The Washington times., 1925-01-13
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dicate that any one of our minds
are made up want it understood
we will all be personally gagged by
the evidence presented during the
sixteen hours OF this hearing. II
Mr.. Blanton's mind is made up, il
he has prejudged this case, he is
wasting his time at these hearings"
intimidation Hinted.
It was decided today that the
character of the testimony was so
sensational that it should be given
under oath.
Chairman Ball asked each one
Of those who testified IL they had
been threatened or intimidated not
to appear before the present sub
committee. He said he had rurnors
that some Of them had and wanted
to put his finger on the facts.
It was declared that before the
hearings are over that such evil
dence win be given together with
evidence that th0se tenants who
appeared at the last hearings have
since been penalized by annoying
treatment and eviction.
o. A. Reed, an automobile sales
man. living in Clifton terrace, pre-
scented an array Of interesting facts
and told the subcommittee that he
was putting up with untold incon-
Venience because he had refused to
let his rent be increased from SIS
70 $50.
He said he had been all over
the city and found no place to
move without 1t being a case of
dumping out Of the frying pan
into the fire.
Mr.. Reed charged THAT advertise
apartments are Subterfuges and
that in reality there are none to-
be had.
He said that conditions are get
ting worse at Clifton Terrace, and
pointed out that tenants who raised
their voices had hard row to hoe
on account Of annoying treatment
at the hands of the manager.
NeighborIaood Mice"
Evidently trying to ring from the
clusion they were getting their
moneys worth. Congressman Blan.
ton asked Mr.. Reed If he didn't
know that he lived in the choicest
neighborhood in the city.
Mr.. Reed admitted 1t was nice
neighborhood, but denied it was the
choicest. Congressman Blanton
heatediy told him there were $4,000
pupils at Central High School, and
that that fact made 1t the most de-
sirable in town.
Senator Copeland at this point
exasperatingly asked Congressman
Blanton: do $1,000 pupils make
more noise than 200 pupils?"
Plea for Tenants.
An impassioned plea on behalf OF
the city's tenants was made by Mrs.
Henry c. Brown, secretary OF the
Tenants League, who dramatically
declared that tenants here are ter
rOrized worse than in Moscow"
Her body aquiver with rags, Mrs.
Brown said that $3.50 rent she
pays at the Pentilly, 1872 K street,
took one-haf Of her husbands
salary and had caused her to wear
q coat for three solid years which
was made out OF a $3.50 army
blanket.
Lacks Necessity Of Life.
She said that the necessities OF
Life are taken away from the
people here by high rentals and
that in apartments renting for
SIS there is not enough room to
Swing q cat by the tall
So feeIingly and vehemently did
Mrs. Brown testify that Congress
man Blanton was entirely flaber-
Casted..
Mrs. J. K. Tschipke told the sub
committee how she was eVicted in
the snow. in the DeSota apartment
after she had, as q last resort,
proffereds a $40 increase per month
In rent. She said that the Rent Com
mission reduced her rent from $50 to
SAT- but that couple Of months ago
It was jumped to $67.50 and she was
put out after she submitted to this
increase, she said, because the owner
was sore about her dealings with the
Rent Commission.
CONGRESSMAN Blanton explained
10 the subcommittee that while he
Is opposed to the Whaley bill he
IL in favor Of putting real estate
crooks. who pyramid trusts, in the
penitentiary. Those who testified,
however, attempted to prove to
him that IL he just does this he
will not afford any permanent re-
lief to the tenants.
Mrs. Brown told the subcommittee
that she was an apartment expert
by profession that she was in re-
ceipt of proof that the trusts on
the Pentilly Apartment had been
Jumped from $218,000 to sos. 900.
She added that the neighborhood
was mot particularly desirable"
She said that she and her fifteen
year-olds daughter had canvassed
without success every part of the
city in hopes Of finding a cheaper
apartment that was habitable.
Chamber of Commerce
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