Evening star., 1941-11-07
Senate Group S
Final Rent Bill
Action Slated
Committee to Meet
Monday to Consider
Tentative Changes
Ry LANES E. CHM.

The Senate District Committee
will take final action early next
week on the House-approved rent
control bill. Chairman McCarran
announced today. A meeting for
this purpose probably will be held
Monday.
The measure was Endorsed by
the committee late yesterday,
subject to ratification OF a series of
tentatively approved changes which
included elimination OF the Patman
amendment, tackled on in the House.
These changes, to be considered
further at the next meeting, would:
l. Require that the rent admins
traitor appointed by the Commission
ers be confirmed by the Senate. IN
the same manner as presidential
nominations are handled.
2. Make appointments on the
staff of the administrator condi-
toned upon approval of the Com
miSsionerS.
3. Authorize the administrator, IN
fixing hotel rates. to make allow
ance for increases or decreases in
operating expenses since last Janu-
ary /.
Would Require Reports.
1. Direct the administrator to file
a report with Congress semi-an-
nually.
Action of the committee was
taken at a brief executive session
following a two-hour public hear
ing during which vigorous protests
were made against the Patman
amendment. which provided that
rents be adjusted on the basis OF
the investment value of property.
The committee also rejected an
amendment suggested at the hear
ing by Representative Dewey,
Republican, of Illinois, which would
allow a 10 per cent increase in the
January l level of rents for houses
or multiple apartments renting for
$50 or less per month. Mr.. Dewey
explained such a provision would
protect owners of low rental ac-
commodations against losses from
possible vacancies.
This suggested change was op-
posed by Karl Borders, chief OF the
rent section of o. P. NJ. and Mrs
Helen Duey Hoffman of the Wash
ington Housing Association, both
of whom pointed out that people
in the lowest salary groups live in
houses and apartments renting for
$50 or less. and any increase IN
rentals would constitute a decided
hardship on them.
The amendment relating to hotels
was suggested by Joseph c. Nc
Garraghy, representing the WASH
ington Hotel Association.
Opposed by Borders.
Mr.. Borders opposed the sug-
gested amendment. He declared the
administrator already had been
given power in the bill "to do what
the hotel men want done" He
argued that the change would mere
ly inject into the bill special Ian
guage and consideration
Author of the tentatively approved
amendment requiring that the rent
administrator selected by the Com
miSsioners meet the approval OF
the Senate was not revealed. 1t was
said, however, that Senator Nc
Carran will be advised there is nc
legal precedent for such proce-
dure. and there are indications the
amendment will be removed.
Opponents of the Patman amend
ment included Mr.. Borders, Chair
man Randolph of the House Dis
trict Committee, E. Barrett Pretty
man. representing organized rea.
estate interests; Commissioner John
Russell Young and Harry S. Wender
first vice president of the Federation
of Citizens Associations.
Chaos Foreseen.
| Both Mr.. Prettyman and MIR
| Borders said the amendment Woulo
make the rent-control plan totally
unworkable. The former further
declared it would lead to the chao:
that existed in Washington during
the rent t-control era following the
| World War. He also pointed out il
would force a tenant to go to tht
expense of having a property valued
"a proceeding that would be costly
and involve a long delay before
reasonable rental could be deter
mined on the basis of, investmen
! value.
Final witnesses before the COM
mittee preceding the executive ses'
sion were Arthur Waller, OF tht
Federation of Civic Associations
and Edgar G. Brown, president O
the United Federal Workers.
Mr. Walter testified that the Fed
Grafton had approved the rent-con'
troll bill as it came out of the Hous'
District Committee, but had no
given consideration since to TIT
Pstman amendment.
A change in the bill to give th'
President instead of the Commits
sioners authority to appoint th'
rent administrator was urged b,
Mr.. Brown. He also requested tha
a provision be written into the meas
ure requiring all appointments tt
the rent control agency be mad'
without discrimination as to race
creed or color.
Mr.. Brown said colored persons
generally are the greatest sufferer
| from hiph rents