Evening star., 1925-01-19

!
posed rent law would put it in the
power of tenants to treat landlords as
they saw fit
This drew from Senator Copeland
comment that Il suppose you would
like a system such as they have in
Russia"
Mr.. Petty replied that he thought
| the system under the rent act would
be like the present Russian system.
Senator Copeland asked Mr.. Petty
if he believed that Congress had no
constitutional right to pass the pro-
posed legislation. Mr.. Petty replied
that he was not lawyer. that the men
with whom he had ia ked give 1t as
their opinion it was not constitutional
for Congress to pass such law
In this he was supported by Mr..
Whiteford. who told the committee
! he did not believe Congress had the
right to pass a law controlling rental
prices when no emergency exists. The
police powers, he said, could not be
SO extended
Recalls Wage Law.
Senator Copeland pointed out that
the Whaley bill Is based on public
interest and public welfare.
Mr.. Whiteford replied that the
minimum wage law for women also
was based on q contention that the
wages of women in the District are
clothed with public interest, but
that the Supreme Court had declared
the law unconstitutional
Senator Copeland said that under a
rent law property owners would not
be deprived of property. nor would
they be deprived of a fair return on
it. What he wanted to know, he said,
was whether Congress fundamentally
has right to place such a law on the
statute books.
II am inclined to think that we
can" said Senator Copeland, al
though at first l question the power
l have progressed a little. But l want
to know definitely"
Control Over District.
Senator Jones called attention to
the language of the Constitution CIV
ing Congress exclusive Jurisdiction
over the District, saying that it
should be taken into consideration
in reaching a conclusion.
Senator Copeland said that he did
not believe that a permanent rent
law could be enacted in New York
and Mr Whiteford contended that
the Constitution really makes of Con-
gress a State Legislature for the Dis
trict of Columbia. He insisted that
Congress could go no farther in the
District than can n Legislature in the
State, but would be bound in the
same extent by the provisions of the
Constitution.
Il think that's correct" said Rep
resentative Hammer of North Caro-
lima.
Representative BIanton asked Mr..
Petty If 1t were not a fact that the
CT
dealers rather than property owners,
and whether it were not a fact that
the realtors make far more money
on sales than on rentals.
Believes SAFES Stimulated.
Isn't it a fact that the rent law
has been real bonanza to the real
estate dealers, rather than otherwise,
because it has brought about so
many sales of property?" asked Mr.
Blanton.
Mr.. Petty said that he had already
stated that many properties had been
placed on the market for sale
Charles G. Edwards of New York,
president of the National Association
OF Real Estate Boards, told the COM
mIttee that he had just come from a
meeting in Dallas, Tex, where the
national organization had gone on
record as opposed to permanent rent
legislation. He said that his or
SANITATION would view with alarm
the establishment of permanent
Rent Commission in the District of
Columbia
Mr.. MaCChesney was put on the
stand by the real estate organiza ton.
he told the committee that realtors
were opposed to the proposed legisla-
tlon on two grounds, first that ii was
considered economically unsound and
would not accomplish the purpose for
Whlch II was enacted, and second,
that it was unfair to single
out the real estate interests and make
them assume responsibility which
should be assumed by the entire peo-
pie Of the country.
Discuss Scope of Power.
Mr.. MacChesney said that if an
emergency existed in Washington re-
gardtng housing, there should be
some power in Congress to meet it.
he added, however, that the Consti-
tuition does not reserve power to the
Federal Government nor give il un-
usual power. He pointed out that the
Constitution provides simply for an
allotment of power, which finally re-
sides in the hands of the people. Con-
gress, he said, is not given the power
to violate the provisions of the Con-
stitution itself, even in the District
of Columbia.
Housing conditions in Washington
brought about by the war would have
remedied themselves much more rap
idly without legislation than with it,
Mr.. MacChesney told the committee
Legislation of this character, he said,
interrupts the flow of capital, which
is needed for construction.
Senator Copeland wanted to know
if shelter was not as important as
food to the people.
Mr.. MacChesney replied that he