Evening Star Newspaper, January 2, 1942, Page 5

Most Cases Held Up Until Facts Can Be . Stated in Writing : By JAMES Y. NEWTON. {A woman with a 7.month-old Baby, who, she said, became il be- cause the landlady turned off the Reat in an avowed attempt to “freeze us out,” was the’ first complainant heard todayl by Administrator Rob- ert F. Cogswell as the District emer- gency rent control law went into effect. The law freezes rents and services at the level of January 1, 1941 ; The woman, Mrs. Robert P. Smith, rents an apartment on North Capi- tol street, where she resides with her husband and son. Last fall Mrs. Smith, a registered nurse, took in a destitute mother and baby, who had been deserted by the husband and father. Several weeks ago, she said, the landlady ordered them to move, saying she wished to fix up the apartment and raise the rent. When Mrs. Smith refused because there was “no place to go,” the landlady threatened to freeze them out, she said. For the past two weeks, Mrs. Smith continued, they have had no heat or hot water. The landlady refused them heat, but said the water heater was broken, ehe added. Earlier in the fall, Mrs. 8mith related, the friend’s baby became ill with pneumonia and nearly died. ‘The child has been sick since then and Mrs. Smith has nursed it while the mother works as a waitress. Yesterday, Mrs. Smith told Mr. Cogswell, the landlady “threatened to throw us out bodily,. We ealled in police who told her she had no right to do so0.” Told to Pay $40 Rent. Mr. Cogswell is investigating the Administrator Robert F. Cogswell interviews Mrs. Robert P. Smith on the first rent case today as the District's Emergency Rent Control Law went into effect. THE EVENING S8TAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, Rent Control Office Swamped by Requests From Tenants and Landlords on First Day —S8tar Staft Photo. with just claims for fnoreased reat wouild be given every consideraiion. He cited the case of a landlord who had leased a Iarge house for seven years to an attache of a now-de- funct Embassy. esse. He told Mrs. Smith to pay the $40 January rent which the | landlady previously had refused to accept and she need have no fear of eviction. The rent administrator qualified today for the title of “busiest man in Washington.” His office is quar- tered in the old Force School, 1740 Massachusetts avenue N.W. The building is in a bad state of repair | and workmen are hurriedly trying to put it in livable shape. Desks and chairs are strewn all over the building and the complete personnel of the rent office has not been named. The telephone rang constantly this morning in Mr. Cogswell’s pri- vate office, which was dirty and bare except for a new desk and chair, as many of Washington’s | 120,000 tenant families and thou- sands of landlords called to register claims. In each case Mr. Cogswell listened to the complaint and then | told the caller to put it in writing. | In a week or so he hopes to have | printed forms for complainants to | fill out and file. | In addition to those who tele- phoned or called in person, Mr. Cogswell had more than a hundred letters, mostly from dissatisfied tenants. waiting for him. Many of them were illegible. The admin- istrator said complaints were piling in from persons in all walks of | life. “From the very well-to-do and the very poor.” as he put it. Mrs. Smith was accompanied to Mr. Cogswell's desk by Mrs. Mar- garet Roberts, who occupies an apartment in the same building. Mrs. Roberts said her family, con- sisting of her husband, son and daughter, also has been ordered to | vacate and had received the same treatment as Mrs. 8mith. Orders Rate Restored. On the humorous side, Mr. Cogs- well was called by a landlord who said he had raised the rent of a young couple in his building be- cause “they had an addition to the | family.” The man said he did not intend to reduce it. “More children, more rent,” the administrator quoted him as saying. Mr. Cogswell tcld him the rental would have to be restored to the lower figure, The first landlord to file a claim for increased rent was Earl W.