Evening star., 1925-01-26
Commission Head Tells Joint
Committee Demands Made
Since Last June.
FINDS INCREASES RANGE
FROM 10 TO 800 PER CENT
Former Senator Gore Attacks Con-
stitutionality of Proposed Law.
Licensing Bill Explained.

of tenants in $3.50 dwelling units in
the District from June ., 1924, to
January "a, 1925, according to state
ment filed today with the joint con-
gressional committee, handling rent
legislation, by Chairman Whaley OF
the Rent Commission.
Mr.. Whaley said that these in
creases were contained in notices to
quit or notices of increased rental;
he said that they had been brought
to the attention of the commission
either in person, by letter or by tele-
phone.
The statement was accepted for
the record of the committee after
Senator Ball had announced that the
real estate dealers would be permit
ted to make answer to ii and also to
file statement showing the de
creases made in rentals in Washing
ton, which 3. F. Saul and others in
sisted have been numerous.
BInnton Criticizes Statement.
Representative Blanton of Texas
criticized the statement of Mr..
Whaley as ex parte and not based on
sworn testimony. Mr.. Whaley's
statement itself was in the form of
an affidavit. In his letter of trans
initial Mr.. Whaley expressed the
opinion that demand for increases in
rent in the period covered by his
statement have been many more than
those listed.
The list, he said, contains only
those demands which have been
brought to the attention of the Rent
Commission
Percentage of increases over the
rent originally paid by the tenant|
was given by Mr.. Whaley. The per-
centages therefore mean increases
demanded over rentals paid in many
cases before the war and not in
creases over the rent paid today. The
percentages ran from 800 to 10 per
cent. Only one piece of property
reached the high point of 800 per
cent, 16 Fohall road. Included in
his list were 1856 apartments in 132
apartment houses and 314 dwellings
other than apartment houses. Mr..
Wxaley said that using the census
estimate of AS persons to a family.
the increase demanded would affect
16, $50 people.
Gore Attacks Bill.
At the hearing this morning for
mer Senator Gore of Oklahoma, ap-
pearing as counsel for the Associa-
tion of Building Owners and Man
ayers, attacked the constitutionality
of the Whaley bill. He charged that
it was in line with communism and
socialism, that it was such legisla-
tion as the Russian Soviet govern
ment would applaud. He said that it
attacked the fundamental principle
of private property upon which
Anglo-Saxon civilization is built.
AT the outset of the hearing Roger
]. Whitford, counsel for the Real Es-
~; n1afy
in detail the licensing bill proposed
by the board and said that the mem
bers of the organization are heartily
in favor of its enactment into law.
Mr. Whitford read to the committee
a letter addressed by John A. Petty,
secretary of the Real Estate Board,
to Quinter, Thomas & Co., agents for
the Darlington Apartment, in which
eviction notices were served last
week on certain tenants. In this
letter Mr.. Petty declared that a spe-
cial committee of the board had in
vestigated and reported that the
Darlington was in bad condition, not
properly maintained and the service
poor.
Mr. Pettys letter declared that the
board stands for fair dealing and
recommended that Quinter, Thomas &
Co. advise the owner of the Earling
ton that you will no longer represent
him unless he placed the property in
good condition within so days and
properly maintains the building and
renders the character of service justi-
fed by the rentals"
Furthermore, Quinter, Thomas 6 Co.
are requested to appear before the eX-
ecutive committee of the board tomor-
row 'to explain your connection, II any,
with the financing of the building
Action Is Commended.
Senator Ball commended the action
| of the Real Estate Board in address
| ing this letter to Quinter, Thomas
| & Co.
John F. Bowie, rent manager of the
H. L. Rust Office, took the stand to
reply to testimony given early in the
| hearings by Mr.. Whaley. At that
| time Mr.. whaley criticized landlords
| for failure to furnish services and
make repairs, and cited his own case.
Mr. Bowie said that the commission
| er had done an injustice to II. l.. Rust
Co. in not stating the whole case.
He said that Mr.. Whaley had rent
ed a four-room and bath apartment
| in the Iroquis Apartment. 14lO NJ
street, in August, 1916 at $40 month.
He still occupies this apartment pay
ing $50 a month. Mr.. Bowie said that
| Chairman Whaley had created
wrong impression when he declared
repairs and improvements had not
been made. He showed that from
July Is, 1928 to February 1, 1924, I'M
provements were made in his apart
ment costing s2S3; that in Is months
time the landlord had expended al
most five months rent on Mr.
| Whaley's apartment
"Mr. Whaley spoke of leak that
came from above that was not prop
erly attended to-" said Mr.. Bowie. He
may have mentioned it to me when
+ was before the Rent Commission
and / may have overlooked 1t. But
when he called the office in regard to
1t, the repairs were made right away.
He must know that there was no in
| territorial neglect"
Bills Held Much Alike.
Mr.. Whiteford told the committee
] that there was no fundamental differ
ence between the licensing bill sub
mitted by the Real Estate Board and
that introduced by Representative
Blanton framed in accordance with
the MacChesney model law which has
been used in number of the States.
He pointed out that the Real Estate
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