Evening star., 1936-12-02

arbitration tribunal in Washington
to settle housing controversies was
recommended last night by Laurence
F. Schmeckebier. political scientist Of
the Brookings Institution. at the an
nual meeting of the Washington Com
mittee on Housing.
Schmeckebier was one of five speak
ers, others being James Ring, ad-
ministrative assistant in the Alley
Dwelling Authority; William A. Rob-
erts. former peoples counsel; James
A. Cobb, former Judge Of the Munich
pal Court, and Mrs. Florence D. Stew
art, executive secretary Of the Hous-
ing Committee.
Declaring that existing legal reme-
dies for settlement of housing dis
putes are not adequate, Schmeckebier
said:
Judge Nathan cayton's plan for
establishment of a small claims branch
of the Municipal Court provides for
the arbitration of any dispute what
soever, and would thus include con-
troversies arising between landlords
and tenants. But if his plan, which
the Washington Committee on Hous-
ing has Endorsed in principle. is not
adopted or If the Municipal Court
finds that a small claims and con-
ciliation branch could not handle
cases that do not involve money
claims. what machinery can be pro-
vided to protect the rights and define
the duties Of the respective parties?
Arbitration Board Favored.
For some months a subcommit-
tee of the Committee on Housing has
been studying this problem and has
come to the conclusion that land
lord-tenant arbitration tribunal es-
tablshed by law would serve this pur-
pose. In such a tribunal controver-
sizes between landlord and tenant
could be heard informally without
the necessity of having counsel and
with no cost to either side. The
ultimate results would be beneficial
to both landlord and tenant.
How would such a tribunal be
constituted? The Washington Com
mittee on Housing has in mind q panel
of. say, 80 outstanding citizens, named
by the District Commissioners. There
would be selected from this panel
three arbitrators. who might sit for
q definite period or for specified cases.
A panel OF this size would distribute
the work and prevent the service
from becoming burdensome, as the
arbitrators would receive no com.
pensation. 1t would be necessary for
the tribunal to have a small paid
stan. and 1t II anticipated that many
cases could be mutually adjusted
through the clerk without hearing
before the tribunal.
1.-THE committee believes that 1t is
essential that such q tribunal have
the power to compel attendance of
witnesses and the production of ma
terial books and papers. The findings
Of the tribunal should be reduced to
writing. be made public records and
be open to public inspection.
| II frankly confess that have been
unable to find any record Of such .
method Of settlement of landlord and
tenant disputes. But the principle
has been adopted In many other fields.
Many contracts between organised
labor and employers provide spe-
cifically for arbitration. If we are
pioneers We may be blazing . path
that will be used with benefit by fu-
ture generations.
II do not advocate any proposal
to repeal the law Of supply and de-
mand or to take property without
due process Of Law, but at the same
time I do not subscribe to the doc
trine that If the house is not At for
habitation the tenant has a sufiicient
remedy by moving. Certainly the
finding Of another house and the
moving of his furniture work hard
ship on the tenant, even though his
chattels be few"
Demand for Help Told.
Ring devoted most of his talk to
. discussion Of the efforts of the Pub
lie Utilities Commissioa IN 1899 70
adjust housing disputes. ,..... ,.-.-..
! Declaring The oommiastlh mst with