Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-02
Rent Control, Housing.
Get Congress Priority
Pending Price Study.
By Chalmers M. Roberts

Because of Congressional I'M
certainty over the course of in.
fiation and the possibility that
the cost of living may turn
downward, the two committees
which must deal with the prob
lem in the new Congress will
give priority to rent control and
housing legislation, it was
learned last night.
Senator Maybank, Democrat, Of
South Carolina, who probably will
act as chairman Of the Senate
Banking Committee, and Represent
ative Spence, Democrat, of Ken
lucky, who will head the similar
House group, told The Star their
cpmmitteeS will need to wait at least
q. month to find out what's happen
ing to the economy before trying
to do something about current high
prices.
Senator Maybank is expected to
be acting chairman of the Senate
group with the Craftsmanship in
name going to Senator Wagner of
New York, who has been absent be-
cause Of illness for more than two
years.
To Probe Middleman Profit.
Senator Maybank also said he
would call for an investigation of
"the middleman's profit" on food
and clothing unless recent whole
sale declines are reflected to larger
extent in retail price tags by the
end of this month.
He pointed out that the big de-
cline in wholesale farm prices has
not shown up fully in retail prices.
He said the same is true of sucn
manufactured goods as textiles, de-
spite drop in cotton prices.
This month should be a period
of shaking down prices so that the
committee. around February /, will
be able to determine what type of
legislation is needed or whether to
open an investigation into the mid
dleman's profits, Senator Maybank
added.
Favors Credit Curb Extension.
The Senator said he favors i'm
mediate extension of credit control
legislation which has resulted in the
higher down payments now re-
qu1red on automobiles and many
household goods and appliances.
He said he favors quick action on
housing bill similar. to the Taft
Ellender-W Wagner bill which Senator
Ellender, Democrat, of Louisiana,
is expected to introduce again to-
morrow when the new Congress
meets. Senator Maybank said he
would press to add additional help
In building farm homes.
He also supported an extension
of the present limited priorities and
ALLEGATION powers now held by the
President.
Further than these points, he said,
ne would have to wait until the
Presidents program is presented to
Congress because IT hope to work
with him. on the Administration
requests.
Democrats Must Make Good.
On the House side, Mr.. Spence
likewise indicated that he expects
rent control and housing legislation
to be considered before any other
cost-of-llving measures.
Mr.. Spence said the Democratic
Dc
where we've got to make good, we've
got to do something to carry out
the party's election pledges. I
However, he said he wanted to see
the Presidents program and have
about month to see what happens
to business in January before TAX
ing up living problems. He
said that it is quite possible the
COMMITTEE, will be considering both
imitation and def1ation by the time
1t opens hearings around February
/.
On housing, Mr.. Spence said he
favors channeling scarce building
materials into rental housing prof.
ects with ban on such things as
race tracks and road houses. He
said there is too much such nom
essential building today.
Also Favors Rent Control.
Mr., Spence also favors rent con-
troll extension with a Tightening of
the present law and extension Of
the ALLEGATION and priority author
ity.
Two other Democratic committee
members, Representatives Monroney
of Oklahoma and Buchanan
of Pennsylvania, both considered
among the liberal bloc, agreed it
will be necessary to take a big look
at the economy this month before
anything is done on cost of living
problems. Both said the problem
is rapidly becoming a mixed one of
initiation and defation as price cuts
become more general and lay offs
are announced in different indus