Evening star., 1932-06-03
CAPPER WILL ASK
RENT PROBE TODAY
District Committee ResoIu.
tion Requests Justice De-
partment Inquiry.

Request for an investigation Of rents
In Washington will be made to the
Justice Department today by Chair
man Capper of the Senate District
Committee acting under resolution
adopted by the committee yesterday.
The resolution said that whereas,
1t has been brought to the attention
of the committee that combine be-
tween property owners and agents ex-
lists, the effect of which is to maintain
an exorbitant charge for living quar-
tiers in the District Of Columbia, there
fore, be it resolved by the Committee
on the District OF Columbia OF the
United States Senate,
First, that the chairman be in
structed to bring this charge to the
attention of the Department Of Justice;
Second, that it is the sense Of the
committee that rental properties. apart
ments and hotels are affected with a
public interest. This policy was FORM
ulated into law In 1919, and 1t may well
be that the prevailing economic con-
ditions justify a revival OF the Rent
Commission;
Third, that the chairman is directed
to present the views OF the committee
to the District of Columbia public and,
If need be, to have formulated such
legislation as will effectively overcome
the evil of overcharges. should they be
shown to exist"
Cites Rent Complaints.
Action was taken after Senator Cap
per had called the attention Of his COL
leagues to letters he has received since
he began looking into the rent situation
several weeks ago.
Capper had outlined in two recent
radio speeches the substance Of the
complaints made by the writer's.
There is every reason to believe"
the Senator said. that rents in Wash
tngton are far above those charged in
other comparable cities. The Bureau of
Labor Statistics has shown that rents
In this city are now higher than they
were In 1920. when the wartime hous-
ing shortage had not been fully met by
new construction. I have more than
500 letters from residents Of the Dis
trtct protesting against present condi-
tions, and appealing to me for some as
sistance in the situation that has arisen
here"
The chairman told the committee he
has information that in some cases
rents have been increased recently.
Then followed a general discussion,
In the course of which Senator Cope
land, Democrat of New York, offered
the resolution the committee adopted.
Others present were Senators kean
Republican of New Jersey, Austin
Republican of Vermon0 and Bank
head Democrat of Alabama.
Senator Capper said after the meet
ing he would call the committees ac-
ton to the attention Of the Attorney
General without delay.
Copeland Backs Move.
Senator Copeland, pointing out that
the committee has an interest IN the
health and general welfare Of the peo-
pie of Washington. said
When these people, many of whom
are employees of the Federal Govern |
ment. are forced out Of decent living |
accommodations by exorbitants rents
and forced by sheer necessity to live in !
crowded, airless, sunless quarters, their
health and morale inevitably must
suffer
While the District Committee was in
session. local rents also were being dis |
cussed in the Senate in connection with !
the proposed cut in Government |
salaries.
Senator Norris, Republican, Of Ne
braska, opponent of reductions for those
il the lower salary groups, contended
many of the loWer-salaried Federal
workers are in Washington and that
rents here are high.
Senator Dickinson, Republican, of
Iowa. member Of the Special Economy
Subcommittee, which drafted the pay
cut proposal, said the rents that are
high are those affecting the upper
classes rather than the employees in
the lower salary groups.