Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-12
TRADE BOARD HITS.
!. RENT BODY BILLS
Adverse Report Made on
House and Senate
r Measures.

Rent Commission of the District and
enlarge it's jurisdiction to include
hotel and business properties was
made TO both the Senate and House
nnstrict committees today by Il. e.
Graham. chairman of special COM
4ntttee which has looked into the
rental situation and the proposed
laws and made comprehensive re-
port TO the executive committee of
the Washington Board OF Trade yes
terday afternoon. Mr.. Grahams ac-
ton today was In accordance with
instructions given him by the board $
executive committee yesterday after
moon.
While the committee reports against
the bills to make the commission
permanent. it says that if Congress.
after an investigation, finds that an
emergency does exist the commits
sion should not be extended for a
period longer than one year from
May 20, 1924.
In addition to Mr.. Graham. the
chairman, the committee is composed
OF William r. CiaIliher, I.alph W. Lee,
=. clinton james and William Mont
gomcry.
ReasOns For Report.
The committees adverse report on
tho Senate bill is based on the fol-
lowing reasons:
Il. Because it creates a perman ent
commission not required to report
10 any department of the federal
government.
-. Because it increases the salaries
81 the members of said commission
from $4,000 TO $500, and the salary
OF the secretary from $4,000 to $1,000.
The judges of the Municipal. Police
and Juvenile courts salaries are $4,000
a year each. The salaries of the JUS
ficeS of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia are $500. The
clerks of the Municipal. Juvenile and
Police courts are $1,000, $4,000 and
5000 per annum. respectively, with
- possible bonus of S240.
by comparison, your committee Is
of the opinion that the present sal
aries of the rent commissioners and the
secretary of said commission should not
DO increased.
''3. Sections %. % and 81 of the
said BILL in brief, give the tenant a
right, ut the time or after filing a
complaint before the Rent Commits
sion. to- file a notice in the clerk s
District of Columbia of his intention
|. TO hold Il lien on such rental prop
"rty or apartment for the amount
which may thereafter become due to
The commission. The filing of such
notice shall constitute due and sutfi-
cient notice to any and all persons
claiming any right, title or Interest
of any Kind whatever in said rental
property or apartment, to all SubSe-
quent purchasers. vendors, mort
gagees, lienors, Judgment creditors
and to any and all other persons who
may claim any right, tile or inter-
est in said rental property or apart
mcut.
The lien hereby given shall be pre-
ferred to all judgments. mortgages,
deeds of trust, liens and any mort
cages which attach upon the build
ing or ground affected by said lien
subsequent to the filing of such no.
tice, as well as to ConVeyances exc
"uted but not recorded before that
time. except purchase money mort
ten days from date of acknowledge
,ncuI
Many Legal Pitfalls.
From n mere reading of these
sections it is apparent that they con-
tain so many legal pitfalls that title
20 real estate would be in a chaotic
state. A tenant learning the. house
he is occupying is for sale and not
wishing to move could file a COM
plant with the Rent Commission and
1tien file u notice with the clerk Of
rhe Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia that he intends to bold a
lien for the amount the commission
may determine he is entitled to.
THE owner of the building would be
- helpless to transfer the title by deed
or mortgage until the case was heard
ana determined before the Rent Com
Supreme Court of the District Of CO.
lumbia in general term.
There arc other objections that
could be urged against this bill, but
your committee does not deem il
necessary to discuss 1t in further
detail.
Your committee reports adversely
on House bill % for the following
reasons:
This bill is reenactment of the.
original rent act approved October
2". 1919. with amendments.
81. Because it makes the Rent
Commission a permanent commission,
your committee Is of the opinion that
IF it is found necessary to extend the
life Of said commission it should not
be for period greateS than one
year.
80. Because it not only covers
h"eiling houses uses and, and apartment
property and hotels.
'3. Because the proposed amend
,nent to section 100 requires the pur-
chasers of. property to have three
hearings to determine the fact that
they are entitled to property they
have purchased for their own use if the
tenant disputes this fact.
Lists Number of Cases..
Under the present law the whole
case can be tried at one hearing in
the Nun tcipal Court. Under, the orig
inal act three hearings were @equired,
and the law was practically the same
rs this bill seeks TO make IL, but 1t
was found so unsatisfactory that
when the act was extended the whole
matter was placed under the juris-
diction of the Municipal Court
Your committee further reports
that 1T made the best investigation
it could considering the limited time
II has had at it's disposal in reference
to the question whether or not an
emergency exists at the present time
30 as to Justify the extension Of the
rent act.
TT has been reliably informed that
between January IS, 1920, and Janu-
AIRY l., 1924. $3.50 complaints have
been filed with the commission Cases
disposed OF in same period, 8,051.
About 800 cases were pending May
-. 1922, the time the act was ex-
tended and the commission increased
from three to five. Between May %,
1922, and January /, 1924, 2,226 cases
We're filed, and the 900 undisposed Of
added 20 this number would make
3,126 eases in that period. The COM
mission disposed of 1927 cases, and
pending, which leaves 1,517 cases un-
been dismissed or settled between the
parties.
35l Vacant Apartments.
I'VE are further informed that thir-
ty-two firms report ISL vacant apart
Lat. "a