Evening star., 1947-04-28
Rent DecontroI
Set in 28Areas
On Thursday
OPA to Free Portions
Of II Others; House
Plans Debate on Curb!
BY the Asseeiated Press

The Office Of Price Administra ton
today ordered 28 areas and portions
of II others freed from rent ceilings
Thursday as Congress moved nearer
a showdown on divergent House.
Senate bills to extend controls
beyond June 30.
OPA said today's decontrol order
was the last to be expected before
its rent division is transferred May
4 to the office of Housing Expediter
Frank r. Creedon.
Max Mccullough. OPA commits
sioner, went even farther when he
told reporter he believes the direc-
tive covers all areas I think should
be decontrolled before June 80"
House Debate Wednesday.
While OPA completed arrange
ments to turn its rent control duties
over to Mr.. Creedon, the House
tentatively set Wednesday for the
start of full-dress debate on the bill
approved by its Banking Committee
to continue controls at least until
December 81. The President would
be allowed to extend controls three
additional months by proclamation
If he finds it necessary.
The House committee, reversing a.
previous stand, killed proposal for
a fiat 10 per cent rent increase.
However, a move to restore the rent
boost may be made on the floor.
Almost certain to stir up a sharp
floor battle Is another controversial
provision in the bill which would
eliminate such Federal controls as
those over nonresidential construc-
tion, channeling of materials TO
products and limiting the size of new
homess
Monroney Upholds Controls.
Representative Monroney, Demo-
crat, Of Oklahoma protested that
this provision would "open the flood
gates" for huge construction pro-
gram competing with veterans hous-
ing "in market still plagued by
material shortages and skyrocketing
costs of labor
A member of the committee, Mr..
Monroney said in a dissenting report
that elimination of the controls
would mean that big construction,
turned loose without restraint, will
sound the death knell of even a min
lmum number of new houses vitality
necessary to eliminate acute suffer-
ing in hundreds of communities.
The Oklahoman echoed an earlier
assertion by Mr.. Creedon that re-
moval of nonhousing construction
limitations would lead to "scram-
BILE" for scarce materials and result
in fewer houses at higher prices"
than at present.
Increases Would Be Allowed.
Among other provisions, the
House committees bill would per-
NIT tenants and landlords to enter
voluntarily into lease contracts for
up to Is per cent rent increases,
provided the leases run TO December
81, 1948,
The Senate Banking Committee,
which previously rejected a fiat rent
increase, has approved a bill to con-
tinue controls to March 1, 1948. The
Dill also proposes TO set up local
rent committees to make recon-
mendations on increases asked by
landlords.
The decontrol order effective
Thursday will apply to all living
accommodations in the areas af-
fected. These areas are in % States.
including sCalifornia. Idaho, Indi-
ana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mon
tana, Nebraska. Nevada. New Jer-'
sey Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Dakota, Texas, Washington, West
Virginia, wyoming, Alabama, Flor
ida, Georgia, Maryland dorchester,
Wicomico and Worcester Counties
on the Eastern Shore) and Virginia
| (Accomac County.
| Elimination of the % areas will
leave $40 areas or portions still
under rent control.
OPA noted that the order con-
tinues policy started nearly q
year ago of "decontrolling areas or
portions when it is shown that the
need for controls no longer exists"