hile, at one time the Appropriations Committee did appropriate unds for the entire year, the budget committee said it could only ver the 6 months' period, so from that time

Senator Cain. You are asking only for moneys sufficient to connue through December 31 of this year. Mr. CogswELL. Through December 31 of this year, yes, sir.

Senator Cain. Having obviously made no decision as yet as to the eed for continuing your local rent affairs beyond that time.

Mr. COGSWELL. Well, Senator, that is a matter for Congress to deermine after it has received recommendations from the Commisioners.

Senator Cain. That is right. But your Commission has not yet made any recommendations.

Mr. CoSWELL. No, sir; we have not.

I might add, however, in that connection, that as far as appropriations are concerned, that, of course, our office, being the one which was very closely associated with the war effort, the employees in that office have had 'little or no leave; at no time did I ever grant anyone inore than 2 weeks leave. So, there is quite a sizable sum.

Senator CAIN. Accumulated leave.

Mr. COGSWELL: Due the employees up there. I just had a memorandum made this morning. For instance the appropriation requested for the fiscal year 1948, the half year is $55,700. The annual leave due employees amounts to $16,400 as of July 1, 1947.

Senator Cain. But that is not reflected in your proposed budget allocation of $55,700.

Mr. COGSWELL. No, sir; not at the present time.

Senator Cain. Well, let us assume that you actually go out of business at the end of this year. By what means do you intend to take care of this $16,000 item?

Mr. COGSWELL. I presume, Senator, that we will have to ask for a deficiency appropriation. May I ask Mr. Fowler, would that be the procedure, Mr. Fowler?

Mr. FOWLER. That would be the only one that we could pursue.

Senator Cain. It is not possible during the remainder of this year to take up some of those vacation requirements?

Mr. COGSWELL. To a certain extent, Senator, I guess some of the employees will have to. For instance, I have been told that

Senator Cain. Stagger your staff, and so forth.

Mr. COGSWELL. Well, I presume in a way that we will have to do that. For instance, I have been told by the young lady who keeps the accounts up there, I have 26 days of leave coming to me, which, if I do not take, I will lose in addition to the other leave that I may have. But one of our greatest difficulties is that our force is very small, and when one person is absent, it is felt right straight down the line; but I am faced with that dilemma, I guess, that they

I are entitled to the leave, and if they want it, they will either have to take it or if they do not they will lose it.

Senator Cain. Proceed, sir.

Mr. COGSWELL. I have a statement here, if you wish to have it, that is a detail of our appropriations since 1942, and that is a break-down there of the entire set-up. I thought maybe you would rather have that to insert in the record than have me read it.

Senator CAIN. I think I would like to have it in the record beca it nearly covers your operating expense, your operating figures for 1943 through some time in 1948, through your estimated 1948.

(The document referred to is as follows:)

Increase over 1943 appropriation and

deficiency due to increase of $1.500 for "Other obligations," and approgimately $11,500 for 3 additional positions (investigator, CAF-7, and ? clerk-stenographers, CAF-3), payment of overtime and bonus under Public Law 49, 78th Cong.

and

Estimates and appropriations, 1942–48–Continued
1943

INCREASES REQUESTED FOR 1948 ersonal services.

64, 717 ther obligations----

7, 770

Increase over 1942 appropriation due

to fact that this office operated durTotal estimate

72, 487

ing only 6 months of 1942 fiscal year

and considerable delay was experi143 appropriation--

72, 487

enced in filling new positions. Neficiency appropriation -- +1, 570

This office began operations January 2, 1942 in the middle of a fiscal year. The annual appropriation was estimated to be $51,440. However, due to the fact that the office was in operation only part of the period and that considerable delay was experienced in filling new positions the office operated on a budget of $27,970 for the period January 2, 1942, to June 30, 1942.

Mr. COGSWELL. If you care to have it, I might give you a brief summary of the operations of the office.

Senator Cain. I wish you would, sir.

