The Washington times., 1923-09-20

One Case Cited OF Man Who
Aided ii Laws Extension.
Helpless II Law Expires.

s64sss
In fear that the rent law viii
be allowed TO expire il May, leav-
ing them completely at the mercy
of landlords, 4 number Of tenants
are abandoning actions before the
District Rent Commission through
fear, il developed today.
Fears 81 Blacklist.
In some quarters. rent commission
official have learned. tenants are III
fear Of being blacklisted By apart
ment owners IL they press their
cases, and either be forced to pay
exhorbitant rentals or be thrown
into the street.
IN this connection officials off the
commission today recalled the case
of . man who was blacklisted and:
after tramping the city for weeks
seeking shelter for his family, was
finally compelled to sign i lease
which placed him absolutely 81 the
mercy Of his landlord and forbiddina
him 70 take his case to the Rene
sG0nnnaiasion. j
This man lived up TO his con
and the details OF the case = o,Id not
have been known but Tor the. fact
that he called ait the Rent CofaTlsIa-
sion after. signing his lease IN re-
guest Information about former
Miss Jean CoIweIi, head Of the
commission information services. took
care Of his case and from him learned
the details Of the manner IN. which
TIE biaeklisting had been put into
HOunded, He Claims.
The man. while refusing. under.
the terms Of his agreement, to give
his name or any information which
might open the way to action BY the.
commission in his behalf, declared
that he had been subjected to con
tinual bounding BY apartment
owners.
He explained that ne had been
active in support OF the. fight to
secure the continuance by Congress-
OF the rents act following the date
set for its expiration.
Shortly. afterward he was COM
PEELED to abandon his apartment.
he stated. and Immediately began
to search for another. Several
times he located desirable place
and actually made deposit 10
hold them until lease could be
signed.
When his identity became known,
however, he told Miss Colwell, the
owners refused to admit him and
returned hie deposit. This hap
pened a dozen times, until finally.
In desperation, he submitted sign
ing q lease OF the most Illuminating
character.
In this lease, he told Miss Col
wen. he agreed to pay what was
manifestly an unjust rate of rental
and agreed that he would not take
his case to the Rent Commission:
he would not inform the commits
sion of the rate Of rental he was
forced to, pay: he would not testify
against the owners before the com.
mission, and he would make no
further efforts to seek, the contin.
uance Of the commission.
Compelled to Submit.
These conditions, he said, he
was compelled to submit to n
order to secure shelter for HE
family at any price. He declared
that he was also forced to submit
to petty expressions under threaf
Of losing even the apartment ne
held.
While there is a tpresent con.
siderable dissatisfaction among
tenants at new leases which have
been offered them, at greatly IN.
creased rates and which, IL Is be-
lieved, are paving the way for 8
complete upward trend of rental
rates in case the rents act -
to expire, there have been
no further direct reports OF black.
listing. though there have been
rumors, which have not been
proved, that this practice is being
resorted to.
Expiration Of the rents act. II
Is felt, win lead to drastic increases
In rentals and viii leave tenants
recourse In securing ius-
tice.