Evening star., 1941-07-16
By JAMES r. CHM.

D1NlNN illiPnOAl. oiil' liip'l VI
the legal staff Of Leon Henderson,
Federal price control administrator,
today told the special defense sub
committee of the House District
Committee that rent control legis-
lstion proposed for Washington by
his agency is intended to be ef-
fectiye only during the period Of
the national emergency.
The bill sponsored by Mr.. Hen
derSon's agency-one OF the two IN
der consideration by the subcom-
would give the President su-
thority to appoint rent control ad-
ministrator with power to freeze or
put a ceiling on rentals here. The
other. sponsored bv Chairman Ran
dolph of the District Committee.
provides for crea tion of commits
sion to fix and control rentals.
Mr.. Simpson gave detailed eX-
planation of the Dill. section by sec
ton. and said the objective of his
agency in seeking its enactment WAS
10 pItNcIll uIluuC lClll llIiI UdNF
and other things that would in
crease the cost of living and hinder
national defense"
Emergency Measure.
Our bill is purely an emergency
measure" he declared AS we look
at it, it is a defense bill The Dis
trict OF Columbia is the No. de-
fense area of the country and We
want TO lock doors before the horses
are stolen 1t is not our idea that
there has been proflteerlng in rents.
But with the increase in popula-
tion here there will inevitably be
pressure for rents 10 go up
Need for rent-control legislation
at this time. Mr.. Simpson said. can
be traced back to the World War
DAYS
The experience in Washington
during that war is clear" he de-
clared
He also explained in response 10
a question by Representative Ran
dolph, that there is not the slight
est doubt about the constitutional
ity" of the proposed legislation.
ANY one who would attack It's
oonstitutionality," he said, would
have a very bad lawyer"
Decentralization Predicted.
Representative Randolph called
attention TO the House action yes
terday in decisively rejecting reso-
luton providing for creation OF a
special committee to investigate the
feasibility of decentralizing Govern
ment agencies and bureaus and
pointed out that although the mem
bers turned it down there was a
slight feeling" in favor of shifting
these agencies He asked Mr.. Simp-
sons opinion about such change.
The pressure of circumstances is
going to force decentraliza ton" the
witness replied But the feeling in
Congress is that the time is not yet
ready for it.
Mr., Simpson said he did not be-
lieve rent control is the answer" TO
the housing problem here Addi-
tional housing accommodations
would be the solution. he declared.
but at the same time pointed out
it may be impossible to build new
houses because of the difficulty in
procuring building material.
1T may not be possible TO build
any more houses he declared. If
that's true there will be big in
crease in rents unless rent control
legisla ton is enacted"
Transportation Problems
Questioned by one of the spect9-
tors-Mrs Myrtle De Montist-Mr
Simpson expressed the opinion that
improved transportation facilities
would aid in relieving the housing
situation in Washington. But" he
added. 1T takes time to build sub
ways. and we may not be able TO
get the steel to build them"
Mrs Mary Wright johnson, rep
resenting the Federation of Womens
Clubs. said her organization felt
that the proposed rent control legis-
lation was an attempt to discipline
tSee RENT, Page A-2)