Evening star., 1950-04-22
The Political Mill
Truman Bid for Votes
Seen in Rent Curb PIeu
Charges Against President
Are Held Justified in Port
BY Gould Lincoln

The fiat charge that President Tru-
man, in his special message 20 Congress
urging that Federal rent control be ex.
tended for another year. Is merely max
ing bid for votes comes from Senator
Wherry Of Nebraska. Republican leader
OF the Upper House. The same charge
will be reiterated in many other quarters.
In measure, 1t is justified. When Con-
greSS rewrote and extended Federal rent
control last year, 1t was with the distinct
understanding that the law would be
allowed TO expire June 80, 1850. Tho
States and localities were put on definite
notice that this would be the case. They,
are still on notice. They have had q
year in which to enact their own laws or
regulations governing rents.
The contention is made by Senator
Wherry. and by other members of Con-
greSS. Democratic as well as Republican,
that there is no good or juStifiable reason
why the Federal rent control agency
should be retained-except to give large
number of Federal job holders another
year on the payroll. Here In the Nations
Capital. there is a separate rent control
actor the District Of Columbia
passed by Congress. If Congress believes
that the situation here warrants an ex-
tension of rent control in Washington, it
can continue the District act in force.
so far new District rent extension act
has made no progress at all.
Timed Message Well.
The President timed his special mess
age on rent control we'll There still re-
mains little more than two months time
III winch to get rent control extension
1lf0nph
time. However. rent control will run in
competition with such measures as the
omnibus appropriation bill-which must
oe passed by June 30 too. for that is
closing day of the old fiscal year. 1t will
have to meet competition for time from
the -ECA bill, authorizing the continu-
ance OF appropriations for the Marshall
Plan. Further. Senator Lucas Of Illinois.
the Democratic leader of the Senate, has
promised that the FEPC bill shall be
taken up at an early date in the Senate.
New York and Nebraska and several
other States have acted already to take,
over the control of rents where neces-
sary, from the Federal Government.
Federal rent control, at IT'S peak in ls46,
covered more than Is million housing
units. 1t now covers IL million. This is
In that period there has been tremen-1
dous building activity-but Mr.. Truman
insists that it has not been sufficient and
that Federal rent control must 60 for
ward.
He makes reference in his message to
large percentage increases in rentals
charged where decontrol has been per-
mltted to go into effect. II was inevitable,
however. that increases would be de-
manded by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. costs and
taxes have gone higher and higher with
the passing years. There are no tenants,
working for living. whose pay has not
increased-and most of them nave had
material increases. The plant Of the
landlord Is that he alone has been forced
10 accept small returns for his invest
ment and his time.
Never Right Time.
The argument has been that there
never will come time which is right,
N the opinion Of tenants, and OF politi-
clans who desire the votes of the tenants
Tor complete decontrol of rents. II
begins to look as though this were true.
Certainly the Presidents message gives
credence to the idea. ;,
What will happen to a new rent con.
troll bill is still anybody's guess. There IL
strong opposition to it in both House
and Senate. With an election just around
the corner, however, members Of Con-
gress will stop, look and listen before
they commit themselves. by record vote.
against rent control. The mayors and
other representatives of ten large cities
have just visited the President to demand
rent control One of the representatives
OF Boston pointed out in that city tenants
outnumber home owners to /. Any.
body can see there are votes in the issue.