Evening star., 1948-01-18
Easing Rent Controls
Would Be InfIaiionaly,
Hartman Warns
by fhs Asseeisted Press

by me Assoeidfed Pfe3s
Secretary of Commerce Hartman
told Senators yesterday it would be
"disruptive" to ease or end rent
controls, and Housing Expediter
Tghe =. Woods called for their
extension until March 81, 1850.
ANY further relaxation Of rent
controls would represent an infla-
tionary STEP" Mr.. Hartman told a
Senate banking subcommittee.
This would directly raise the
cost of living and add to the pressure
of wage demands for which there
would be a good case in equity If
we were to permit the rise In living
costs to continue"
The committee Is studying legis-
lation to extend rent controls, which
are due to expire on February 20.
Mr.. Wood testified that rent levels
for. decontrolled housing units "are
now very substantially above the
rent levels for controlled housing" :"
Telling the committee that he did
not expect the general housing
shortage to be alleviated for some
time, he added:
For most areas rent control will
be necessary for the next two
years"
Senator Cain, Republican Of
washington, the committee chair
man, asked Secretary Hartman
now he could reconcile rent con-
trols with a free economy.
Mr.. Hartman replied that he
does not advocate leaving rents
under permanent Government con-
trol, but that he thought controls
were necessary during the ad-
]ustment from a war to peacetime
economy.
He said that he agreed with Sem
ator Fulbright, Democrat, Of Arkan-
sas, a committee member. that the
controls were not perfectly equit-
able" but he argued that they were
reasonably equitable.
Mr.. Hartman said that property
owners were not ''unduly suffering"
and declared that he did not think
it was unfair for the Government
to step In and check profiteering In
a necessity Of life"
The extension and Strengthening
Of rent controls, he said, was a
cardinal point" in President Tru-
mans 10-point a1ti-inflation pro-
gram. Most Of the program, with
the exception of extension of export
controls, has, been junked by the
northumberland Congress.
Urges Stronger Law.
In addition to calling for exten-
sion of rent controls to March, 1850,
Mr.. Woods declared that the present
law needs strengthening. Enacted
last year, 1t eliminated the former
authority of the housing expediter
to bring treble damage suits for vio-
lations, and Mr.. Woods said the
large number of over ceiling viola
tions since July /, 1947 is attribut-
able primarily" to that cause.
He also tol dthe committee that
since July /. there has been sub
stantial increase in the number OF
eviction actions filed in many local
courts"
To tighten up the present law, Mr..
Woods asked Congress to:
/. Amend the law to protect until
March 81, 1850 the tenants who
have voluntarily accepted increases
of up to Is per cent in return for
lease through 1913.
2. Provide for effective enforce
ment OF the law by permitting the
expediter to sue for overcharges If
the tenant does not, and by permit
ting the housing expediter to refer
wilful violations to the Justice De-
partment for criminal prosecutions.
/ 3. Provide for enforcement Of all
violations, including unlawful evic-
tion, instead Of limiting action solely
to overcharges.