Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-10
TYD|NGS ATTEMPTS.
TO LIMIT SCOPE OF
REAL ESTATE QUIZ
Maryland Senator Fails to
Restrict Inquiry to Wash
ington Firms.
EX-SALESMAN TELLS
OF COUNTRY CLUB PLAN
Woman Prospects Given Special
Attention, He Says-Wardman
Decision Deferred.

A move by Senator Tydings Of Mary
land to definitely restrict the scope of
the investigation Of the Blaine subcom-
mittee of the Senate into conditions in
real estate business in Washington,
made after a two-hour hearing this
morning, ended in an impasse, when
Senator Blaine, OF Wisconsin, chairman
Of the committee, strongly upheld the
procedure Of the body and indicated a
determination to continue, without
limiting the committees activities.
A colloquy developed on this point
when Senator Tydings voiced his oppo-
sition to going on fishing expeditions"
to find If local real estate men had been
guilty of any misconduct, and strongly
held out that the committee should
establish a prima facie case before any
witnesses or real estate company records
we're placed under subpoena to be hailed
before the committee.
Proposal Is Dropped
Senator Blaine Immediately met the
issue by declaring that 1t would be i'm
possible to establish such a prima facie
case unless the committee did exercise
its power to subpoena witnesses and
records. The matter was dropped when
Senator Tydings declined to put his
suggestion in the form of a motion, no
decision therefore being called for from
the committee as whole.
This development came after Senator
Blaine announced that decision would
ha Hnfa IN -
in the case of Harry Wardman, prom
inent figure in the Washington realty
and construction field for many years,
who last week fatty refused to produce
before the Senate Committee books
and records of the Wardman Corpora
ton, contending that such would con-
stitute unreasonable seizure" of pri-
vate documents.
Senator Blaine said that Wardman's
action of last week was clear indi-
cation that that company would use
every possible obstruction tactics in
order to hamper the committees at
tempt to obtain subpoenaed records.
Since the suit over receivership for
the Wardman Mortgage e. Discount
Corporation in court in Alexandria is
TO be resumed tomorrow, Senator Blaine
said, the committee would be delayed in
getting possession of those books until
that case was ended. He said, there
fore. that decision as to what would be
done regarding Wardman's refusal to
produce books and records would be de-
ferred until the decks have been
cleared" This announcement was made
after the committee had spent nearly
two hours delving deeply into the af-
fairs OF the Country Club Properties
Co., Inc, a promotion concern engaged
In selling suburban property in Mont
gomery County, under a system includ-
ing free lunch and free lecture on
psychology.
Mrs Clara Carr, So years old, widow
Of 2l2 Rittenhouse street, who had
given extensive testimony regarding how
she was led to buy a lot on promises
that she would be able to sell quickly
and make profit, was recalled by Sem
ator Blaine, to develop what the Senator
said was a very important matter"
He had Mrs. Carr identify an envelope
bearing postage stamps containing an
announcement, published in a morning
medtately going to build rs houses on
the undeveloped suburban tract, and
stating that all needed transportation
and utilities were available.
Subsequent testimony brought cut
that only one house had been placed
under construction, that certain COM
munity facilities were not yet installed.
and that lot buyers had made pur
chases on the basis that the announced
developments would enable them to sell
at profit.
Senator Blaine then announced that
he proposed to have the exhibits sent
to the United States attorney for his
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