Evening star., 1945-01-05
Housing
Continued From First PageD

through the War Housing Center
1t was reported today that Mrs.
Harper's staff sent out SO letters to
members Of Congress, offering to
aid them, and that she received
80 replies. --..
1t was said that all 80 were un-
able to inspect three or four suggest
ed residences and that 10 had been
placed"
The SABBATH resolution would di-
rect the National Housing Admins
tration to build the suggested two
apartment houses within a reason
able distance of the Capitol The
limit of cost, including land and
buildings, would be placed at SO ,000.-
600. In his old bill, the limit had
been 100000.
The SABBATH plan also would re-
ouire that the cost of the project be
amortized within IS years. The
buildings would be operated under
the supervision of the Architect of
the Capitol,
No Cost to Taxpayers.
Senator Bilbo said it had been his
dream" for some years that Con-
gress should provide for huge con-
gressionsl home which could take
care of all members of Congress and
their clerical help. He stressed that
while this would be built under loans
through some Federal agency, "the
cost would not come out of the
pockets of the taxpayers, since it
would become self -liquidating.
He said reasonable rates would be
charged so that the building would
pay for itself, and here he protested
that rental prices and the price OF
land in the District "are too high
and long have been So"
Senator Bilbo said it would be his
idea for the Government to build
the project on the east side of First
street NE. north of the Supreme
Court Building. He said there
should be in this residential hotel a
restaurant, a laundry, drug store
and grocery store and other facili-
ties needed by members of Con-
gress. He figured that building of
about 1000 units would take care
of all members of Congress and their
secretarial stats.
A charge that the District Rent
Control Board is failing to keep
rental prices at the 1941 freeze
date" level was voiced earlier by
Representative Patrick, Democrat,
of Alabama
Not only are new members of
Congress having trouble finding
homes here, he said, but ''the hous-
ing problem facing servicemen
brought here for duty is worse than
that of members of Congress"
Claims "Outrageous" Increases.
Mr.. Patrick, who returned to the
House this week after being de-
feated for reelection in 1912, said
he already had found number Of
instances in which there have been
Outrageous" increases in rentals
since 1941.
Attacks Control Office.
II am convinced that the people
down at the District rent control
Office are working hand in glove
with the owners of properties in the
District for higher rents" he said.
He said he was told of one case
of tenant who rents a place for
$50 a month and then sublets the
house for $128 a month. The SUBJ
lease, he said, had been approved by
rent control officials.
Replying to Mr. Patrick's charges
Rent Administrator Robert F. Cogs-
well said the best answer could be
found each day in the newspapers
classified columns.
There are practically no houses
listed for rent, and the columns are
filled with homes for SALE" he said
The reason for this, Mr.. Cogswell
said, is that the Rent Control Board
will not permit property owners to
rent at excessive prices.
IF they could get the kind OF
rents Mr. Patrick is talking about
you may be sur that they would be