Evening star., 1935-12-11
LABOR DEMANDS
CONGRESS PROVIDE
HOUSING RELIEF
D. C. Unions Want Three
Commissions Set Up to
Protect Tenants.
LANDLORDS CHARGED
WITH RENT-GoUGING
Special Authority to Construct
Low-Cost Dwellings Urged
in Program.

Charging Washington'S rents are
too high, and its low-coSt housing
not only too scarce, but below the
standards of decency," representatives
of organized labor, meeting in Typo
graphical Temple last night, urged
Congress to establish rent commits
sion, housing commission and
housing authority-al to perform sep
arate functions.
Ninety delegates. representing more
than so labor groups, and many
visitors, heard several speakers de-
plore the Capitals housing situation
and recommend new legislation to
cope with it.
A series of resolutions, all adopted
unanimously, set up the three-point
program for which labor will strive,
and tentative plans we're made for a
mass meeting to be held in January
or February to convince Congress Or
ganized labor is thoroughly aroused"
Committee of Is Named.
The Rent and Low-Cost Housing
Committee of the Central Labor Union
SUOuSUISQ
arranged by Henry Rhine, secretary.
To make plans for the mass meeting
another special committee of Is was
named, headed by Dan Kessler, chair
man, of Lodge 116, American Fedora
ton of Government Employees.
Four Government agencies dealing
with the housing Situation-the P. w.
A Housing Division, the Resettlement
Administration, the Federal Housing
Administration, and District Alley
Dwelling Authority-all will be noti-
fed officially of the action taken.
Among the speakers besides Rhine,
were: Catherine K. Bauer of the Labor
Housing Conference, and w. w. Kee-
Ter. of the MachinistS Union.
Rhine's committee will meet De-
cember IT. at Typographical Temple,
to carry forward the work outlined
last night.
Three-POint Program Offered.
The three-point program calls for:
l. Approval of the Ellenbogen rent
bill, with amendments providing that
the proposed Rent Commission include
representatives of organized labor and
tenant groups; that the legislation re-
quire rents be no higher than the
January l, 1884, level, and the term
of effectiveness of the act be indef-
mite.
2. Legislation to set up so-called
Housing Commission, to enforce in
spection, condemnation, sanitation,
health and fire protection.
g. Legislation to create a housing
authority responsible for conStruc-
ton of sufficient low-rental dwellings
to meet the present shortage and to
replace unfit habitations.
Landlords Accused.
Resolutions presented by a commit |
tee, headed by Ben Allen, charged that
landlords have taken advantage of |
the housing shortage situation in the
District of Columbia, which resulted
from the sudden increase in popuula-
ton due to the expansion of govern
mental functions, and have increased |
rentals far in excess of those prevail |
ing in previous years, to unfair, eXor-
bitant and confiscatory levels"
"Such exploitation by landlords" |
the resolutions declared, flowers the
standard of living of workers in the
District of Columbia by leaving less of |
their wages for food, clothing, medical |
care and other necessities of life"
A housing commission is needed, the
resolution explained, because a large
portion Of rented dwellings here have
been shown ito be in disrepair and
lacking in necessary facilities for
health, sanitation and safety, and be-
cause existing law is inadequate to
compel landlords to improve proper
ties
LOw-COst Dwellings Sought.
The housing authority was said to
be needed because dwellings available
to the majority of workers are sub
standard, obsolete and grossly made
quate." The authority would be re-
sponsible for financing construction
Of housing units on public basis
with funds from the Treasury Rent
ais would be not more than Sc per
month per room. This would cover the
cost of maintenance and municipal
services, but not original investment
or interest on investment.
Rhine outlined the fight carried to
Congress in support of the Ellenbogen
bill, and criticized the point of view
of bankers and realtors who, he
said, had denied there was housing
shortage. He called on organized
labor to unite in the fight for Gov
ernment help.
Describing horrible" examples of
conditions found by Investigators of
the Central Labor Union Committee,
Rhine said in some places seven or
eight families were using the same
bath room, and many tenants on re-
lief paid over SO per cent of their
money for rent for houses completely
unfit for human habitation" Princi-
pal complaints were found to be i'm
light and complete absence of mini
mum sanitary requirements.
Nls Realtors AssaiIed.
{ Rhine read the names of many oper-
Ators Of apartments here, showing
that II firms leased 14,845 apart
ments. After assailing the Washing
ton Real Estate Board for opposing
the Ellenbogen bill, he said that,
strangely enough" the Federation of
Citizens Associations expressed official
opposition to the measure.
After outlining the difficulties faced
by both tenant and landlord, Ring
proposed a housing law with these
principal detectives:
PRONUNCIATION of code to estab-
lish minimum standards for dwellings
of all types, establishment of an office
to regulate relations between landlords
and tenants, maintenance of complete
housing records, publication of housing
information and an educational Serv-
ice to inform the public as to its
rights and responsibilities in connec-
tson with housing
. a