Evening star., 1950-06-13
D. {. Rent Bill
Waits on Fate Of
National Control
House Action Today
Muy Tip ScoIes on
Extension Here
By Don S. Worren

Dy Ion ,. warren
Continuation of the Districts
separate rent control beyond June
80 today awaited two somewhat
upcertain developments on the
House side Of the Capitol.
Foremost was what the House
would do today on extension of
Federal rent control, voted late
yesterday by the Senate, SO to %.
The second question was whether
the House District Committee, by
a substantial majority, would urge
continuation of the separate law
for Washington. Leaders in the
District committee have leaned on
the theory that rent control ex-
tension here probably would be
guided by what was done nation
ally.
With the House to act on the
national bill today, the District
Committee is to determine the
fate of the National Capital bill
tomorrow.
ID. C. Law in Balance.
Chairman Mcmillan OF the
House District Committee seemed
confident his group would order
q; favorable report on an exten-
sion of District rent control, if the
House approves extension of Fed
eral controls.
Should the House reject con-
tinuation of Federal controls,
however. observers predicted, the
chances of extending the District
law would be very doubtful.
Impassioned debate broke in
the Senate late yesterday, partly
over the District situation. when
Chairman Neely of the Senate
District Committee called up, but
later withdrew his amendment
for District rent control extern
sion.
Oratorical heights were reached
by both Senator George, Demo-
crat, of Georgia, and Mr.. Nicely
over this local issue, although it
developed later that Chairman
Nicely may have misunderstood
the Georgian.
Senator George denounced con-
tinuation of Federal rent controls
on the ground that there no
longer is any national emergency.
He struck out at the Nicely
amendment as one that would
cause confusion.
Calls for Separate Bill.
He said he was prepared to vote
for continuation of District rent
controls but argued that this
should be done by the Senate as
a part of the Districts legislation.
He insisted it should be done by
a separate bill, entirely apart from
the national bill, for which he saw
no excuse.
Senator George, after a brief
reference to the Districts case,
swung into fiery attack on ma
tional controls, denouncing pres
sure groups, asserting there no
longer is a problem of a national
housing shortage, and saying that
favoritiSm in such a situation
leads to corruption and tyranny
Senator Nicely Immediately re-
piled on the thought that all that
Senator George had said was di-
rected against his amendment. He
ridiculed the thought that such a
move would mean destroying the
Democratic Party" or playing
politics with pressure groups"
When he had finished, Senator
George said he regretted his re-
marks had been ''miSinterpreted,
misapplied or misunderstood" He
repeated he was ready to vote for
District rent extension under a
separate bill.
Lucas Requests Withdrawal.
The issue was resolved quickly
when Senator Nicely withdrew his
amendment to the national bill
at the request of Majority Leader
Lucas, who feared continued de-
bate over the Nicely amendment
might seriously affect Senate
passage of the national bill.
Before Senator Neely withdrew
his Senate amendment, he OBJ
tanned from Senator Cain, Repub-
hcan, of Washington. promise
that he would not f1libustel
against the separate District law