A Ceiling On Your Home!

Year Published: 1946

Description: This 1946 black-and-white film by Pathescope Productions discusses the importance of rent and price control for returning veterans after World War II. It argues that WWII era price controls should be continued now that the war has ended. The sponsor was the U.S. Office of Price Administration. The film begins by showing animals and their family shelters— a bird feeding its fledglings in a nest, bear cubs in a cave, a lion in a zoo cage, baby monkeys, puppies in a kennel. The film then shows footage of enlisted military men from World War II waving to women as a ship pulls out of harbor (1:07). Men in suits come out of a church (1:22); a returning soldier hugs his mother (1:29). Narration explains that men returning from the war faced problems on returning home; veterans are shown searching for jobs, trying to enroll in school, and searching for housing. A “For Rent” sign (1:49). A couple walks out of a six-room brick house and stands in the driveway, talking to a real estate agent (2:25). One returning veteran, Joe, a former private, is shown writing at a kitchen table surrounded by multiple family members; his wife flips through a magazine with baby photos (3:00). The name “Burke” etched onto a mailbox below the name “Thompson” to indicate families sharing a home (3:08). A couple walks down the street; the edges of “Hoffman” and “Sporting Goods” signs are visible (3:15). The couple stops by a jewelers window to look at wedding rings. They stop by a licensed real estate broker with a “Sorry No Rentals” sign in the window. Narration explains that materials that would have gone towards housing instead went to the war effort; military barracks are shown (4:09). A “Queens Price Control Board” sign (4:40) and “Social Security Board” sign; the Office of Price Administration stepped in to control rents and housing prices after the war. A landlord named Johnson directly addresses the camera, saying that he understands the need for rent control. Johnson’s tenants are interviewed about rent control, including Catherine Kelly, a housewife, and James Clark, a radio engineer. A renter signs a lease and then hands over a ten dollar bill (7:17). A boy plays with a World War II model plane; narration says, “the shooting war is over, but we’re still at war against inflationary prices and rents.” A diagram shows proportion of income dedicated to food, rent, and clothes; rent is the second highest item (8:05); narration says lifting rent controls would result in similar issues as after World War I, when rents jumped 50 percent after Armistice Day; a cartoon of people lining up outside a soup kitchen. A soldier is shown relaxing in a bunk, then peering over a crib with his wife at their child (9:24). Workers are shown entering factories; a view of the U.S. Capitol dome (9:54). A “Utopia Parkway” sign outside a housing development. High-rise apartment buildings and single-family homes are shown. The Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company (10:32). The film ends by encouraging viewers to report rent violations, illegal evictions, or other housing violations to the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) as men in uniform march under an American flag.

Complete Record: This 1946 black-and-white film by Pathescope Productions discusses the importance of rent and price control for returning veterans after World War II. It argues that WWII era price controls should be continued now that the war has ended. The sponsor was the U.S. Office of Price Administration. The film begins by showing animals and their family shelters— a bird feeding its fledglings in a nest, bear cubs in a cave, a lion in a zoo cage, baby monkeys, puppies in a kennel. The film then shows footage of enlisted military men from World War II waving to women as a ship pulls out of harbor (1:07). Men in suits come out of a church (1:22); a returning soldier hugs his mother (1:29). Narration explains that men returning from the war faced problems on returning home; veterans are shown searching for jobs, trying to enroll in school, and searching for housing. A “For Rent” sign (1:49). A couple walks out of a six-room brick house and stands in the driveway, talking to a real estate agent (2:25). One returning veteran, Joe, a former private, is shown writing at a kitchen table surrounded by multiple family members; his wife flips through a magazine with baby photos (3:00). The name “Burke” etched onto a mailbox below the name “Thompson” to indicate families sharing a home (3:08). A couple walks down the street; the edges of “Hoffman” and “Sporting Goods” signs are visible (3:15). The couple stops by a jewelers window to look at wedding rings. They stop by a licensed real estate broker with a “Sorry No Rentals” sign in the window. Narration explains that materials that would have gone towards housing instead went to the war effort; military barracks are shown (4:09). A “Queens Price Control Board” sign (4:40) and “Social Security Board” sign; the Office of Price Administration stepped in to control rents and housing prices after the war. A landlord named Johnson directly addresses the camera, saying that he understands the need for rent control. Johnson’s tenants are interviewed about rent control, including Catherine Kelly, a housewife, and James Clark, a radio engineer. A renter signs a lease and then hands over a ten dollar bill (7:17). A boy plays with a World War II model plane; narration says, “the shooting war is over, but we’re still at war against inflationary prices and rents.” A diagram shows proportion of income dedicated to food, rent, and clothes; rent is the second highest item (8:05); narration says lifting rent controls would result in similar issues as after World War I, when rents jumped 50 percent after Armistice Day; a cartoon of people lining up outside a soup kitchen. A soldier is shown relaxing in a bunk, then peering over a crib with his wife at their child (9:24). Workers are shown entering factories; a view of the U.S. Capitol dome (9:54). A “Utopia Parkway” sign outside a housing development. High-rise apartment buildings and single-family homes are shown. The Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company (10:32). The film ends by encouraging viewers to report rent violations, illegal evictions, or other housing violations to the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) as men in uniform march under an American flag.

