Evening star., 1941-04-18
New Housing
Code Urged 10
CurbCrowding
DC. Health Officer
Gives Views at Rent
Control Bill Hearing
By JAMES E. CHINN.

IIlE COIlSIIIuICd ASANS PS'NA -
require adequate sanitary facilities
In all inhabited dwellings and pre-
vent the occupancy of those in decay
so per cent or more-was urged to-
day at a hearing on the Randolph
rent control bill before the Special
Defense subcommittee of the House
District Committee.
The chief witnesses were Or
George C. Rutland, District health
officer, and Harry S. Wender, hrst
vice president of the Federation OF
Citizens Associations, both OF Whom
stressed the necessity of revamplne
and undermining the House CODE
DR.. Rutland emphasized the
handicaps under which the Health
Department is operating, because OF
the lack of a sufficient staff OF sanl-
tarv inspectors and public health
nurses. in its attempts to prevent
the spread of communicable diseases
IN overcrowded houses and apart
nents.
Crowding Spreads Contagion.
Wherever there is overcroWdlng
and poor housing" the healtn ol-
ficer declared, the public health
problem in any community is in
tensifed, particularly with respect
to communicable diseases.
In sections of the district where
the population is more dense than
elsewhere, he pointed out, COM
municable diseases are more prev
slent and the number of admls-
sions is larger to such public lnstl-
tutions as Gallinger Hospital and
the tuberculosis sanatoria at Glenn
Dale, Md.
DR.. Rutland was informed by
Chairman Randolph that witnesses
had testified that in some of the "old
mansions" converted into boarding
and rooming houses there is only
one bath for every Is occupants.
DR.. Rutland declared his inspectors
had observed inadequate sanitary
facilities.
Those conditions are undesir-
able" he said. Il hope we can stem
the trend. But right now we are
handicapped by the lack of person.
mel to investigate all cases"
Sanitary Inspector Needed.
The health officer pointed out that
the department now has one sani-
tary inspector for approximately
every $4,000 of population. The
number, he said, should be doubled.
Last year he asked funds for eight
additional inspectors, but was turned
down.
DR.. Ruhland testified the existing
housing code is inadequate" He
said his department has no authority
to label" house as UNIT for hu-
man occupation.
Questioned by Representative
Randolph, the health officer said he
believed there should be bathroom
and toilet facilities for every family
unit occupying dwelling. He added
he looked with "disfavor" on the
placing of a number of beds in one
room.
The subcommittee was told at its
FIRST hearing on the rent control bill
that in some rooming houses as
many as seven beds had been found
In q single room.
Space Requirement Discussed.
Present health regulations, he ex-
planned, call for 400 cubic feet OF
space per room for every individual
over 10 years of age. This space re-
quirement, he said, should be changed
to include children under 10.
AS DR.. Rutland left the witness
stand, Mrs. Myrtle De Months, 1346
Fairmont street NV, rose from a
front-row seat and said something
ought to be done" about the rats
in Washington.
THE rats are terrible" she de-
clared. "One of these days we are
going to have an outbreak of bu-
bonic plague, or something"
The health officer stopped abruptly.
yes" he said, that is a very i'm
portant matter. I'm glad you men
toned it. We are facing some un-
pleasant developments this summer
because of the finding of typhus-
infected rats. The matter has been
presented to the Commissioners and
they are concerned about it."
Wender Cites Rat Problem.
Mr.. Wender, who appeared before
the subcommittee primarily to out
line the position of the federation
on the rent control bill, said he, too,
believed something should be done
to kill the rats. He denounced the
failure of the Federal Government
10 DESTROY what he described as
good old fat market rats" that IN
tested the Triangle area when the
buildings there were demolished to
make way for the new Federal
buildings that line Constitution
avenue.
There were millions of rats in
that area" he declared, "and they
left there and found new quarters
when the Government tore down the
old buildings and the market"
Mr.. Wender denounced the rent
control bill as revolutionary, pre-
mature, unnecessary and undesir-
able" and predicted its failure.
Sees No Emergency.
mo rent emergency has been
shown to exist" he declared. There
is no rent emergency here now and
when control becomes necessary, we
want it exercised by residents of
washington and we want them paid
no more than our own Commits
sioners who get $4,000 a year each" /"
In it's present form, he said the
measure would allow the appoint
nent of "carpetbaggers" who would
be paid $4,000 a year each to ad-
minister the proposed rent control
law.
Mr.. Wender also said he believed
that building construction here is
not proceeding in accordance with
demands because of fears" of
enactment of rent control legisla-
ton.
"Youre not going to believe that
smoke SCREEN" remarked Chairman