Evening star., 1933-06-15
SENATE QUESTIONS
LEGALITY OF RENT
LAW FOR DISTRICT
Debate Results When Con-
ferees Strike Out $500
Fund for Probe Here.
COPELAND AND BORAH
DEFEND RIGHT TO ACT
Appropriation Had Been Planned
to Compile Data During
Summer Recess.

Action of conferees in striking from
the last deficiency bill an item Of 81
500 to enable the Public Utilities Com
mission to continue a study of rents
in the District of Columbia provoked a
debate in the Senate today on the ad-
visibility of enacting legislation to reg
ulate rents here.
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah.
who had the rental survey item placed
in the deficiency bill several days ago,
said he would not move to reject the
conference report. but arose to express
regret that the item had been elimi-
mated in conference. He explained that
the fund would have been used to
carry out the Capper resolution, under
which the Senate last week requested
the Utilities Commission to gather data
during the recess on rental complaints,
and report to the Senate in January.
Raises Legal Question.
Senator Norris, Republican, Of Ne
braska, inquired whether the District
Committee has gene into the legal ques-
ton of the right Of Congress to pass
law regulating rents here.
Senator Copeland, Democrat, of New
York, member of the Rent Investigating
Subcommittee in the last Congress, said
that under the Constitution Congress
has the same power over the District of
Columbia that it has over forts and
other Federal reservations.
If We can pass law under which
the Federal Government can go into my
State and regulate business doing an
intraState business, can there be any
doub. of the right CT Congress to con-
troll the District of Columbian" asked
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho
Senator Norris wanted to know why
1t is necessary to spend money for
further investigation and wait two or
three years, If the committee thinks
legislation on the subject is needed
Senator King said the appropriation was
not so much for further investigation,
but to have liaiSon officer in the
Utilities Commission who could compile
information and complaints during the
recess, so that legislation could be
drafted and submitted at the January
session.
Rule Killed Measure.
Senator Copeland said he had no
are excessive and that when the Gov
ernment reduces the pay Of its employees
it ought to take steps to protect them
in the matter of rentals.
Senator Bratton, Democrat of New
Mexico, chairman of the conferees, ex-
planned that the $2,S00 item had to
be dropped in conference because of a
rule under which the House will not
accept appropriation amendments where
the authorizing measure has not been
acted on by the House. The Capper
resolution requesting the Utilities Com
mission to study the rent situation was
simple Senate resolution which did
not go to the House for action.
The conferees also struck out Senate
amendments carrying s300,000,000 for
loans to counties for grasshopper eradi-
cation, $4,000 for expenses of the
American group of the Interparlia-
mertary Union, and $4,000 for expenses
Of delegates to the Pan American SAM
tary Conference to be held in Argen-
tina
The last deficiency bill carries the
appropriations for the various emer-
gency laws recently enacted by Con-
gress, including the $4,000 ,000, 900 pub
lie works program, the Tennessee VAL
ley development, the farm credit ad-
ministration and the home owners loan
act.