Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-12
WHALEY DENIES NEED
OF SUCH A PROVISION
Police Powers of Congress Over
District Justify Control, Says
Commission Chairman.


! a law controlling rentals based solely
on the police powers and irrespective
of existing conditions.
II would be terribly disappointed"
declared the New York Senator, If l
could not support this bill" He went
so far as to suggest that the bill be
amended so as to read that the pro-
visions of this act are made necessary
| by reason OF existing rental Condi-
tions in the District of Columbia,
which are dangerous TO the public
! health, comfort, morals, peace and
| welfare and burdensome to public
officers and employees OF the Federal
Government, whose duties require
them TO reside within the District"
etc.
Defended by WhaIey.
Richard S. Whaley. chairman of the
| Rent Commission, who prepared the
pending bill at the request Of Presi
dent Coolidge, defended the right Of
Congress to enact a permanent rent
act for the District, based on the
police and health powers of the Gov
ernment. He insisted that the amend
ment suggested by Senator Copeland
was not necessary and would b.
| harmful to the bill, which proposes a
permanent Rent Commission for the
District.
Mr.. Whaley was reinforced in his
arguments by Representative Ham
mer of North Carolina who said he
was convinced that such powers ex-
listed on the part of Congress. Court
decisions supporting the contentious
of Mr.. Whaley and Mr.. Hammer were
| included in the record.
Representative BlantoR of Texas,
an opponent of the bill. attacked the
right of Congress to so legisiate and
also questioned the need OF any rent
legislation in the District at this time.
Law Held Imperative.
+ Chairman whaley insisted that con
ditions in the District not only war
rant but make imperative the enact
ment of rent legislation, and Senator
Ball, chairman of the committee, de-
clared that a survey conducted last
year had showed that an emergency
did exist SO far as moderate priced
apartments are concerned
The committee gave evidence today
that It intends to push the hearings
on the rent bill along as speedily as
possible, ordering, at the suggestion
of Senator Jones of Washington, that
the hearings be printed from day TO
day The proponents of the bill are
10 be heard at two sessions tomorrow.
The committee has decided to grant
eight hours of hearings to both sides
Todays hearing was given over
principally to an explanation Of the
pending bill by Chairman whaIey. He
was closely questioned by members of
the committee. At the outset of his
testimony Senator Ball asked Mr.
Whaley to place in the record the as
sessed value of many of the buildings
in regard to which appeals have been
made to the Rent Commission, the
value placed on them by the owner,
the cost of operation, the trusts on
the building, the rents allowed by the
commission and the rents asked by
the managers previous to the fixing
of rentals, the overhead expenses and
the policy of the Rent Commission as
to the percentage or net returns al
lowed.
Ex-senator Gore Speaks.
Former Senator Gore of Oklahoma,
who appears as attorney for some
opponent of the bill, suggested that
the cost of replacement should be in
cluded in this information.
With regard TO the policy OF the
Rent Commission on net returns al
lowed landlords for rental property,
Chairman Whaley said that the per
centage ran from to 10 per cent.
depending on the way the buildings
were kept up and the service rem
dered.
Chairman Whaley made the state
ment that in the last six years rs a
general rule landlords have refused
to make repairs" demanded by the
tenants.
This assertion was questioned by
Mr.. Blanton and also by Senator Ball,
who called attention to the fact that
there were very many rental prop
critics and landlords who had not
come before the rent commission.
MIR. Whaley insisted that his state
ment was true with regard to prop
critics which have come before the
Rent Commission, but admitted that
there were a large number of build
ings which are kept up beautifully"
Mr.. Whaley said that under the ex-
listing law the Rent Commission has
never had the power to compel
landlord TO make repairs. He added,
however, that in various cases where
the Rent Commission has reduced
rents landlords have subsequently
made repairs in order to obtain better
rentals.
Denies BIantoH's Influence.
Don't you think that your state
ment that as a general rule landlords
have declined to make repairs dur
ing the last SIX years is great IN
dictment of the Rent Commission:
demanded Mr.. Blanton.
NO" replied Mr.. Whaley, 'as I
have said we have no power to force
a landlord to make repairs"
At the outset of his testimony, Mr..
WhaIey told the committee that the
pending bill was really a conson1a-
tion and codihcation of the rent act
of October %, 1919, and the four sub
w
the word emergency" eliminated and
substituted therefor the powers to
regulate conditions which are danger
Gus to the public health, comfort.
morals, etc.
The new bill, ne said. Is based on
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