Evening star., 1941-09-18
By JAMES E. CHINN.

Government jobs in Washington
are being turned down by people
throughout the country because OF
high living costs here, the special
Defense Subcommittee Of the House
District Committee was told today
by Craig S. Vincent, secretary Of
the Local Industrial Union Council
of the c. I. o.
Appearing before the subcommit-
tee during public hearing on three
bills, all designed to fix and control
rentals in the District Mr.. Vincent
declared
People who are being asked to
come to Washington are turning Jobs
down because of the high living costs
here"
Mr.. Vincent made the statement
shortly after E. Barrett Prettyman,
president of the District Bar Asso-
citation and former corporation
counsel, outlined in detail provisions
of a new rent control bill which
Chairman Randolph of the District
Committee introduced yesterday.
This measure would fix the ceiling
on rents as of September /, 1910.
Urges More Dwellings.
Mr.. Prettyman, who testified as q
representative Of the Joint Defense
Housing Committee in which five
organizations vitally interested in
the real estate and housing problems
are affiliated gave his Endorsement
to rent control legislation, but
stressed that the solution to tbs
rental situation is the construction
Of more places in which people can
live.
I'VE must encourage new building
for rent" he declared. I'VE get
nowhere with the problem if We stop
all building and freeze the number
of buildings available for dwellings,
Mr.. Prettyman said the Defense
Housing Committee is composed OF
delegates from the Washington Real
Estate Board, the Building Owners
and Managers Association, the Op.
District Building and Loan League
and the Washington Tax Payers
Association. Members of these
groups. he explained. have control
over 10000 apartment units in the
District, or about SIS per cent Of all
apartments in the city.
Vacancies Decreasing.
Mr.. Prettyman pointed out the
influx of national defense workers
in the Government service naturally
had absorbed housing accommoda-
tions and that the percentage OF
vacancies is steadily going down. In
August, he said, the vacancy per-
centage was 08 for apartments;
now it is 039
"Rooming houses are filing" he
declared. In certain classes Of
dwellings rents are being raised.
The problem before Congress is in
two parts:
Il. To prevent increases in rent
during the emergency except insofar
as increases are necessitated by in
creaSes in the costs OF operation,
such as wages, fuel, taxes, etc.
=. To encourage new building for
rent. We get nowhere with the
problem if we stop all building and
freeze the number of buildings
available for dwellings"
Barred Rent Increases.
Naturally We do not want rent
control because that is human ma
ture," said Mr.. Prettyman, but We
recognize that there is a serious
problem here. Some months ago we
tthe organizations he represented)
definitely and publicly adopted
policy Of not raising rents during
this emergency. We have been
somewhat successful. And we are
willing to stand by that policy even
to the extent of suggesting that Con-
gress enact it into law.
The principal features Of a rent
control bill under conditions existing
in the District are:
81. 1t should be clear and certain:
we think specific rather than in
generalities.
q. The administration and pro-
cedure should be simple and mex
pensive. Remember. it is for the
poor man.
49, 1t should provide an incentive
(See RENTS, Page A-19D