Evening star., 1935-07-23
RENT CONTROL BILL
HELD Up Z WEEKS
Byrns and Taylor to Back
House Vote, Hitting at
BIanton Opposition.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Determination to bring the rent
control bill to vote in the House,
probably on the next District day two
weeks hence, was expressed today by
Chairman Norton of the House Dis
trict Committee and Representative
Ellenbogen, Democrat, of Pennsyl-
vania, sponsor of the measure which
was blocked late yesterday by Rep
lesentative Blanton, Democrat, OF
Texas.
Speaker ByrnS and House Leader
Taylor have assured Mrs. Norton they
will cooperate to make possible a
vote on this measure.
Il want to prove that We are not
going to let one man run this House, y
Mrs. Norton said.
After the House had passed 10 other
District bills-most important OF
which were the measure establishing
additional grounds for absolute di-
vorce, that requiring semi-annual
tests for all automobiles and the
smoke-control bill-Chairman Norton
found action on the rent bill, blocked
by series of no-quorum motions by
Blanton, which automatically forceo
time wasting roll calls.
Finally Mrs Norton was forced TO
ask that the Committee OF the Wnole
House rise and report the bill WITH
no recommendations. thus leaving it
in status quo for consideration on
the next District day.
Bill Called Socialistic.
Blanton declared the bill to De "the
uuintessence Of socIalism-their rls-
ing sun and emblazoned moon He
charged the author with socialistic
tendencies. Ellenbcgen demanded
that this statement be withdrawn
and Blanton did so after considerable
argument.
If the Ellenbogen bill is passed,
Blanton said, it will take five years
to wipe it off the statute books He
declared the "waI time Rent Com
mission was an absolute failure and
all it did was to ralse rents n such
an extent that tie Government had
| to build hotels tor IFS own emp:oyes.'
Representative Dilkser4 Republican,
of Illinois, who made personal rent
situation survey hetore Elle1bogen
got started, joined Bar ton in oppos-
! ing the measure.
There was little debate on the
divorce bill Representative Dirksen
started ap argument over the insanity
provision, which was included by the
Senate, but stricken out in the House
Committee. However. he offered nc
amendment to have it reinserted
Representative Garter Democrat OF
Kansas explained away the objec-
ton of Representative Palmisano
Democrat, of h1aryiaru that the pas
sage of such a law would make the
Capital a divorce MIL. stating that
any one to qualify fer divorce would
be compelled . have . years resi-
dence in the District.
In addition to adultery as grounds
for absolute divorce in the present
law, the bill as passed by the House
adds three other grounds to liberalize
the law-desertion for two years, vol
untary separation for five consecutive
years without cohabitation, conviction
of felony involving moral turpitude
with a sentence of not less than two
years in a penal institution.
Conforms to State Statutes.
Representative Carpenter assured
Representative Smith, Democrat, OF
Virginia that the bill was drafted to
conform with the statutes of neigh
boring Maryland and Virginia.
Ten of the IA District bills awaiting
action were passed during six hours
of acrimonious debate. Among these
the Senate already has passed the
divorce bill, but this must go back for
Senate concurrence on House amend
ments. The Senate also has passed
the bill regulating emission of smoke
from buildings, vessels and steam
locomotives, and the so-called prosti-
tuition bill. These two now await the
Presidents signature.
Among the other bills passed by the
House we're: To improve the jury serv-
ice, to give the colored Elks use OF
Washington parks and Government
equipment during their national con-
vention here and to authorize the