Evening star., 1925-01-23

In a statement to the committee Mr..
McKeever said:
THE health officer who is respon-
sible for the health OF the District
has made no report or complaint as
to rental conditions dangerous to
public health. On the contrary, his
report shows, and that of the United
States Public Health Service shows,
the mortality rate to be low and gem
eral health conditions in Washington
good The mortality rate has de-
creased from an average of 19.4l for
the five years 1901 to 1905 to 13.4
for the year 1924, while the report
able diseases have decreased from
1920 cases in 1928 to 6,254 in 1924.
The mortality rate for 1924 in Wash
inRton is about the same in other
cities OF the same size"
Eject of Rent Control
Senator Ball asked il Mr.. Mckee
ver's statement did not show that
during the period of rent control
health conditions have grown better.
Mr.. McKeever replied: You might
turn it around that way. but what l
am seeking to show is that conditions
here are good and do not warrant such
legislation as proposed"
Senator Ball insisted that the con-
troll of rentals has helped the health
/ d
rent comm ission, II was impossible to
cut off heat in apartments, such as
has been testified to before the com
mittee.
You have public health officer to
prevent cutting off heat If heat is
contracted for" replied Mr.. McKeever.
HE can haul landlord into court"
Police Records Cited.
Mr.. McKeever said that our Po-
lice Department reports fewer arrests
in the month Of December than In any
previous month of the year and Mrs.
Nina c. Van Wrinkle, director Of the
Woman's Bureau of the Metropolitan
Police, states that she considers the
morals of this city very htgh-whlch
statement certainly indicates that the
peace and morals of the District are
not in danger.
the District, although we have in
the District 3S private and Is Gov
ernment social agencies who are
members of the Washington Councll
of Social Agencies, we do not hnd any
of these agencies backing or sup
porting this bill or similar legisla-
ton as being necessary to the well
fare OF the District
Mr.. McKeever said, on the other
hand, that impartial organizations,
such as the Merchants and Manufac-
tursrs' Association, the Board of
Trade, the Bankers Association, the
Bar Association, the Thirteen Club
and others, all of which associations
are largely made up of tenants, are
strongly opposing the Whaley bill.
Attacks Tenants League.
The Tenants League and the pur-
pose back Of it's organization were
criticized by Mr.. McKeever. He sub
mftted contract between E. III.
Schirmer and Francis NJ Butts, to-
gether with a copy OF the declaration
of suit brought in the Municipal
| Court by Mr.. Butts against Mr..
Schirmer The contract read by Mr..
| McKeever showed that Francis n.
Butts had advanced to f. H Schirmer
on his note dated September 4, 1924,
| $3.50 and had agreed to pay An addi-
| tIonal $3.50 to Sckirnler for a third
| interest in the Tenants League, If
he later desired to become the owner
| of such interest; otherwise, Schirm er
would pay back the loan OF $3.50. The
contract stated that the Tenants
| League would be extremely profitable
to it's organizers and promoters from
dues and other collections; that many
persons would become members and
i that it was planned to extend the
organization to other cities.
Mr.. Mckeever said that the suit
| showed that Mr., Butts had later de-
| clined to buy a third interest in the
| league and had asked payment of the
! note. He said that he understood now
that the note had been paid.
Defense Is Promised.
Questions by Representative Blan-
| ton brought out the fact that Mr..
Schirmer is the president OF the Ten
ants League.
The real purpose of the organiza-
| tion," said Mr.. McKeever, lit is ap-
parent, was not to help the tenants
At this point Mrs. Henry C. Brown
| secretary Of the league, said that
| Mr.. Schirmer was president, but in
sisted that the present organization
has nothing to do with the organiza-
tion mentioned in the contract read
| "All of which we will fully explain
| when we have another hearing" sait
| Mrs. Brown.
Mr.. McKeever laid before the com.
mittee seven charts showing the cos
of living in Washington as compared
to that in other cities, the number Of
properties advertised for rent, the
rent increases there, the houses fol
sale and why Washington rents are
beyond governmental salaries H,
said that a report by the Department
of Labor showed that increases IL
rent on moderate sized apartment!
and houses in the District amounted
to 1904 per cent in the Dtsirtc, which il
considerably lower than in othel
cities. Senator Ball asked Mr.. Nc
Keever IL he did not think that rent!
had been increased far more than the
percentage indicated.
Declares Increases Small.
Mr.. McKeeyer replied that many rent:
in the city had not been increased at all
or that the increases had been small.
You don't hear about these rents
that have not been increased" said Mr.
McKeever In the same way you heal
only of the money which has been made
on investments in oil; you don't hear o
the thousands of cases where none!
has been lost"
! Mr. McKeever pointed out that othe
living costs than housing have increased
in the District very much more thar
have rentals. Furniture and furnishings
he said, for example, have increased
l1z2.0S. But no effort In being made t,
iIegislate to Ak prices-of the other essen