Evening star., 1923-03-15
PAY &.5O INCREASE
OR HOTELS CLOSE,
ED|CT FOR PLAZA
HennIng Puts Fate of Suild-
Ings SquareIy Up to the
Occupants.
ACTION FOLLOWS REPORT
OF STRIKE ON INCREASE
Sixty Leave in Protest and 800
Others of 1.7SO Are Declared
Preparing to Depart.

continuation of adjustment Of the
Government Hotels on the Union sta
'ioh plaza was put suuarely up to
'he guests today by L j. IIennine.
acting Secretary Of Labor.
Declaring that the hotels werA -rn
lor the convenience of the
saes's' and that the government was
III Inc MOTEL business simply for the
convenience and comfort OF the
woman government employees vho
i've in the hotels. Mr.. Henning said -
the guests refuse to pay the increased
rental Of $3.50 due tomorrow. tbe
LABOR department Will probably per.
mt the hotels to cease functionine
May Refuse to Pay.
MIR. Henning was Informed unofi-
ciaiiy that members Of the Plaza
council were prepar ring TO advise
guests to refuse to pay the additional
charge Of $3.50 a month ordered nv
the Labor Department to become .f-
fectlve tomorrow for the last half OF
March They now pay s455O a month.
The increased charge. according to
.he oroer issued by the Labor Depart
ment ten days ago, will provide
enough money to pay rental on the
property from November IA. 1922. un-
til Congress authorized payment OF
the money to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. owner of part of the land on
"h!ch the hotels were constructed
Secretary Henning conferred today
with Robert Watson. director of the
United States Housing Corporation,
managing agency of the hotels re-
sarding reports that the girls might
refuse to pay the increased rental
He told Mr.. Watson that he thought
the increased rates would bring in
enough money to guarantee payment
or the rental TO the railroad company,
but that If the hotels were not full up
10 or nearly up TO capacity, not
enough money would be raised TO ius-
t!1y their continued operation.
sixty Leave In Protest,
Sixty of the guests have already
left the hotels in protest against tho
increased rental charges, i. was
learned today, and 300 more out of a
total of about 1850 were reported 10
be preparing to leave 10 seek homes
elsewhere
our first interest is for the guests
of the hotels" Mr.. Henning declared.
While ! do not favor government
operation of a private enterprise or
competition by the government with
private enterprises, we have always
pelleved We were doing the woman
government workers a good turn i'm
providing accommodations for them
at a relatively low rental. If they
want to turn down this privilege that
is their own affair
Nevertheless, we will not permit
the hotels to pass out of existence
until We have been shown that they
are not wanted. ! believe the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company has
faith in its government and would
not undertake legal measures design
cd TO force the government 20 vacate
the property"
Up to Woman Guests.
Mr.. Henning added that the matter
was strictly up to the woman guests,
who had in their own hands the uues-
ton OF continuance of the hotel project.
Mass meetings of indignation in pro-
test against the increased prices were
held at the hotels last night At each
of the meetings. held in the various
buildings, resolutions were passed.
which were TO be forwarded this after
noon 10 Robert Watson, director Of tho
housing corporation. protesting against
the increase. If the housing corpora
tion. however, could show that the in
crease was justified, II was said il, the
resolutions that the girls were an in
telliEent and thinking body of women
who want to pay their own way and do
not desire TO become objects of govern
ment charity"
Threaten b. & o. Boycott.
A movement was also started. ac.
oording to one Of the guests, to boy
colt the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
by all the girls. with a proposal that
other government employees also re-
fuse to ride on railroad which has
taken such an attitude as the Balti-
more and Ohio has taken in connec-
tion with it's property on the Capitol
plaza.
The small surplus Of money ac
credited to the account Of the hotels.
Mr.. Henning said, will hardly nav
the rental charges on the land owned
by the railroad, from November IL
1922, to March 4. 1923. Therefore. he
said, in order to make good its prom
ise to the railroad, the Labor De-
partment must continue with the at
tempt to raise money to pay the
charges from March Of this year
until Congress authorizes the paw
ment of rental.