Evening star., 1948-03-26
Senate Unit 10 Weiqh
Aligning DC. Rent Bill
With NationaIMeasure

Proposed extension of the District
Rent Control Act for another year
will be considered by the Senate
District Committee in executive ses-
sion at II am. Wednesday to de-
termine what changes should be
made in the light of the national
control bill sent to the White House
yesterday by Congress.
Meanwhile, a 30-day extension Of
present rent control here, from
March 81 to April 30, would be pro-
vided in bill approved by Congress
and now at the White House for the
Presidents signature.
If Mr.. Truman signs this measure,
it will give District leaders in Con-
gress more time to complete legisla-
ton for year-long controls in the
city.
The committee previously had
scheduled its session on long-term
rent legislation for Tuesday, but
yesterday the meeting was moved
back one day.
Before the committee Is the draft
OF a bill approved March IS by q
subcommittee to extend the District
Rent Control Act to April 30, 1949.
Since the national bill would extend
controls for the rest of the country
to March 81, 1949, one of the issues
TO be considered will be whether to
make the national and District con-
trolls expire at the same time.
Senator Cain, Republican, of
Washington member of the Dis
trict Committee, piloted the national
bill through the Senate and handled
the House-Senate compromise veE-
sion through its final passage yes
terday afternoon. He feels District
controls should end with the ma
tional one on March 81. 1919.
Senator Cain also announced he
hopes to resume his fight before the
full Senate District Committee for
insertion. of a proviso for a Is per
cent voluntary rent increase. This
proposal by Senator Cain was de-
feated recently by District Sub
committee headed by Senator Buck,
Republican, of Delaware who is also
chairman of the full committee.
Senator Cain indicated he also
plans to ask the Senate District
Committee to insert in the local bill
two other provisions carried in the
national measure. They would de-
control nonhousekeeping rooms in
private homes and would provide
that evictions procedures in the
local measure conform to those in
the national bill
The tentative bill already ap-
proved by the Buck subcommittee
contains liberaliZing changes pre-
viously recommended by Senator
Cain. These would decontrol new
construction, properties which have
been reconverted to new uses and
transient hotel rooms.
January l of this year was rec
commended in the local bill as the
date for freeing newly built or re-
constructed properties from rent
control. Hotel rooms would be de-
controlled as of next Wednesday.
Senator Cain said he would place
before the District Committee his
recommendations to align the local
legislation with certain national
control proposals. But. he added,
if they are defeated in the COM
mittee he would not carry the fight
to the Senate floor
Meanwhile, on the House side of
the Capitol, Representative O'Hara.
Republican, of Minnesota, chairman
of a House District subcommittee in
charge of the District rent control
bill there, indicated he will study
the questions involved in aligning
the local bill with the national
measure. But he has not yet
scheduled meeting of his COM
p,ittaa RI oct