Evening star., 1925-01-14
BALL CONTRAD|CTED
!. ON CHARGE REALTY
MEN OPPOSEDB|LL
Plan for SeIf-ReguIation Had
Boards Approval, Says
Executive Secretary.
ABANDONED IDEA AFTER
WHALEY DREW MEASURE
Senator Jones Advises Owners,
Dealers and Managers to Co.
Operate With Committee.

UpeTaLe Win committee.
Denial that the Washington Real
Estate Board was opposed to the
enactment of a law providing for a
creation Of real estate board or
commission to issue licenses and to
revoke them in case of improper
practices was made by John A Petty,
secretary of the board, at a hearing
today on the rent bill before the joint
congressional committee.
Mr.. Petty was replying to a state
ment made yesterday by Senator Ball.
chairman of the committee, to the
effect that Senator Ball had taken up
the matter of such a bill with Mr.
Petty and that the information he re-
ceived was the real estate board
would not cooperate in the enactment
of such legislation.
Had Planned for Bill.
Mr.. Petty declared he had discussed
the matter with his executive com
mittee, following a conference with
Senator Ball; that the committee had
welcomed the idea and arrangements
had been made to employ Roger J.
Whiteford, an attorney, TO draw such
a bill
Senator Ball. in support of his
statement of yesterday to the com
mittee, said his understanding with
Mr.. Petty was that during the
Christmas holidays Mr.. Petty would
take the matter up with the board
and would again confer with him and
submit the draft of bill Up to to-
day, Senator Ball said, he had never
heard from him again regarding the
matter.
Further. Senator Ball said, he had
been told by some one there was
much opposition to the proposal at
the meeting of the executive com
mittee of the Real Estate Board.
Calls Impression Natural.
1T was perfectly natural for NE
to understand what l did," said
Senator Ball.
Mr.. Petty said he regretted mis-
understanding had arisen He saia
that when the pending rent bill had
been introduced. the matter of draft
ing licensing law had been dropped
Senator Ball expressed surprise a
this, saying that he had not prepared
the pending rent bill.
If you wanted to be constructive
you would have gone ahead with this
licensing measure and offered it as z
substitute for the pending bill" h.
said.
Could Draw Bill Quickly.
Have you prepared such a BILL
asked Representative Hammer OF
North Carolina.
NO. but we could have it ready ia
few days"
Would we have ever heard any
thing more about it if the state
ment of Senator Ball had not been
published yesterday" asked Mr.
Hammer.
Senator Jones of Washington sug-
gested that the committee is trying
to meet a situation in Washington
that the real estate board can help
If 1t wishes to.
of course. if your organization
takes the position that no evil exists
here, you will take a position against
this or any other legislation" he said
Z. c. Brandenburg. who appeared
as counsel for the real estate board,
said that while evils may have ex-
listed in certain cases, that was no
reason why every landlord in the Dis
trict should be punished. particularly
when the evils have arisen through
the operations of people outside.
Blnnton Proposes Course.
Representative Blanton of Texas
said:
IF your organization will get be-
hind the Yost bill introduced in the
House, that measure will cure most of
the evils. 1t attacks the pyramiding
of values, of which Senator Ball has
complained"
Unless your organization will help
us you will not get far by merely
making an objection to this bill"
said Senator Jones
The joint congressional committee
Senator Ball declared, is not working
in the interest of the tenants any
more than it is in the interests of
the landlord, but the committee de-
sires to protect all parties.
Bates Warren told the committee
that the real estate men and land
lords had not been asked to prepare
bill. He added that he would be
pleased to prepare a bill, if one is
to be passed. Mr.. Warren called the
attention of the committee to the
fact that when the original rent
legislation was being considered he
had been asked by former Senator
Pomerene to help prepare a bill.
Senator Pomerene had been berated
by Representative Ben Johnson in
the House for this very thing. he said
Petty Sees No Need of Law.
Senator Jones suggested that be.
fore next Monday the real estat,
board should frame some kind of leg
islation which il thought would help
to meet the situation here.
I'VE don't believe that legislation
is needed to meet conditions we don't
believe exist" said Mr.. Petty
We'll, IL that is the case" said
Senator Jones, that is all I have to
saw about the matter"
Representative Blanton announced
that he would introduce a bill as q
substitute for the pending bill, carry
ing out the ideas of Senator Ball with
reference to pyramiding, etc.
Thinks Legislation lis Needed.
Senator Ball insisted that the com
mittee wished to correct conditions
which had been found to exist here
that it had no desire to interfere with
legitimate business or to hinder build
ing operations.
II have introduced this pending
BILL" said Senator Ball, but 1 have
never said that / would or would not
support it. / have been opposed to
the continuation of the rent act If
the situation can be met in some
other way. / believe some Iegisla-
tion is necessary, and l think you
gentlemen ought to help u.s."
Gr-ct rri~r