Evening star., 1925-01-23
REALTOR H|TSPLEA
FOR RENT BILL ON
GROUNDOF MORALS
Health and Public Welfare
Arguments Also Declared
Unsupported by Facts.
SENATOR COPELAND HAS
SUBSTITUTE PROPOSAL
Would Let Municipal Court Decide
Fair Charges-Ball Introduces
Pyramiding Measure.

Outstanding developments today in
the controversy over the proposal
that permanent Rent Commission
be set up in the District of Columbia
and other remedial legislation be en-
acted, were:
F1rst-Absolute denial before the
congressional committee by r. L. Nc
keever, that health conditions, morals
and public welfare in the District
demand handling of the rental situ-
alton by a Government commission.
Mr.. McKeever represented the Wash
ington Association of Building own
ers and Managers.
Second-Suggestion by Senator
Copeland of New York, that Congress
pass a joint resolution as a substi-
tute for the Whaley bill, which would
set up the premise that rental prop
erty in the District Is affected with
a public interest, and that Congress
has a right to control rentals there
for; that all rentals shall be fair and
shall be determined by the Municipal
Court of the District. The resolution
makes no provision for a Rent Com
mission.
Anti-Pyramiding Bill.
InlTu - lulTOuuCllOll ny ocHdtol
Ball, chairman of the committee, of a
bill to prohibit pyramiding of values
by limiting loans on property TO not
more than 10 per cent in excess of the
assessed valuation, to compel the
statement of true consideration in all
deeds OF transfer OF real estate, to
punish conspiracy to increase prices,
and to compel deeds of trust to state
exactly what they are.
Mr.. McKeever was the first witness
before the committee today. He
strongly urged the Congress to pass
no further Rent Commission legisla-
tlon, but to let the law of supply and
demand operate in Washington for at
least a year. He insisted that If this
course were followed the situation
would clear itself up.
Copeland Explains Measure.
In offering his substitute for the
Whaley bill. Senator Copeland declared
he was convinced that State Legisla-
ture could not pass a law setting up a
permanent commission to fix rentals.
Such legislation, he said, could be
enacted to meet an emergency. He
said, however, that he believed Con-
gress could set up a permanent rent
commission in the District because of
the exclusive jurisdiction given Con-
gress in that document over the Dis
trict. He added that the jurisdiction
given over the District was the same
as that given Congress over arsenals,
forts and so forth acquired by the
Government throughout the United
States.
Senator Copeland said. that If the
rents for buildings in a fort were
deemed too high, the commanding
officer undoubtedly could insist upon
their being lowered.
Former Senator Gore of Oklahoma,
appearing as counsel for the Asso-
citation of Building Owners and Man
ayers, pointed out that in a. fort the
Government would own all the land
and therefore would have q right to
control rentals which IT did not have
to control rentals of privately owned
property in the District of Columbia.
Compares With State Rights.
Senator Gore insisted also that the
courts have decided that Congress
has no greater police power in the
District than the State Legislatures
have in the States. He said that it
would be a monstrous proposition
that the safeguards set up in the Con-
stitution for citizens of the United
States should not apply equally in all
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