Evening star., 1943-06-12
Rent Control
Continued From Page B-1.)

full capacity.
1--WE recommend that the pro-
gram in process be reviewed and
continuously scrutinized to the end
that no public housing Is built
purely on the theory that the in
migrant war worker Is unable to pay
the rental required by private hous-
ing, and that wherever possible ad-
vance notice be given that priorities
in each area are about to be allo-
Gated" the resolution said. It also
urged that the Lanham Act be
amended to provide funds for the
removal of all temporary housing
within 18 months after the termi-
nation of the emergency. excepting
for those few projects essential to
early postwar production.
Disposition of the billions in Fed
eral war property is the most i'm
portant single factor facing real
estate in the United States today,
Herbert U. Nelson, executive vice
president Of the NAREB, told the
committee. Voting careful prepara-
ton of program to be recon-
mended to the Government for dis
position of its holdings, the real
tors. appointed q subcommittee for
this purpose. Appointed by Chair
man Galbreath to head the dispo.
sition study group was E. l.. Osten-
dorf. Cleveland realtor and former
president of the NAREB.
Warner Baird Named.
Close cooperation with the alien
property custodian in the handling
of seized properties was ordered by
the committee. Appointed as chair
man of a group to study the matter
and to work out cooperative pro-
cedures was John c. Bowers, Chi
cago. Warner G.. Baird, also of Chi
cago, was named chairman of a SUBJ
committee to make recommends
tions on modification of premium
payments for war damage insur-
ance.
In conferring with Assistant Cen
eral Counsel Close it was developed
that approximately $i30,000,OOO in
premiums was collected during the
first year of the war, with relatively
few claims to be paid. Collection of
premiums for the second insurance
year at the full rate has been ord
cred by the corporation, resulting
in demands in many quarters for
naturalization of the insurance and
reduction OF premium rate.
Definite action on the question Of
Federal payments in lieu of taxes
when property Is acquired by the
Federal Government was urged by
the committee on Chairman Hardin
Peterson of the House Public Lands
Committee, which has number Of
measures on the subject under con-
sideration. Reviewing the many
problems involved, Mr.. Peterson told
the realtors that his group proposed
to find some solution.
Realtors Aid Sought.
Aid from real estate men familiar
with local taxation problems was re-
luested by Mr.. Peterson. who pointed
out that withdrawal of land from
local tax rolls through Federal ac-
QUESTION was creating a local tax
problem of major proportions. One
instance was cited where Federal
acquisitions cut off $4,000 of local
revenues, causing shutdown of
county school system. Former Gov.
Meyers Y. Cooper OF Ohio was
named by the realtors as chairman
of subcommittee to confer with
the Public Lands Committee on the
subject.
Continued effort to place the ad-
ministration of rent control on a
sound and efficient basis was voted
by the real estate group. Hitting
at statements that organized real
estate was attempting to kill" rent
control, the committee declared that
what real estate seeks to accomp-
lish Is to avoid OPA casualties. !"
1t declared that evidence uncovered
by the Smith Committee in its in
vestigation of OPA operation of rent
control shows that the agency is
administratively incompetent, and
that rent control difficulties stem
from this source.
Urge Shift From Public Housing.
Expansion Of the homes conver-
sion program of MIA was urged by
the committee in place of expanded
public housing. From Mr.. Ferrenz
the group heard report that con-
version rates had been stepped up
to the level of 5000 to 5000 units
per month. The program is now
operating in 180 cities, he told the
realtors. Through it, existing struc-
lures are remodeled to provide ad-
ditional living units for war work.
ers under q Government leasing
arrangement. Taking up the ques-
ton in formal resolution, the real
tors declared that a broad-scale con-
version program should be developed
by the Government, instead Of new
public housing construction.
Attending the meetings Of the