Evening star., 1945-09-09
.biIbo Indorses
Plan 10 Retain
ID. RentCurbs
Says Recent Remark
| Was Aimed at OPA;
| EorIy Action Mapped
By DON s. WARREN.

BY DON s. WARREN.
Full Endorsement of the proposal
Tor continuation of the Districts
rent control through 1916 came yes
,erday from Chairman Bilbo of the
Senate District Committee as plans
for early action on the question
were mapped on both the House
and Senate side of the Capitol.
At the same time prospects OF final
congressional action on the old
District-Virginia boundary issue
frightened with a directive for ac-
ton by Chairman Bilbo on the
House-approved settlement bill.
Additional District legislation was
proposed by Chairman Randolph Of
the House District Committee who
tomorrow will sponsor a resolution
broadening the Districts tax exemp-
tion law as the instance of Navy
Department officials.
Explains Earlier Statement.
Senator Bilbo explained that his
recent statement calling for an early
end of wartime controls now that
the war was over. was directed at
"the OPA and other Federal con-
trolls" and not the Districts sep
arate system of keeping governor
on rents.
'Of course, I am in favor of con-
tinuing the Districts control OF
rentals said the Mississippi Sem
ator. The need is perfectly OBJ
Yious. There are Just as many people
crowded into Washington today as
there were when the system was
adopted. And it will take some time
to build enough housing to take
care of all the people that are stay
ing here. 1t is the controls over
house construction among other
things that was talking about. And
think we are going to have to
loosen those things up"
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee, meanwhile,
planned early conferences with Rent
Administrator Robert F. Cogswell
and perhaps other District officials
on extending the Districts law for
another year.
Mr., Randolph is expected to spon-
sor the rent control plan although
he has not yet finally committed
himself. He did say yesterday that
Washington was in peculiar situ-
alton" with respect to rent control
and that it was reasonable to believe
a years extension was necessary.
Hundreds Ask Extension.
Hundreds of demands for continu.
alton of the District rent control
law have been made in telephone
calls to members of Congress IN the
past week, large portion of these
going to the Office of Senator Bllbo,
Several letters were filed with
Mr.. Randolph. One of these came
from Robert Sherman, president of
the Washington CIO Industrial
Union Council, who declared the
council knew that lifting of the
rent controls now would allow rents
to skyrocket, which would cause
great hardship"
Carrying out his promise to seek
early action to settle the District
Virginia boundary dispute, Senator
Blloo yesterday named a subcom-
mlttee to consider the Randolph
Dill passed by the House last June.
1 have appointed a subcommittee
OF very capable members and am
asking them to study the question
both thoroughly and expeditiously,"
said the Mississippi Senator.
Named as subcommittee chairman
is Senator Hoey, Democrat, of North
Carolina. Other members are Sem
ators Tydings of Maryland and
Johnston Of South Carolina, Demo-
Gratis, and Saltonstall of Massachu-
sets and Young of North Dakota,
Republicans.
Calls Delay Disgraoeful. !.
Senator Bilbo said there were not
only legal difficulties arising over
the mo Mans Land" situation,
which handicapped police and ju-
dicial procedures, but that it was
downright disgraceful" that the is
sue had prevailed so long.
| Acting at, the request of Secretary
of the Navy Forrestal, Mr.. Randolph
tomorrow will propose to the House
an amendment to the Districts tax
exemption laws to cover private
properties used rent-free by Gov
ernment agencies.
Under terms of the proposed mea.
sure, the status of a property, other
wise tax exempt, would not be
changed by the fact it had been
made available for the use of the
Government, or of the American
Red Cross, if it did not involve a
profit or payment of rent.
Any currently pending tax bill
would be forgiven but the measure
does not propose for refunds of any
taxes that so far might have been
paid for such properties.
| Mr.. Forrestal said the legislation
was sought with the purpose of
encouraging a practice which had
proved highly beneficial to the
Navy Department during the war
period. He cited the case of the
Society of the Cincinnati which for
some time has furnished office space
for Navy officers and employees,
being reimbursed by the United
States only on an expense basis
but receiving no profit. He said the