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

erty over a period OF four years. The
judge, he said, told the commission that
ne thought he ought to get more than
the commission had allowed him.
Asked IL he had spent a dollar on
the property, he said he hadn't spent
n scent piece In that time" contin-
ued Mr.. Whaley. Section 40 makes an
owner OF property charging rent in
excess of that fixed by the commits
sion guilty of a misdemeanor and
punishable by a fine not exceeding
$1,000, or by Imprisonment for not
exceeding one year. or both.
Mr.. Whaley insisted that the land
lord who did such thing really stole
money. He said that there were sew
eral such cases which have come be-
FORE him. This is one of the sections
or the bill, he said. which the news
papers call vicious"
Chairman Whaley told the commit
tee that the Rent Commission has
had difficulty getting the district at
torney to prosecute in such cases. the
excuse being put forward by the dis
trict attorney that there was some
doubt as to the right to prosecute
Mr.. Whaley described other new sec
lions OF the bill as merely continuing
the powers under the existing rent
law. and said that section 53 set up a
statute of limitations of three years
In these rent cases.
Section Sc, he said, which has been
described by the newspapers as par
ticularly vicious, merely provides
this act shall take effect immedi-
ately."
At the request of Senator Cope
land. Mr.. whaley described what had
been done by the courts to hold UP
the operation Of the present law. He
admitted that the Rent Commission
activities had practically been
brought to an end by a court action.
Mr.. Blanton insisted that every de-
cision OF the court so far rendered
since the Supreme Court OF the United
States had held that 1t would take
due notice of any fact showing that
no emergency continues to exist.
Mr.. Blanton asked Mr.. Whaley If he
or the Rent Commission had made a
survey of the situation here.
Mr., Whaley replied that they had
not
why not?" demanded Mr.. Blanton
Mr.. Whzley replied that the Rent
Commission had recommended that
the act be made permanent; that II
had asked for an extension of two
years, and Congress had extended II
for one year.
Assuming that the same Congress
was to continue and that the Rem,
Commission was going out OF exist
ence." said Mr.. Whaley, I'VE made nc
effort to ask Congress to extend the
act. We had no money for survey
At this point the question OF
whether an emergency really exists
in the District and whether q law
would be constitutional IL no emer-
gency existed. arose. Senator Cope
Lar N o ~ afafYrrhnd M n N
/ look at the foundation of this BILL
The New York Senator added, how
ever. that he personally believes a
housing emergency. still exists in
the District. Senator Ball said that
the survey made by the District COM
mittee last year had indicated that
there was not shortage of houses
but that there was a shortage OF
moderate priced rental property
which really created an emergency
so far as Government employees were
concerned.
Must Verify Conditions.
Senator Copeland suggested that
before we can think of passing this
law we must verify by evidence tina,
, there are rental conditions here that
creatae q situation dangerous to pub
lie health and public MORALS Rep
I'VE can't pass a permanent law on
a present emergency"
Representative Hammer and Sena-
tor Ball both insisted that the hear
ings held by the House and Senate
District committees last year were
sufficient grounds en- which to base
legislation.
Pursuing his suggestion that the
Rent Commission should have made
OF
he had personally made such sur
vey. He suggested that since the
Commissioners now practically have
nothing to do they might have made
| a personal survey also.
Mr.. WhaIey said that was not prae-
ticable, and that even if the Rent Com
missioners went out on such a survey
| "the landlords won't give us informa-
ton. They may look ON Mr.. Blantor
with kindly eyes, but they don't Civ.
us anything unless We fight for It"
Sees Peril to Agreements.
Mr.. BIanton suggested that the bill
would take away the power of land
lords and tenants to make contracts
since 1t would not permit a landlord
and tenant to agree II they desired
on a rental different from that sci
| by the Rent Commission.
anxious as anybody ito help put
| the pyramiding sharks in the peni-
Tertiary. You haven't done. that In
your bill"
Mr. whaIey replied that by taking
away the power of making profits or
| uyramided values, the bill woul6
| really prevent pyramiding of value:
| and prices.
| Mr.. Blanton wanted to know If &
< II, 81 81
| get rid of a tenant who. was his per
| sonal enemy and distasteful to him
Mr. WhaIey replied that he wou1t
| have no such right, but he woulC
have to go to the Rent Commission
| Biantor Sees no Emergency.
His survey of the situation here
| Mr.. Blanton said. led him to the belle
! that no emergency such as formeri,
| existed Is now to be found. He saft
| that his survey showed that man.
! Government employees own and rem
| property here. He pointed out tina
| at. the beginning of the year ther'
| were 100 vacancies in the Govern
ment hotels on the Union Station
| Plaza.
Senator Ball pointed out that the,
are trying to close up the Govern
ment Hotels, and Representative
Stalker suggested that condition
| there were not good as q reason TO
| these vacancies
District Assessor Richards, replying
| to questions by Mr.. Blanton, told TIA
| committee that he had reported las
year that building had practicaff.
caught up with building needs in tn
District and that he believed Their
| was very little, If any, need for tn
| existing rent act.
| do you still hold that opinion?