then taking into account the increase in the cost of wages of 60 or 70 per cent say 60 per cent-an increase in the cost of materials used in repairs of, we will say, 75 per cent, and an increase in the cost of coal, we will say, of 50 per cent, taking the maximum or a medium figure, then let us know what the result would be. So far as I am concerned, I do not care to hear any further oral testimony on this, but I would like to have that kind of a statement so that it could be put in the record. Do you see any objection to that?

Senator HOLLIS. I do not believe an ex parte statement of that kind is very valuable.

Representative JOHNSON. I was going to suggest, if you will permit me

Senator POMERENE. I was going to suggest that if necessary we could get some accountant to go over these statements.

Representative JOHNSON. I would suggest that you go further, and not let a landlord pick out any one piece of his property, but let him take his property as a whole.

Senator DILLINGHAM. I would like to go a step further than that. I think everything you have suggested is right, but it has been claimed here that the year 1916 constituted a period of special depression, when dwellings and property were in no demand. I would like to know to what extent that is true, if there are any statistics, and how far it affected rents in that year as compared wih rentals in normal years. That would help us, I think.

Senator POMERENE. I am going to take the liberty of suggesting, then, that these statements be sent to the committee, and after they are received by the committee it can then determine what, if anything, further is wanted.

Senator DILLINGHAM. That is satisfactory to me.

Senator PоMERENE. I think that is all.

Mr. COLLADAY. Mr. Chairman, may I have just one word. Because I was ill

Senator POMERENE. We have been sitting here a pretty long time,

now.

STATEMENT OF MR. EDWARD F. COLLADAY.

Mr. COLLADAY. There is a mistake in the record with reference to me, personally. I was sick in Atlantic City when the hearings were held. I am chairman of the committee on law and legislation of the citizens' association. My name is E. F. Colladay. The bill which was filed by Mr. Shreve is not the bill which our committee approved. I would like to file with the committee the one which we did approve. I would also like the liberty to state that Mr. Johnson has made an error in saying that the citizens' associations of the District of Columbia are comprised largely of the real estate dealers. They are not. There is not a real estate man in my own association. I am not a property owner, except of my home. The committee over which I preside heard the real estate men, as your committee has heard them, and declined to approve certain amendments which they desired, and we disapproved Mr. Johnson's bill; I will with the consent of the committee file this bill with the single amendment which the federation of citizens' associations requested.

Senator POMERENE. Very well.

(The amended bill submitted by Mr. Colladay is here printed in full as follows:)

A BILL To provide further for the national security and defense by controlling and regulating rents of real estate in the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That by reason of the existence of a state of war it is essential to the national security and defense and for the successful prosecution of the war to establish governmental control and assure adequate regulation of rents of real estate in the District of Columbia during the war. For such purpose the instrumentalities, means, methods, powers, authorities, duties, obligations, and prohibitions hereinafter set forth are created, established, conferred, and prescribed. The President is authorized to make such regulations and to issue such orders as are essential effectively to carry out the provisions of this act.

SEC. 2. That in the interpretation and construction of this act the following rules shall be observed, namely:

First. The term "real estate as herein used shall be construed to include lands, buildings, parts of buildings, houses, dwellings, apartments, rooms, suites of rooms and every improvement and structure whatsoever, and every portion and part thereof, situated and being in the District of Columbia, and any and all estates and rights therein or thereto.

Second. The word "party" or "person" shall include individuals, legal representatives of individuals, partnerships, joint-stock companies, associations, corporations, societies, bodies corporate, the Government of the United States in all its branches, departments, bureaus, boards, councils, and other agencies and instrumentalities, and all representatives, agencies, bodies, and instrumentalities acting for or in behalf of or employed or used by any and all foreign Governments not at war with the United States, unless such construction would be unreasonable; and the reference to any officer shall include any person authorized by law, or by regulation made in accordance with this act, to perform the duties of his office.

Third. Words importing the singular number shall be held to include the plural, and vice versa, except where such construction would be unreasonable. Fourth. Words importing the masculine gender shall be held to include all genders, except where such construction would be unreasonable.

Fifth. The term "rent" or "rent from real estate" shall include any and all amounts received for the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or other periodical or term use or occupancy of real estate, or any part or multiple of any such periods of time.

SEC. 3. That the President is authorized, from time to time, to fix the amount of rent of real estate in the District of Columbia and to revise and change the amount of existing rents thereof, so that the same shall be just and reasonable, which may now or hereafter be rented, leased, subleased, transferred by assignment of lease or rental contract, used, or occupied by any party or person.