| Bailey, builder and real estate man | of 1435 Meridian place N.W. He | said he raised rents on some Houses during 1941 to what he considered a fair Jevel. Recently, he added, he notified tenants their rent for this month would revert to the level of a year ago. Mr. Cogswell will hear | his request for a further increase. “No, madam, you will not be evicted if you pay the same rent you did for last January,” Mr. Cogswell | told a worried tenant, one of many The attache was & friend and he let him have the spacious home with elaborate grounds for $80 a month, far below the average rent. | Under the new law the landlord | can ask only $80 for January from the new tenant, Mr. Cogswell im | plied he would take favorable ac tion on this landlord's request for an increase. The cases expected to give the administrator the most trouble are those involving apartments whish have been newly furnished in the last year. Due to the demand ef temporary war workers for fur- nished quarters, there are hundreds of these in the eity. Mr., Cogswell will have to study requests of this type as there ean be no set fee for furnishing an apartment. Washington’s hundreds of board- ing houses also promise to furnish | trouble for the administrator. Then he will be called upon to fix the rates in the more than 7,000 new | apartments which have been occu- | pled for the first time in the last | year. 41 New Year Day Babies Born in Washington Hospitals 1942 Youngsters Include 19 Boys and 22 Girls, but There’'s N Por 41 women of Washington and nearby New Year’s Day sassumed momentous proportions and, in- deed, took its place in history. To them were born 19 boys and 22 girls, the first 1942 youngsters to see the light of day in this war- burdened Capital twin in the lot. A schedule of yesterday's events follows: Ten seconds after midnight— Deughter born to Mrs. Buvel B. Beck of 23 Milmarson place N.W. in Sibley Hospital. 6 pounds 9 ounces; is hale and hearty, like her mother. 1:16 am.—Boy born to Mrs. Wil- liam Ward, Freedmen's Hospital. 1:50 am —Boy for Mrs. Marjorie Mzaddox, Columbia Hospital. 2:47 am —Girl, for Mrs. Aaron Gelman, Doctors’ Hospital. 3:35 a.m—Girl, for Mrs. Raymond Bailey, Doctors’. 3:42 a.m—Boy, Elsie Weller, Sibley. 4:38 a.m.—Boy, for Mrs. Catherine Holmes, Freedmen's. 5:21 am—Boy, for Mrs. Vivian Casper, Garfield, 6 a.m.—Girl for Mrs. Helen Sloan, for Mrs. | Sibley. 7 am-—Girl for Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, Sibley. 7:08 a.m.—Boy, for Mrs. Dorothy Black, Bibley. 8:41 am—Girl for Mrs. Edna Drake, Gallinger. 9:08 a.m.—Girl, Mitchell, Columbia. 9:45 am—Girl for Mrs. Isabelle Scott, Freedmen’s. 10:05 am.—Girl, for Mrs. Irene Knott, Providence. 10:33 a.m—Boy, for Mrs. Evelyn Calhoun, Columbia 11:04 a.m —Boy, for Mrs. Mildred Russell, Gallinger. 11:30 am—Boy, for Mrs. J. Ed- for Mrs. Isabell with the same problem. “Just pay the same rent and he can't make | you move. We will hear the request for a raise when we get to it.” A number of persons living out- #ide the District in Virginia and Maryland called to ask if they were | affected by the rent law. Mr. Cogs- well told them they were not, but that the Government is working on legislation to govern rents in all | defense areas. Landiord Assailed, Mr. Cogswell described as “un- conscionable and vicious” the action of a landlord in raisiing the rent of two young women who called him today. The girls said they paid $75 for an apartment which has only the “bare necessities” in the way of furniture. On December 1, they related, they received notice the rent was to be raised on Jan- uary 1 to $100. The landlord gave them until December 26 to agree to the increase, the girls said, and added that he threatened to put them out if they failed to comply. The administrator said landlords German Resides At White House As Fala's Guest By the Associated Press, There’s a German penned up in the backyard at the White House—but he’s a dog. His name is Albert and his appearance and characteristics are distinctly German. Albert is a dachshund pup which belongs to Capt. James Roosevelt, eldest son of the President, now on active duty ward White, Dootors’. 