Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-12

the police powers of Congress over
the District. The bill, he said, Is The
same as existing law, with that
change, and with 10 new sections
| added to make the law clearer.
The newspapers have said that
this was a radical and vicious BILL
said Mr. Whaley. II want to show
the committee that 1t is nothing OF
the kind; that the changes proposed
in the law are harmless but neces-
sary" st-'
Mr.. whaley discussed the new sec
| lions of the bill section by section.
Section s, he said, provides for a Sec
rotary and treasurer, whereas the
present law merely provides for a
secretary.
Section 25, he said. provides that
both the tenants and the Landlords
shall not be deprived OF the right to
hearing in any cause pending be-
fore the commission because of the
termination of the relation of land
lord and tenant. He said that this
was necessary because sometimes
cases were far down the list and de-
layed until after such relations had
ceased to exist a-'1 a.
Bar to Divided Quarters.
Section As, Mr.. Whaley said, wae
designed to prevent a landlord from
dividing an apartment, upon which
the rental had been fixed by the COM
mission. and charging higher rents
for the same floor space after the
division had been made.
Senator Jones of Washington want
ed to know IL there had been, cases of
such action by landlords.
Mr.. Whaley cited the case of the
Princeton apartment house on "
street. He said that the rent com
mission had fixed a rental Of $42.5t
on an apartment with three rooms
kitchen and bath. -
They cut off one of the rooms and
rented It separately, and charged $50
for the same area" said Mr. Whaley
He insisted that in subdividing ar
apartment where the rent had been
fixed by the commission, an appli-
cation must be made to the rent COM
mission for a refxing Of the rental
charged.
Defines His Proposal.
DO you mean that no owner of
property in the Capital City. with a
population of 450,0 900 people shall rent
a building without getting the rental
fixed by the Rent Commission" de-
manded Mr.. Blanton.
mo" replied Mr.. Whaley. this
means that where the rent has been
fixed by the commission and then the
property subdivided. the landlord
must go to the Rent Commission and
get 1t refxed-
discussing section IS, which pro-
vides that the commission shall make
rules governing the maintenance and
operation of rental property such As
will tend to promote the health, NOR
ais. etc. of the community, Mr.. Wha-
lev criticized the landlords for fall
ure to make repairs under existing
conditions. He said that many OF
them not only failed to make repairs
such as papering and piastering. but
| that some OF them did not furnish
| heat; that landlords get rent in ad-
vance and can shut off the heat and
hot water for a month at time. The
only redress tenants of today have
| is to file q complaint and to seek tc
obtain the difference between the
rentals they should pay with and
| without such services.
Many Such Instances.
Have you had many instance.
where services have been shut off II
this manner" inquired Senator Jones
I'VE have been crowded down with
| them" said Mr.. Whaley. Senator
Jones asked that a list of these case;
| be put in the record.
Mr.. Whaley said that sometimes
elevator service is shut off. He addee
| that 1T does not compensate an OLD
lady who Is compelled to walk III
seven flights of stairs to obtain /;
slight difference in rental after {
| complaint has been filed.
I'VE have put SIS day as a penalt,
to compel the landlord to live up Il
| his contract of service" said Mr.
Whaley. 49,
Mr.. Whaley said that he knew oil
cases where leaks in the PLUMBING
| had been allowed to run along over
| long periods by landlords, although
| complained OF by tenants. He cited
| his own case, where a leak had been
allowed to continue In his apartm ent
! until the ceiling had begun to fall
He was asked who his landlord was
and replied II. L.. Rust & CO. Late,
| in his testimony he testified thai
Mr.. Rust and his sons were friends
of his and that he had a very high
regard for them"
| Section 40, MT Whaley said. placed
| A severe penalty on landlords whs
| continue to ask rentals in excess Of
| those fixed by the Rent Commission
and to receive such higher rentals.
| Illustration In Cited.
"a vicious illustration" he said
was the case OF an ex-judge here
who was ordered by the Rent Com
mission to reduce the rents from 81
to S14 q month on property rented t,
a negro with six children"
He said that this former judge con
stnued to collect 81 more for the prop
=