SEC. 4. That the President is hereby authorized to appoint a rent administrator, who shall be a citizen of the United States and resident of the District of Columbia, who shall have full power and authority, under the direction of the President, to revise and change and (or) to fix, upon request of any party or person in interest, or otherwise as the rent administrator may determine. the amount of rent which can be lawfully charged and received for the use and occupation of any real estate in the District of Columbia which is now or may hereafter be rented, leased, subleased, used, or occupied by any party or person; and any and all orders of the rent administrator revising and changing existing rents shall take effect as of the date of the application to the rent administrator: Provided, That any party in interest may prosecute an appeal from any order of the rent administrator to the board of rent appeals provided for in this act, under and in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be made respecting appeals; and until such appeal shall be decided by the board of rent appeals the order of the rent administrator shall be superseded by the appeal.

SEC. 5. That from and after the date of promulgation of any order of the rent administrator fixing an amount of rent in any case it shall be unlawful and be a violation of this act for any person to charge or receive a greater rent than the amount so fixed, subject, however, to the right of appeal hereinbefore created.

SEC. 6. That the rent administrator is authorized, under the direction of the President, to make and promulgate rules and regulations not inconsistent with this act for carrying out the provisions hereof.

SEC. 7. That the President is hereby authorized to appoint a Board of Rent Appeals, consisting of three persons, who shall be citizens of the United States and residents of the District of Columbia. Said Board of Rent Appeals shall have the power to hear and determine any appeal from any order of the Rent Administrator authorized under section four of this act, and said Board of Rent Appeals shall have power, upon consideration of such appeal, by its order, to affirm or reverse the order of the Rent Administrator, and in case of reversal thereof to increase, diminish, or otherwise modify the amount of rent fixed in the order of the Rent Administrator, and the amount so fixed in the order of the Board of Rent Appeals shall be the amount of rent which can be lawfully charged and received for the use and occupation of the real estate affected thereby until the same shall be, upon new facts or other conditions, again changed and fixed by order of the Rent Administrator or the Board of Rent Appeals, as the case may be.

SEC. 8. That nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent the renting of real estate by the party or person entitled thereto at such price or prices and for such period of time and on such terms as the parties to the contract or agreement of renting shall agree upon: Provided, however, That the amount of rent provided for in any and all such leases, contracts, and agreements shall be subject to revision and change by the Rent Administrator, from time to time, upon the application of any party thereto, or otherwise as the Rent Administrator may determine, and the Rent Administrator may, from time to time, approve and confirm the existing rent or may decrease or increase the same as he may determine to be just and reasonable, as in this act provided. SEC. 9. That the Rent Administrator and such agents as he may appoint for that purpose shall have power to summon witnesses and require the production of books and documents, and may administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses so summoned and take testimony respecting the matters covered by this act.

SEC. 10. That any person violating any of the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding $1,000 for each offense.

SEC. 11. That if any clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of this act shall, for any reason, be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.

SEC. 12. That this act shall remain in full force and effect until a treaty of peace between the Imperial German Government and the United States shall have been concluded and proclamation thereof shall have been made by the President of the United States.

Representative JOHNSON. Senator, may I add to that just one statement, and that is to say, if you will take the witnesses who appeared here as representatives of the citizens' associations and then read their statements you will find that each and every one of them is in the real estate business.

Mr. LINKINS. Mr. Chairman, there is one statement that was made as to a collateral matter, and I do not know whether it ought to be gone into.

Senator POMERENE. We do not care anything about those collateral matters at all.

Mr. LINKINS (continuing). Except that it might be considered afterwards.

Senator POMERENE. Suppose that you write a statement to the committee on that, and then we will consider what to do with it. Mr. LINKINS. Will it be printed hereafter?

Senator POMERENE. That depends on what it is.

Mr. LINKINS. It related to the testimony in regard to the Union Station matter.

Senator POMERENE. We do not care anything about that. That does not give us any light on this matter.

Mr. LINKINS. No.

Senator POMERENE. What is the use of clouding the matter, then? Mr. LINKINS. It is only because that was brought in.

Senator POMERENE. That does not affect what we might do at this time.

Mr. LINKINS. I do not want a public record made in regard to that matter which is wrong.

Senator POMERENE. But there is no use in encumbering the record with any collateral matters.

(Thereupon, at 1.20 o'clock p. m., the subcommittee adjourned subject to the call of the chairman.)