Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-10-20
WHITE HOUSE ASKS
GORDON REPORT ON
RENTING SITUATION
SIemp Requests Official Find
ii,gs on Trust Pyramid
ing Charges.
NO VIOLATIONS OF LAW
SUSTAINED. is BELIEF
Courthouse Gossip Insists Only
High Financing Has
Been Revealed.

Emitted States Attorney Gordon. who
has been examining for several
months report of a Senate in
vestigation into charges of the ex
istence Of d real estate ring" in
Washington 10 boost rents by
pyramiding of trusts on apartment
houses. was asked today by c. Ba scon
Slemp, secretary to President Coolidge
for d report Of his findings in the
matter. Mr. Slemp consulted Attorney
Gordon by phone today and advised
him Of the receipt by President
Coolidge of a petition from the
Tenants League for a report on the
rental conditions and requesting per
mission to erect tents on the Ellipst
to accommodate 1000 tenants nov
threatened with eviction.
Maj Gordon told the Presidents
secretary that he will prepare a re-
port and submit il by next Thursday.
The prosecutor declined to discuss
the nature Of the report. but il has
been current gossip about the court
house that examination by three as
sistants to Mr.. Gordon into the re-
port in question failed TO show any
evidence of criminality which might
be submitted to d grand jury for its
action. Whatever evidence Of high
finance" might be shown by ths
charges in the report. these assistants
We're not able, ii is understood, to
point out evidence of false pretenses
or other violations of local laws.
shows Deep Interest.
The action of the White House to-
day in seeking information on the
growth of the promise made Satur
day by Mr. Slemp to a special COM
: mittee which called a the Executiv.
Mansion and sought the aid of Pres
ident Coolidge for an improvement
! in the housing situation. Mr.. Cool
! idge has shown a deep interest in
! the tenants position. At that tim.
! Mr.. Slemp said he would ask Ma j.
| Gordon why there has been such a
! delay in his Office in the matter OF
/ action upon the Senate District com
mittee report on housing conditions
here.
/ The committee was authorized to
! appear at the White House by hun
dreds of Washingtonians who at
! tended the mass Weeting FRIDAY
night in the Masonic Temple under
| the auspices OF the Tenants League
At this meeting the tenants were ad
dressed by Mrs. cara sears l aS SlOl.
member of the Rent Commission
! Mrs. John y. Speel. president of thu
; District Federation of Women :
Clubs. and Mrs. William L. Chamber
! lain, president of the Housekeepers
| Alliance. The committee bore an ap-
! peal to the President requesting per-
| mission, should the necessity de-
! velop, to use the Ellipse as we'll "a
! Army tents and camping outfits for
/ as many persons as shall be made
: homeless by eviction
! In regard to this request, Secretary
/ of War Weeks. who has jurisdi ion
| over the Government reservation, said
! today that while no action had been
! taken on the proposition. il was en-
: tircly clear that the War Depart
ment is without authority 10 loan
/ Army tents for that purpose. 1t Was
/ eXpla aimed that Army tents frequently
. had been erected on the grounds in
years past for the accommodation Of
veteran soldiers attending reunions
+ in this city. but only after specific
authority from Congre ss in each case.