Evening star., 1936-04-12
CHAIRMAN NORTON
PLANS DRIVE FOR
ELLENBOCEN BILL
D. c. Committee Head,
Twice RepuIsed by Blan-
Is ton, to Try Again.
SHOWDOWN PREDICTED;
VOTE CONFIDENTLY SEEN
Capper Introduces Rent Commis'
sion Legislation in Senate With
Some Notifications.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

A final attempt to maneuver the
Ellenbogen rent-control bill through
the House will be made tomorrow by
Chairman Norton of the District
Committee.
Ellenbogen's measure, which would
revive the wartime Rent Commits
sion, is the unfinished District busi-
ness on the House calendar. Twice
Mrs. Norton has been rebuffed in her
efforts to force action on the bill due
to the flibustering tactics of Repre-
sentative Blanton, Democrat, OF
Texas.
Now. however. Mrs. Norton believes
there will be Showdown" She is
confident the measure will come to
a vote, and she is just as confident 1t
will be passed.
Camper Aids Mrs. Norton.
In the meantime, Senator Capper,
Republican, of Kansas has come to
Mrs. Norton's aid by introducing the
Ellenbogen bill in the Senate in a
slightly modified form. Like Mrs.
Norton, he is of the opinion that leg
islative steps should be taken to fix
and control rentals in Washington.
Aside from the Ellenbogen bill,
there are three other District meas
ures on the House calendar. none OF
which is expected to be called up
until the last so-called District day"
of the month, April 81 Outstanding
among these three is the Slsson bill
providing for outright repeal OF the
..red rider" to the 1886 District ap-
preparation act. which forblds the
teaching of communism in the public
schools.
One of the other measures author
ICES the Commissioners or their "deS-
ignated agent" to suspend or revoke
the right of a nonresident automo-
bile owner to drive in Washington for
failing to comply with certain traffic
regulations. The third authorizes the
Commissioners to spend, in their wis
dom, a $4,000 appropriation for the
G. A. r. encampment in Washington
in September.
Even if the Houses disposes of the
Ellenbogen bill before adjournment,
Mrs. Norton said she would not call
up the "red rider" repeal measure
until April 27, because she wants every
member to read the testimony before
the Education Subcommittee. The
record of the hearings is now being
printed at the Government Printing
Off1ce and copies are expected to be
available some time this week.
Senator Capper said he would not
press for action on the rent-control
bill in the Senate until the House
The main difference between his bill
and the Ellenbogen measure is a pro-
vision which, in effect, would freeze
rentals as of January /, 1884, pend
ing a determination by the Rent Com
mission.
Another change provides that one
of the three rent commissioners would
be representative of labor, and one
q representative of tenants.
Vigorous Fight Planned.
Mrs. Norton said she would make
vigorous fight for disposition of the
Ellenbogen bill in the House tomor-
row in order to clear the path for
consideration of the Sisson "red
rider repeater April 81. She expects
the battle over that bill to be even
more bitter than tine fight to prevent
passage of the Ellenbogen measure.
Blanton will lead the fight against
the Sisson bill. Representative
Jenckes, Democrat, of Indiana prob
ably will join him. A patriot and
firm believer that communism has
made inroads into the public schools,
she has threatened to do everything
in her power to kill Sisson's bill.