Evening star., 1942-10-24
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D. {. Rent Act
Forecast
Keech Suggests
Amendment to
National Bill

The Senate Banking and Cur
rency Committee probably will write
into House-approved national rent
control bill an amendment to as
sure the present autonomy of the
District Rent Commission in its con-
troll over residential rentals in
Washington, 1t was predicted today
by Chairman Wagner.
Death of the commission was for
seen in the bill passed by the House
several weeks ago which would place
control of rentals here in the same
Federal agency created to fix rent
ais IN other parts of the country.
The amendment, suggested by
Corporation Counsel Richmond B.
Keech on behalf of the Commits
sioners, was described by Senator
Wagner as "a good one" It has the
support of the District Bar Asso-
citation and the Joint Defense Hous-
ing Committee consisting of repre-
sentatives of the Building Owners,
Managers Association of the Dis
trict, the Washington Real Estate
Board, the Operative Builders Asso-
citation and the Washington Tax
payers Association.
Would Rule Business Rents.
The primary purpose of the Keech
amendment is to continue the life
of the District Rent Commission and
leave the existing Rent Control Act
intact and independent of any ma
tional law that Congress may ap-
prove. 1t would. however, in con-
formity with the legislation under
consideration by the committee. give
a Federal rent control agency au-
thority to fix rentals on business
properties in the District which the
Commission now lacks. The ma
tional bill is intended primarily to
give the Federal government control
over rents of commercial and in
dustrial properties.
Mr.. Keech proposed the amend
ment near the close of an all-dav
hearing before the committee yes
terday. A few minutes later it was
indorsed by Edmund D. Campbell,
representing the District Bar Asso-
ciation. and Rufus S. Lusk of the
Joint Defense Housing Committee.
Mr.. Keech previously made a
strong plea to the committee not to
do anything that would shift control
over rents in Washington from Dis
trict to Federal authorities.
Sees Real Danger"
ANY move to transfer this au-
thority," he declared, would create
real danger. We believe we have
a complete and self executing rent
control law"
Robert F. Cogswell, District rent
commissioner told the committee
the Rent Commission, since it began
functioning in January, has saved
tenants approximately 1896 900.
Detailing operations of the COM
mission, Mr.. Cogswell explained it
had received 1876 cases since Jan
uary, all but 592 of which originated
with landlords. OF these lO,736 cases
he said, $3.50 had been decided, 1880
have been heard and are awaiting
decision, and the remaining 2,447
arc dWdiCAlS nearing.
Mr.. Cogswell emphasized that out
OF the $3.50 decisions only 10 had
been taken to the Municipal Court
of Appeals and in no case has the
administrator been reversed"
Mrs. Helen Duey Hoffman Of
the Washington Housing Association
testified that the District Rent Con-
troll Act has served to decrease anc
stabilize rents and that a clarifica
ton OF its status would be helpful
In view of the proposed legislation
which would specifically delegate tc
the President authority to contro
rents of residential and commercial
buildings nationally.
Decision Date Undecided.
The other witnesses included Ern-
est F. Henry, counsel for the District
rent administrator; Joseph G. Nc
Garraghy, representing the Wash
ington Hotel Owners Association
Maurice H. Thatcher, representing
occupants of group of Commercial
buildings, and William c. Burt, 8
representative of the Greenway Citi.
Zens' Association.
| Senator Wagner did not indicate
when committee action on the bill
might be expected. At the close o1
public hearings, an executive session
was held, at which 1t was decided
to let Chairman Wagner fix the
date for a meeting to act on the bill
He subsequently told newspaper
men he would not call the meeting
until he could muster most of the
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