11:32 am—Boy, for Mrs, Alice Nowell, Garfield. 11: am—Boy for Mrs. Ruth Lutz, Columbia. Tracey, Columbia. Wi u';ms, Garfleld. for Mrs. Fanny 3:07 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Violet Christman, Sibley. 3:10 pm.—Boy, for Mrs. Lena | Recci, Garfleld. 3:13 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Helen Lidell, Gallinger. 3:40 pm —Girl, for Mrs. Georgi- ana Winzler, Columbia. 3:55 p.m.—Boy, for Mrs. Mildred Hutchinson, Garfleld. 4:09 p.m—Boy, for Mrs. Ruth Mil- ler, 8ibl with the Marines. Noting Albert romping out- side with Fala, Mr, Roosevelt's own scottie, reporters remarked at a press comference that there was an alien out back of the executive office. But he was born in this country, Mr. Foosevelt replied and grinned. A number of | | hospitals reported the crop was un-[ | usually heavy—but there wasn't a|Frost, Garfleld. Baby weighed | 11:50 am.—Boy, for Mrs. Lula pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Edith | AT REDUCED PRICES/! 4 Sale of Discontinued Models ; Maytag....545 ABC......$39 Apex......$37 Crosley ... 535 Thor..... $35 Price Includes Filler Hose Pump ot a Twin in the Lot 4:19 pm.—Boy, for Mrs. Samuel Lerner, Doctors’. 4:3¢ pm.—Boy, for Mrs. Florence McDonald, Sibley. 4:40 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Margaret Bohlke, Garfleld. 5:05 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Carrie Corbin, Freedmen's. 5:18 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Rita | 6:32 pm—Boy, for Mrs, Leroy .;Aibel. Doctors'. *7:02 p.m.—Girl, for Mrs. Bernice Pratt, Sibley. 9:10. pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Matilds Evans, Columbia. 10 p.m.—Girl, for Mrs. Katherine | Mahoney, Garfield. | 10:35 pm.—Girl, for Mrs. Thelma | Wilson, Preedmen’s. | 10:50 p.m—Girl for Mrs. Carrie | Huger, Columbia. Midnight—Girl, for Mrs. Cath. erine Hanlon, Georgetown. | January 31 Deadline Set For Truck, Bus Inventory | The Federal Works Agency today | sot January 31 as the deadline for | completion of the national defense | truck and bus inventory, calling on | owners of trucks, freight trailers and buses to file details of their vehicles for possible use by the Gov- ernment in case of a transportation emergency. The agency announced that more than 40 States have two-thirds or more of their returns filed, but classed as “delinquents” Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The District s 74 per | cent complete; Maryland, 76, and | Virginia, 47. Acting F. W. A. Administrator Baird Taylor III has asked the Office of Civilian Defense to help speed up the mvcnmll. WANTED ‘41 FORD QUICK HIGH CASH PRICE FLOOD PONTIAC 4221 Conn. Ave. WOMI«Z |Caoo Oldest Pontiac Dealer in If You Suffer With Mountsin Velley Minerel Water Met. 1062 904 12th . N.W. 10 Days’ Trial Very Easy Terms i 1942, FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 3500 GA. AVENUE MW, 10 & N STREETS 4555 WIS, AVENVE MW, 15th & R I AVE. NE 6514 GA, AVENUE AW, * 1850 WILSON BLVD. ARLINGTON, VA, *Bus to Va. Btate Levws, some prises Berein Richorin o Va. L) COFFEE v, /= 2 | COFFEE CHASE& 1. SANBORN beg BORAX ¢ 13 | BORAXO oot = 12 ORACKERS *uti = f7c | FLOUR ™t 12 SLAPP'S SHREDDED WHEAT ~+-. == 16 | BABYFOODS sz 3 = 19 CHOC. SYRUP wensurrs 3% 25c | PANCAKE FLOUR %iitwane HEIN TOMATO JUICE =1l 20-08. box grant 47-0z. I 1-0z. Kivs| (1] SWEET PEAS "o e PEANUT BUTTER .5 MAYONNAISE (2%, 35 | esionou emint SAMPBILL'S o 19 4 GE HILL” “"” AR Varietios (Exsept3) 2 oo Selentifically Raised & Milk 7o RYERS or o e * or b, BROILERS 38‘ e P CTEE FANCY FRYING FLORIDA pint 'LUSC|0US PORK SHOULDERS s 7o LAMB SHOULDERS Shhing! g: SAUSAGE MEAT o~ s B P"nE l‘nn W sARToNg ol . 4) KINGAN’S “Reliable” Suger-Cured, Skin 180 20 1ps, averag’;ed! Whole or Shank Half