Evening star., 1924-05-13
U. S. JOINS IN FIGHT
OF RENT BOARD TO
STAY IN OPERATION
Continued from First Page

'SohtihuCu iioii dSc,D
United States of America and re-
spectfully petitions the court for
leave to intervene in the above-en-
titled cause and to be heard thereon,
as well upon the application for
temporary injunction as upon final
hearing, and to offer proof and make
such showing in the cause as may
appear to be proper, necessary and
advisable.
petitioner respectfully shows that
the housing situation in the District
of Columbia has been declared by
Congress to be a matter of public
concern and that the leasing of
apartments in the District is affected
with a public interest; that Congress
in legislating for the District of Co
lumbia is vested with full and com
plete powers with respect to the well
fare, health and environment of
those persons resident in the said
District Furthermore, thar>there are
employed in the service of the United
States in the District of Columbia
about $4,000 persons, a great proper
tion of whom are leSsees or renters
of property affected by and subject
to the so-called District of Columbia
rents act; that the health, weIl-being
anu
of these employees has a di-
rect effect upon the efficiency of the
operations of the government.
by reason of these considerations
it is respectfully submitted that a
full and complete determination of
suggests very forcibly the desira bill
ity of the participation of the United
States. both in it's own interest and
on behalf Of it's employees"
Objections by Mr.. Brown.
The objections of Mr.. Brown follow:
First, because the tenants or any
of them in said premises are not
made parties defendant and have not
been served with any notice and be-
cause the purpose and object of the
bill of complaint is to enjoin them
(tenants) as well as the Rent Com
mission, and because any Temporary
order or injunction pen
dente lite passed by the court in this
case would be, in fact, operative upon
them, and the tenants are neither
the officers, agents. servants en-
ions of the act of Congress of Octo-
Der Is, 1914. chapter 323, section 10,
SO statutes, 73S.
Second, because it is respectfully
that the amendatory act
of Congress of May 22, 1922, known
sitting as an equity court, Of ju-
risdiction to issue an injunction
against the proceedings of the said
Rent Commission. The provision re-
ferred to ISIS is IS follows:
Sec 10S (e). No determination
of the commission shall be affirmed,
set aside, modified or otherwise re-
viewed, or its enforcement in any
manner stayed, except upon appeal
from such determination as provided
by this title
Form Is Opposed.
Third, these defendants object to
the form and effect of said proposed
order in attempting to have this
court declare at the present stage of
this suit that the rent act no longer
exists, the language referred to being
as follows: That the court is of
opinion and finds from the record in
this case that the emergency de-
after set forth and commonly known
as the Ball rent act, and the amend
ments thereto. and the re-enactments
which alone justifies the
law, no longer exists
Would BaIk Future Law.
Fourth, because the proposed or
der to be signed by the court practi-
cally enjoins the Rent Commission
from acting under any future law. in
reference to the rental and housing
in the District of Column
bia which Congress, with the ap-
proval OF the President, may see fit
to pass and enact. and which would
be an infringement of the right of
the legislative body of the govern
ment to exercise.
Fifth. because the proposed order
was not served upon the attorney for
the Rent Commission until half-past
4 (4:30) o'clock on Monday, and he
has not been able TO confer with his
client, the Rent Commission as
body, and he asks for a reasonable
time for this purpose.
Sixth, for other reasons that will
be presented orally to the court when
this case comes before the court
Ball Forced to Compromise.
The Senate late yesterday after
noon voted to extend the local rent
law for one year and the measure
now goes back to the House. AS
passed by the House the resolution
CdiSu lOT d l"o-y eAlShSlOl. pdl
Senator Ball had to consent to an
as to the length of time
in order to obtain unanimous con-
sent to get the matter up in the
Senate.
The Senate also adopted an amend
ment by Senator Caraway of Arkan-
sas requiring hotels to post their
rates for rooms in a conspicuous
place, and making it necessary for a
hostelry to give thirty days notice
of change in rates. The senator
explained the purpose of his amend
ment was to prevent a hotel from
raising it's rates temporarily during
or other occasions, when
hotel accommodations are in demand.
With only six working days re-
naming before the expiration of the
life of the Rent Commission, on May
%. the extension resolution is re-
turning to the House for considera-
ton of the Senate amendments
Ball Feared Delay.
Senator Ball opposed the Caraway
fearing that it would ne
ference between the two houses, with
the possibility of not getting final action
before the law expires.
AS soon as he had obtained considera-
ton of the rent resolution, Senator Ball
revealed the much discussed data gath
cred by investigators for the Senate Dis
trict committee, which dealt principally
with alleged overlooking of apartment
Rnd now
PETER B.