Evening star., 1947-04-01
President AskA
Year Extension
OF Rent Control
House Group Votes
Tentatively for 10 Pet.
Increase in Ceilings
BY the Assoeio..d Press

President Truman today asked
Congress to extend rent controls
a year beyond the present June
80 expiration date.
The Presidents action followed
shortly after a vote by the House
Banking Committee for 10 per
cent across the board increase in
rent ceilings. The committee voted
also to repeal all Government con-
trolls over building materials and
construction.
Chairman Wolcott said the com.
mittee's action was tentative with a
f1nal decision4 due to be reached to-
morrow.
In a message addressed to the two
houses, Mr.. Truman said the Ma.
ton lis still faced with critical
housing shortage" and that rental
units particularly ARE still radically
out OF balance with demand"
Survey Finds Few Vacancies.
Mr.. Truman told Congress he now
has no objection to pending legisla-
ton transferring rent control func.
tlons to the housing expediter, since
recent legislation requires the liuui.
dation of the Office of Temporary
Controls which he originally recon-.
mended to administer rent controls,
The President said a survey in
88 cities by the Bureaus Of Labor
Statistics and of the Census during
l946 found vacancies In rental units
virtually nonresident"
His message said:
The vacancy rates In fabitable
accommodations for these cities
range from zero to maximum of
per cent, with an average well
below one-half of l per cent.
Proper protection of millions of
our American families requires that
effective rent and eviction control
be extended beyond June 80, l947,
Tor a further period of one year,
and SO recommend.
Message Cites Public Law.
The Presidents message cited
public law 548 of the Seventy-ninth
Congress which required a report
from him on or before April /, II
any commodities or housing accom-.
modstions are in such critically
snort supply as to necessitate con.
tlnuance OF controls after June 80.
Mr. truman pointed out that on
November IL, 1946, price controls
were eliminated on all commodities
except sugar, sugar solutions and
rough and milled rice,
He said that since the Sugar Con.
troll Extension Act OF this year has
become law 1t was unnecessary for
MIN to repeat his views on that.
Members reported that the bank
ing group, meeting behind closed
doors. voted, 8 to 4, to allow q 10
per cent increase In rentals. Several
members were reported not voting.
The bill, in Its tentative form.
abolishes provisions in the patman
Housing Act for building materials
allocations and for restrictions on
commercial construction.
1t also would abolish the Once
OF Housing Expediter and give the
President authority to place its re-
naming functions in another
agency.
Veterans Preference Retained.
The measure retains veterans
preference in rental or purchase Of
new houses or apartments, and also
would keep the Government insur-
anee OF mortgages up to 80 per cent
OF the value of new homes.
The committee was reported to
have rejected a proposal by Repre-
sentative Monroney. Democrat, OF
Oklahoma that it accept the Senate
Banking Committees formula for
continuing rent controls.
This formula, approved by the
Senate group yesterday, provides no
fiat increase in rentals but would set
up advisory committee of representa-
tive citizens in each rental area.
Such advisory groups could recon-
mend rent increases or removal of
ceilings in an area. These recon-
mendations would go into effect
after 30 days unless overruled by the
housing officer in Washington.
Both the Senate and House bills
provide for no further rent control
over new dwellings.
Mr.. Wolcott told reporters that
"by freeing the country's construc-
ton machinery from Government
controls we will get more homes"
Representative Patman, Democrat.
of Texas, author of the veterans
(See RENTS, Page A-6.)