Evening star., 1944-08-20
Murray Calls Harman
Charges 'Scurri|ous'; /;
Asks Bar Inquiry
BY DON S. WARREN.

Aroused by what he termed q
sscurrilous" suggestion that had
been influenced to give "the brush
off" to Washington commercial rent
complaints, Chairman Murray of
the Senate Small Business Commit
tee yesterday asked the District Bar
Association Grievance Committee to
investigate his critic, Richard A.
Harman, an attorney.
Senator Murray, in notifying Mr.
Harman of his action, also denied
that the Small Business Committee
had relinquished it's interest in or
authority concerning the problem of
commercial rent control.
He explained that his statement
to reporters last week was that since
the District Committee would pass
on any proposed legislation for COM
mercial rent control in the District,
the files of his committee would be
available to the District group for
study. But this didn't mean. he said,
that his committee was giving up its
authority, but ION the contrary, it
is still studying the subject and will
issue its report at the proper time" "
Harman Not Apprehensive.
Reached by telephone last night,
Mr.. Harman had the following to
say regarding the letter which was
read to him and which he said he
had not received:
Il am not apprehensive about
any action in this respect. Although
have not received Senator MUIR
rays letter which I understand he
claims to have sent me, felt that
an explanation is due me of the
conflicting statements which are OBJ
vious from peruSal of my letter
to Senator Murray.
Il do not scare easily. Sometimes
the truth hurts, and sometimes eff
forts to learn the truth hurt. 1t
was the bulletin of the National As
sociation of Building owners and
Managers that said they sat in on
such matters, and I quoted this to
Senator Murray and made no ac-
cuSationS."
Mr.. Harman, as general counsel
OF the Commercial Tenants Protec-
tive League, had filed number of
commercial rent boost complaints
with the Murray Committee. He
wrote to the Senator Thursday and
sent copies to the press. protesting
against what he called the brush
off"
In his letter, Mr.. Harman quoted
from what he said was statement
published by the National Associa-
ton Of Building Owners and Man.
ayers that in Washington the
sensible view seems to prevail" that
this is no time to enlarge bureau
cratic controls He then asked
Senator Murray. Did the National
Association of Building Owners and
Managers have any one in on the
discuSsions?"
Calls Letter Impertinent.
Senator Murray replied: Il have
your letter of August II. You are
quite right in implying that it's
contents are impertinent. More
than that, I regard 1t as a grossly
unprofessional communication for a
member of the bar to address to
the chairman of a Senate COM
mittee.
Accordingly, I am sending a
copy Of it, together with a copy of
this letter, to the Committee of
Grievances of the Bar Association
of the District for such action as
they may deem appropriate.
Il am calling their particular at
tentlon O. to your scurrilous sug-
eestion that I had yielded to
improper influence in relation to
some supposed committee action,
and (2p TO your issuance of this
communication to the press ap-
parently at the same time that you
had mailed it to me"
After denying his committee had
abandoned the Washington COM
mercial rent problem, he continued
I have no knowledge whatever
concerning the Building Owners and
Managers organization referred to
in your letter and have never had
any communication OF dealings with
1t. Your suggestion that they ex-
erted some improper influence upon
me is deliberately false and untrue -
Two Complaints Filed.
Meanwhile two formal complaints
regarding boosts in commercial
rents here were filed yesterday with
the House District Committee.
which has agreed to hold hearings
on the need for control if wide
spread rent "gouging" is found.
The complaint of the Lotus Res
taurant against what it called an
unJustifiable demand for rent
boost, which it said, it could not
pay and stay in business, was filed
with the House committee by Mabel
Benson Sakis, attorney for the res