Transcription

That bird on the wing is pretty lucky. And these little ones have a good deal, too. Here are a couple of boys who are really fixed for the winter. And this queen and her family have no housing problem. These fellows may be wondering about their next banana, but not about the price of a night's lodging. They've got a ceiling over their heads. And what about these fellows? Their sleeping was usually done without benefit of a ceiling, rent or otherwise. 2 million men have married since entering the service, and millions more were already married when they started packing packs or swinging seabags. A lot of men have gone through this routine, sat through the last army lecture, signed the last navy pay voucher, and come home to love and affection, and problems, lots of problems. What do you want, sergeant? A job? You, private. You want to know about school? Or do you have a different kind of problem? Having trouble finding an apartment or a house like this one? All brick, six rooms, oil burner, near all churches and shopping, convenient transportation. How much rent for this house? For this couple, together again after being separated by 3 and 1/2 years of blue Pacific water. Well, how much, Mr. Agent? A little more than you expected, wasn't it? Can you make it, Joe? Go back home, sit down again with your pencil and paper and see if you can work it out. Did I say home? Daddy's folks are swell, but a fellow would like to spend a little time alone with his wife after 3 and 1/2 years of community living in barracks and foxholes. Joe may no longer be a private, but his budget is one thing he'd like to keep that way. Particularly when he sees stuff like this coming along. And Joe, yours isn't the only family doubling up. There are lots more like yours. Lots more to come. Nothing like a nice June wedding with orange blossoms, bridesmaids, and a very special cool ring. But today, there's something you've got to take care of before choosing a ring. Apartment hunting used to be fun, but even the exuberance of youth can't change the fact that the situation today is tough. We've had a time with housing while you were gone. Building materials and labor went to war. The materials that should have gone into houses like this were going into houses like this. Lumber, window glass, roofing, steel, paint, flooring. The fellows who usually built these were building these. There was practically no home building except in critical production centers where great war plants sprang up and far outstripped in areas housing facilities. This lack of building threatened to send the rents of houses and apartments skyrocketing until the Office of Price Administration stepped in to protect the people by holding the line not only on prices but on rents as well. These men may not be able to define stabilization but skyrocketing rents are something they understand. A lot of subjects are being discussed in American town meetings these days but one thing most people are agreed on is that rent control is a good thing. I think so. My name's Johnson. I own a house over on 6th. Great, that's rented full up. Has been for the past 5 years. Sure, I'd like to get higher rents but I guess if I got higher rent somebody else would be entitled to higher this and somebody else again would be entitled to higher that. Before long at that rate we'd all be on a roller coaster. Maintenance and repairs are a landlord's big problem today in view of materials and labor shortages. If my tenants are willing to understand some of my problems in that respect, I can get along with rent control. The way I figure, what this country needs is a little more golden rule and a little less rule of gold. How do my tenants like rent control? Well, why don't you ask them? My name is Catherine Kelly. I live at 109 6th Street. Mr. Kelly, my husband, works in the post office. I guess he's what you'd call a salaried man. There's a lot to be said for being a salaried man, but I can tell you most of us never get rich at it. What about rent control? I don't know much about it. Except we were paying $39 a month rent before the war, and we are still paying it. We just couldn't pay any more. Clark. James Clark, radio engineer. I'm one of Mr. Johnson's tenants, too. What do I think of rent control? Well, mister, I've got a family to support. And anything that keeps down the cost of living is all right with me. Rent control isn't perfect. There are very few chiselers and rent gougers who insist on bonus payments and phony tie-in sales of furniture. But by the vigilance of cooperating landlords and other local citizens, as well as government officials, the public is protected. This public is this public The shooting war is over. But we're still at war against inflationary prices and rents. Next to food, rent is the largest item in our budget. Lifting rent controls while homes are still scarce would break all other price controls. Such a break of the line would be followed by skyrocketing prices and the kind of headache we had after World War I, which started when rents jumped 50% after Armistice Day. With this situation, it becomes of the utmost importance to hold the line. Break the line on rent by paying or charging illegal rent, and you could help start an inflation whose only result would be the kind of deflation and depression that followed World War I. Take the lid off rents, and you make it tough for this veteran of World War II coming home to the wife and baby and job he left. What's in store for him when the sun comes up tomorrow and he swings down to the station platform he left 4 years ago? His future income of love and affection may be unlimited, but his financial income will be limited. Remove rent ceilings and you deal a blow to the workers of our industrial army. Going back into the factories to finish their reconversion and keep us on the road to prosperous full production. The government has been aiding in all ways to stimulate the construction of new homes. Building material prices are being controlled and building supplies are being channeled to where they will be of the greatest good for the greatest number. To the types of homes that most people need. But demand still far exceeds supply and will for a long time to come. It'll be some time before there are enough of these and these to satisfy adequately the tremendous pent-up demand of the war years. Years when we stood shoulder to shoulder against evil overseas. Let's all stand shoulder to shoulder in our own land to protect these men and millions like them in and out of uniform against the homegrown evil of over ceiling rents, bribes, bonuses and furniture rackets. If you were threatened with an illegal eviction, report it to the OPA. You'll get help. If you know of a rent violation, report it to the OPA. They'll act on it. If you have a rent problem, ask the OPA about it. They can't find you a place to live, but they can give you all the answers to any questions on rent. We won the shooting war by working together. Let's win the battle against skyrocketing rents and inflationary prices the same way. So that these honored living were fought and worked will not have fought and worked in vain.

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