE
ON HOTELS ROW
Shriver Will Confer With Wat
son Tomorrow Over
n; Ground Rents.

George II. Shriver. vice president
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
will confer with Director Robert
Watson of the United States Housing
Corporation tomorrow regarding con-
tinued use of the land owned by the
railroad company, now occupied by a
part of the government hotel project.
The arrangement effected at a confer
encc Tuesday between Baltimore and
Ohio officials. Labor Department off,
cials and the chairmen OF the Senate
and House public buildings and
grounds committees is expected to be
concluded at the conference tomor-
row.
Mr.. Watson mRde 1t plain today.
IN view of the attitude of a few OF
the women guests at the hotels. that
II the joint resolution which passed
the Senate, but failed of passage in
the House, which would have author
lied payment Of back rental had
passed both houses of Congress. the
raise in rates ordered yesterday
middle of March. The joint reSolu-
zion passed by the Senate specifically
provided for an increased guest rate
at the government hotels TO meet the
No Appropriation Contemplated.
In other words the situation, in so
far as actual charges to the guests
are concerned, has not changed bit
by failure of the House to pass the
legislation. If the joint resolution
had passed tho House, 1t would only
have authorized the government to
pay the back rental out of fees gained
from maintenance OF the hotels. No
appropriation was to have been pro-
Vided for that purpose. nor was one
contemplated under the terms of the
Joint resolution, Mr.. Watson said to-
day. The hotels, while they are not
operated iLs money making PROPOSE
ton, have made possible a small sur
plus to their credit in the Treasury.
II is not the intention at present, Mr..
Watson said, to use this surplus for
payment of the rental.
Many Cannot Meet Raise.
Although no formal meeting to
protest the increased rates has been
neid. the woman guests have dis
cussed the rate increase Informally
and many, according to some of the
guests, will find 1t difficult TO meet
the increased charges. The probable
average salary of the woman guests,
according 10 Mrs. Sarah L. Sumner,
Superintendent of the hotels. is about
nat charge of $50 or more a month
Tor room and board. Lunches, car
fares and clothes take up the re-
7naindcr of the salary of many of the
guests. Notwithstanding the possi-
pie hardship in meeting the increase,
u is not nticipated there will be
many separations from the hotels.
Must Make Sacrifices.
In some instances a. new spring hat
must be foregonc, an old pair of
shoes half-soled, and other small
economies practiced. But the ma
jority Of the guests feel that the in
dependence and comfort OF living
conditions at the hotels make up for
me possible increased rate over the
minimum possible elsewhere.
Several scores of the guests of the
hotels got together early today and
authorized the following statement.
which shows their attitude:
In order to meet the extra $3.50
rent charged them to pay the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad. the 1900
women living in the government ho-
tells will have to curtail expenses for
shampsos. shoes. hats. dresses and
must 'slp pay the B. and o.
b. 4 o. Not a Customer Here.
TIE B. and o. is not a customer of
Washington merchants. The surplus
of about $4,000 which will be left
after the rent is paid from the $3.50
must go into the United States Treas
ury and will not profit the merchants
Of Washington. This is what happens
when rent is raised on 1000 persons
who are already spending practically
all they earn.
THE residents of the hotels have
talked It over and decided that ex-
penses outside are just as high and
comforts less, SO curtail they must
on something else and pay the cor
poration out of what they would
spend for luxuries, education and
clothing