Mr. COGSWELL. As I said, the staff-maybe, Senator, I might give you the history of the act.

The District of Columbia Emergency Rent Act was approved December 2, 1941. Under its terms it was to have terminated on the 31st of December, 1945. It has since been extended twice so that it now terminates as of December 31, 1947. It provides for the rental control of all housing accommodations in the District of Columbia rented during the year 1940 or in January 1941, and that became effective as of January 1, 1942.

There is an administrator, a deputy administrator, a general counsel, four examiners, one of whom devotes considerable of his time as assistant general counsel due to the great amount of legal work required of the legal general counsel, not only in the office but in court as well.

The examiners are experienced trial lawyers, all members of the bar of the District of Columbia. In cases falling within section 4 of the act, and that is the one which relates to the adjustment of rent and minimum service standards either up or down, as the case may be, the act requires that the examiners make written findings together with their recommendation, their recommended order as to rental and service standards of the housing accommodations in question.

Under this section either party, dissatisfied with the ruling of the examiner, may file a petition with the administrator to review the action of the examiner. From the decision of the Administrator either party may appeal under section 9, to the Municipal Court of the District of Columbia which, under the act, is given exclusive jurisdiction of all cases arising under section 4.

Since the organization of this office, to and including March 14, 1937, 32,981 cases have been filed under section 4 of the act.

Between July 1, 1946, and December 31, 1946, 2,942 cases were filed.

Senator Cain. I think I would like to have it in the record because it nearly covers your operating expense, your operating figures for 1943 through some time in 1948, through your estimated 1948.

(The document referred to is as follows:)

Increase over 1943 appropriation and

Estimates and appropriations, 1942-48–Continued
1913

INCREASES REQUESTED FOR 1948
Personal seryices.

64, 717 Other obligations-

7, 770

Increase over 1942 appropriation due

to fact that this office operated durTotal estimate

72, 487

ing only 6 months of 1942 fiscal year

and considerable delay was experi1943 appropriation---

enced in filling new positions.

72, 487 Deficiency appropriation - +1, 570

1942 This office began operations January 2, 1942 in the middle of a fiscal year. The annual appropriation was estimated to be $51,440. However, due to the fact that the office was in operation only part of the period and that considerable delay was experienced in filling new positions the office operated on a budget of $27,970 for the period January 2, 1942, to June 30, 1942.

Mr. COGSWELL. If you care to have it, I might give you a brief summary of the operations of the office. .

Senator Cain. I wish you would, sir.

Mr. COGSWELL. As I said, the staff—maybe, Senator, I might give you the history of the act.

The District of Columbia Emergency Rent Act was approved December 2, 1941. Under its terms it was to have terminated on the 31st of December, 1945. It has since been extended twice so that it now terminates as of December 31, 1947. It provides for the rental control of all housing accommodations in the District of Columbia rented during the year 1940 or in January 1941, and that became effective as of January 1, 1942.

There is an administrator, a deputy administrator, a general counsel, four examiners, one of whom devotes considerable of his time as assistant general counsel due to the great amount of legal work required of the legal general counsel, not only in the office but in court as well.

The examiners are experienced trial lawyers, all members of the bar of the District of Columbia. In cases falling within section 4 of the act, and that is the one which relates to the adjustment of rent and minimum service standards either up or down, as the case may be, the act requires that the examiners make written findings together with their recommendation, their recommended order as to rental and service standards of the housing accommodations in question.

Under this section either party, dissatisfied with the ruling of the examiner, may file a petition with the administrator to review the action of the examiner. From the decision of the Administrator either party may appeal under section 9, to the Municipal Court of the District of Columbia which, under the act, is given exclusive jurisdiction of all cases arising under section 4.

Since the organization of this office, to and including March 14, 1937, 32,981 cases have been filed under section 4 of the act.

Between July 1, 1946, and December 31, 1946, 2,942 cases were filed.