Evening star., 1936-03-10
ELLENBOGEN BILL
ACTION DEFEATED
Rent Commission Measure
Remains on Calendar
for March 23.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Bearing the scars of It's first major
conflict, the Ellenbogen bill to revive
the Districts wartime rent commits
sion remained on the House calendar
today, awaiting another call into ac-
ton.
Chairman Norton of the District
Committee, who fought as she never
sundry obstacles that were suddenly
placed in the path of the measure.
said she would call it up again March
%, the next so-called District day"
Representative Blanton, Democrat,
of Texas aided chiefly by Representa-
tive Taber. Republican. of New York
by series of parliamentary maneuvers.
prevented action on the bill yesterday.
but Mrs. Norton is confident it will
reach the voting stage March %.
Meanwhile, however. Budget Direc-
tor Bell told the Commissioners today
there would be no objection to their
recommending to Congress adversely
on the Rent Commission measure.
Blanton ASasiled.
Charges and counter-charges were
banded all around the House floor
during yesterdays debate, and at one
time Mrs. Norton became so angered
she turned loose blistering attack on
Blanton. First. by implication, she
called him a dictator" Another
time she denounced him for cutting
appropriations for Washington hos
pitals and for public health protec-
tion.
And in the midst of the battle came
a charge by Representative Ellenbogen,
Democrat, of Pennsylvania, sponsor OF
the bill, that powerful real estate
lobby is working to defeat it.
Mrs. Norton did not put on her
fighting togs until the filibustering
activities had forced three roll calls
and several quorum counts and de-
layed her from getting the bill before
the House until late in the afternoon.
"It is plainly evident" she began,
"that a few members in this House
nisrepresented this bill to so great
an extent that they have been sue
cessful in wasting almost the entise
afternoon In f1libustering to prevent
this bill from consideration.
"Strange Government"
1--WE have a very strange sort OF
Government in the District. The peo-
pie here pay taxes. They are not
allowed to say how their money shall
be spent; in fact, they are not al
lowed to say anything about what
they want done in the District. They
have to take what they can get.
ut would seem to me that this sort
Of day is one of the best arguments
that could be brought forth for giving
the District people the right to vote
SO that they may say for themselves
what they want and bring into this
House suficient influence to have
their bills considered fairly at least"
Mrs. Norton then exhibited folder
filled with correspondence which she
said represented complaints against
high rents.
ST hold in my hand the corre-
spondence which has come in during
the last month from poor tenants VINO
have not a voice in District affairs"
she said. "These people have been
gouged by certain real estate men in
the District.
II am. not one bit in doubt as to
what the reason is for the attitude OF
certain members Of the House today.
OF course, the real estate people OF
the District have a lot Of influence.
They have a lot of influence on mem
bers of the House, which is the reason
this filibuster is going on. That is
the reason this bill has not been
permitted to be considered on its
merits.
'"The real estate men have been
very cute about this matter. Most
Of them have seen to 1t that the rents
in high-priced apartment houses and
hotels have not been raised. But