Evening star., 1941-11-02
House 10 Debate
Rent Control for
D. T.. Tomorrow
Provision for All
Defense Areas Also
In Price Measure

With rent legislation for the Dis
trict already scheduled to come up
in the House tomorrow as the special
order Of business, another measure
that would put a ceiling on rents
here was started on the way to
House consideration yesterday when
the House Banking Committee re-
ported out the price control bill with
provision for rent regulation in
defense areas, including the National
Capital.
Consideration of rent legislation
tomorrow was arranged two weeks
ago at conference between House
Leader Mccormack and Chairman
Randolph of the House District
Committee The bill TO be taken up
would freeze rents as of January !,
this year, and would put administra-
ton of the law under a $500 ad-
ministrator TO be appointed by the
District Commissioners. 1t would
apply to all types of rental proper
ty-hotels, apartment houses, private
homes, boarding and rooming houses.
In fixing a fair rental. however,
the control authority would take
into consideration any Improvements
made on the property as well as
any increase in taxes. 1t defines a
boarding or rooming house as any
|. dwelling in which there are two or
more roomers or boarders.
Would Apply to Defense Areas.
The House Banking Committee
bill would apply to defense areas
all over the country. and would use
rents as of April /. 1910. as the basis
/ for fixing fair standards. Chairman
| Steagall said there was no antag-
onism in his committee toward the
bill already proposed for the Dis
trict, nor was there any dlsposl-
ton to create a conflict over the
measures. Members of the commit
tee. he explained. felt that so long
as no rent control legislation had
been enacted here that 1t was advls-
able 20 make provision for regula-
ton in this measure covering defense
mentS. he continued. would deter
mine the form the legislation finally
would take.
Chairman Tolan OF the special
committee which has been investl-
eating migration of defense workers,
announced yesterday that his COM
mittee believes unanimously that
Congress should enact rent control
legislation promptly. He said his
committee laid before the Banking
Committee all the testimony 1t has
on the housing situation.
II has been indicated that rent
control Will be extensively discussed
: IL the House because the subject Is
OF Nationwide concern during the
, defense emergency. There is gen.
eral expectation that the bill will
be passed covering District property.
, Police Pay Bill May Come Up.
Chairman Randolph indicated
last night that another District bill
might be called up. Members OF
the committee said the most likely
bill would be the Schultz measure
to raise the basic salaries of police
and firemen on All average of about
$500 year. This measure would
affect the retirement pay of police
and flremen. 1t has been opposed
by the District Commissioners. who
stated that it would eventually in
crease the cost 10 the taxpayers
: about half million dollars year.
. 1t has been on the calendar for
some time.
Sidetracked bills are the small
loans measure and the alcohol
beverage control bill. which sets up
dry zones near schools. churches,
!, hospitals and other eleemosynarv
institutions. and prohibits the ad-
vertising of liquor prices by any
medium.
The small loans bill has been held
, up by Chairman McGehee of the
subcommittee which considered il,
pending return of Representative
Nichols of Oklahoma. who is spon-
soring the measure, and Represen-
tative Dirksen, ranking minority
! member of the committee, both Of
whom have been on an extensive
trip investigating fatal airplane
accidents.