Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-02-13
D. {. Business Rent
Freeze at 1916 Level
Again BeforeC congress
By Robert K. Welsh

The question of rent control for
business properties in the District
was before Congress today in a
measure by Representative O'Hara,
Republican of Minnesota, to freeze
such rents at January l, 1916, levels
and continue the proposed regula-
tions to March /, 1913.
Somewhat similar measures were
introduced in the Seventy ninth
Congress but never went beyond the
committee stage. Mr.. O'Hara is
chairman Of the Judiciary Subcom-
mittee of the House District Com
mittee.
His bill would authorize the Dis
trict Rent Control Administrator to
enforce and, in specified instances,
to revise rents ON business establish
ments. The existing District rent
control law applies only to dwelling
places. The bill proclaims an "em-
Urgency" because of the shortage of
business accommodations in the Dis
trict and the practical impossibility
of business establishments moving
or setting up business at new To-
cations"
Curbs Clusters of Tenants.
The Administrator, under the
O'Hara proposal, could authorize in
creases or decreases in business
property rents if he determined that
the local tax situation or building
operating costs justified such action.
A landlord could not force ten
ant to move out unless the tenant
failed to pay his rent or violated
other specific provisions of leases,
or unless the landlord sought to
recover the property for his own
business use.
Under some conditions, a tenant
would have to vacate the premises
if the landlord contracted "in good
faith" and in writing to sell the
property to some one else for bust
ness use.
Maximum penalty for violation Of
the proposed regulations would be
one year Imprisonment and $1,000
fine.
Provides for Suing Landlord.
A landlord who obtained more
than the ceiling price would also be
subject to suit to recover $50 or the
difference between the ceiling and
the amount paid, whichever were
greater.
A bill affecting prison employees
and possibly some other Federal
employees engaged in extremely
hazardous" work in the District was
introduced by Representative Cole,
Republican, of Kansas. This would
authorize payment of $4,000 to sur
vivors of such employees killed in
line Of duty.
Although designed principally to
benefit families of Federal prison
employees killed in line of duty, the
bill also would permit such benefits
for Federal employees whose work
is determined by the President as
being extremely hazardous"
Mr.. Cole said he believed this
provision might apply to some types
of Federal police in the District and
elsewhere, but perhaps not to Metro
politan police here.
Bill Permits Sale of Tract.
Other District bills in the House
yesterday included that of Repre-
sentative Dirksen, Republican, OF
Illinois, District Committee chair
man, authorizing the Commission
ers to sell to the Philadelphia, Balti-
more g. Washington Railroad Co
30 ,622 square feet Of land along E
street S.W., between Twelfth ano
Thirteenth streets. This stretch
was vacated by the Government in
1901, and the railroad has been al
lowed to occupy it for tracks and
other purposes since that time.
Representative Smith, Republican
of Maine, sponsored measure tc
give Government employees who be.
long to the Enlisted Reserve Corps
the same rights to leave of absence
as now are enjoyed by members
of the Officers Reserve Corps wher
ordered to military duty.
Representative Lynch, Democrat
of New York, introduced a bill
to transfer from the Commerce De.
partment to the Treasury Depart.
ment the work of compiling Stats
tics on United States foreign trade
The Office for this work would re.
main IN New York City.