New Britain herald., 1925-01-08
LANDLORD PROBLEM
 S7IRS WASHINGTON
Govt. Control Has Advocates and
 Opponents

Washington, Jan. S.-Presldent Coolidge at the November election was given a four-year extension of his lease on the White House. but nevertheless he is having plenty of trouble these days with Washington landlords.
 By initiating steps to bring about permanent government regulation of residence rentals in the district of Columbia, Mr. Coolidge, whose own home in Northampton, Mass, Is the rented half of double house, has brought down upon his head the wrath of Washington real estate men. The result has been to fill the air here with statements and coun- ter-statemSnts regarding rents, the insertion of half page advertise- ments in newspaper by the real es- tate interests and broadcasting by the realtors of urgent appeals for aid from their associates In other cities. 4
 These developments, which of late have threatened to crowd from the front pages of Washington newspa- pers discussions of the French debt question. the postal pay bill and the state of the Navy, represent, how ever, only new phase in a merry little war which has been going on l for several years between Washing | ton landlords and tenants.
 Tie Tenants League
 The contest, which has had a i counterpart in many of the coun- try's cities, developed during the fall to the point of near-riots at public meetings held by the Ten ants League. Members of the league accused the real estate men of hiring agents to break up their meetings. and the owners of rental | property as represented in the Washington real estate board charged the league with "bolshevist ideas"
 President Coolidge entered the lists about two weeks ago OH the side of the tenants by requesting Richard | Whaley, chairman of the District of Columbia rent commission and a | former member of the house from North Carolina to draw up regula- tory bill based on the police power of the federal government to main- tain sanitary and moral conditions in the district.
 The new legislation requested by l the president would take the place of the existing Ball rent act, first passed in 1919 and since twice ex- tended, setting up a commission to determine fair rentals on applica- ton either of the tenant or owner. This law, enacted as a war-emer- eency, expires next May, and since last June has been imperative by court decision affirming the conten- ton of the real estate men that the war emergency had ceased to exist.
 Probe Was Ordered
 The president previously had or dered the department of justice to investigate the rental situation in Washington, particularly regarding charges of organizing of mortgages and of fictitious sales for the pur- pose of raising values. In addition to asking Chairman Whaley to draft new legislation. the president in- structed the department of com. merce to make a survey through the city police of vacant houses and apartments.
 i When Mir. Whaley completed his hil, the president sent it 10 congress without passing on it's merits bu' with the request that it be giver serious consideration. The bill would create a permanent commission tC regulate rentals because of "condi' lions dangerous to public health anC burdensome to government em pIoyes," and clothes all buildings 1T the district with a public interest.