Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28
RENT BILL FRAMED
/ T0RES|ST ATTACKS.
Measure Drafted for Presi-
dent Adequately Protects
Capital Tenants.

II the bill which President Cool
ldge has had prepared and which he
intends to send TO Congress shortly
becomes a law, there will be no more
questioning the legal authority of the
District Rent Commission.
Nor will the rentals in this city be
boosted at will and tenants evicted
for not complying with these alleged
eXhorbitant increases. The Rent
Commission will be continued for an
indefinite period and il will be given
full power to Ak rentals and to in
hict punishment.
This is the opinion of Richard
Whaley, chairman of the District
Rent Commission who. following sew
eral conferences with President Cool
tdge during the past few weeks, has
drafted a bill to meet the situation.
He went over this bill with the Presi-
don't at the White House yesterday.
After further study the President will
personally send 1t to both houses OF
Congress. He is expected to send also
statement explaining the necessity
for this legislation.
Gives Police Powers.
This will extend the police powers
of the Federal Government to the
Rent Commission. This legislation
Will be sought upon the grounds that
1t is necessary by reason of the rental
situation, which for several years
past. according to Chairman Whaley's
statement has been and now is dan
serous 10 the public health and
morals and burdensome to public
officers and thousands of employees
of the Federal Government
Besides being continued for an in
definite period the rent commissioner,
under the proposed new law, is given
authority to impose a hne of S25 a
u nj Of i've r,1a md
TO prosecute in the United States
Courts.
Follows Previous Bill.
Whaley says the bill is virtually
the same as the one he had prepared
last Winter for Senator Ball, chair
man of the District committee of the
Senate, but which was not considered
seriously at the time because full
attention was given to the legislation
extending the life of the present COM
mission to next May. However, at the
suggestion of the President this bill
has been worded so TO not only
meet the requirements, but at the
same time to stand all court attacks
upon the question of its constitution
atty.
Whaley has incorporated several
sections which We're not in the bill he
originally prepared for Senator Ball.
Principal among these is one requir
ing posting of the rental prices of
every apartment in all apartment
houses. He stated that it is the sense
of the Legislation to have the Rent
Commission function more a judi
cial tribunal rather than an arbitrary
board.
The new draft left at the White
House, while not made public, can be
readily imagined from what has been
said of II and what was contained in
the bill introduced last January by
Senator Ball.
Creation of Commission.
Section 3 provided a commission IS
an independent establishment of the
Federal Government. The commission
wasrto be composed of five com
missioners, to be appointed by the
President by and with? TIE pdvice
and consent OF the Senate.
Section ) provided that no commits
sioner should be appointed directly
or indirectly engaged in or in any
manner interested in or connected
with real estate or any business in
the District of Columbia.
After defining the duties of the at
torney and the secretary and author
l2lnG the commission to make eX-
penditures necessary to the admin
istration of the act. the bill provided
in section 10 that the assessor OF the
District of Columbia shall serve ex
ofiicio as AN advisory assistant to
the commissioners, but should have
none of the powers or duties of the
commission.
Section II provided that the COM
mission should annually elect chair
man from it's own membership, and
could from time TO time make such
rules and regulations as necessary to
carry this act into effect.
~ tIn
mission we're to be exercised by a
majority of the members.
Section IL provided the commission
should at least semi annually publish
its determinations. opinions, rulings
and regulations, all important court
and administrative decisions In re-
Spect to the act and such provisions
OF the law relating to landlords and
tenants as the commission deemed
advisable, together with d cumulative
index digest thereof.
The commission would by general
order from time to time prescribe the
procedure to be followed in all pro-
ceedings under its Jurisdiction, such
procedure to be as simple and sum-
mary as practicable. The commission
and parties, appearing before It were
not to be bound by technical rules Of
evidence or of pleading. The commits
sion was to prescribe standard forms
OF leases and other contracts for the
use or occupancy of any rental prop
erty Or apartment and require their
use by the owner thereof. Every such
lease or contract entered into after
the commission has prescribed and
promulgated the form for the ten
ancy provided by such lease or con-
tract shall be deemed to accord with
such standard forms.
NO tenant could assign his lease
or sublet any rental property or
apartment at rate in excess of the
ratio paid by him under his lease.
without the consent of the commits
sion upon application in a particular
case, and in such case the commits
sion should determine a reasonable
rate OF rent or charge for such as
slgnment or suitcase. This section
was not to be construed as in any
way authorizing the assignment OF
any lease or the subletting of any
rental property or apartment in yio-
lation of the terms of the lease
Section Is. Every office or employe
OF the United States or the District
OF Colum bia, whenever requested nv
The commission. shall supply to the
commission any data or information
pertaining to the administration of
this title which may be contained in
the records of his office. The COM
mission also is empowered to sub
poena the attendance and testimony
of witnesses and the production of all
books, accounts, records and CORE
spondence In making Investigations.
The commission has the authority to
direct the owner of an apartment to
ME plans and other data in such de-
n