The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-15
Two Republicans in House Vote Against the Bill on
 Final Passage
AMENDMENTS ARE
 DEFEATED QUICKLY
Main Opposition to Presi- dent S Plan for More Power Crumbles
 Away

Washington, May 1.-The
 long fight in Congress over
 the Overman bill empowering the President to reorganize
 government departments and
 agencies, ended late today
 with the passage of the meas
 ure unamendcd by the House.
 It now goes to President Will
 son for his signature.
 The vote was 295 to 2, Representa- tives Sterling of Illinois and Gillette of Massachusetts, both republicans, casting the only negative votes.
 What opposition there was in the House
 when the bill came from the Senate be-
 gan to crumbe yesterday and today
 It hardly was in evidence Several amendments to limit the powers proposea
 for the President were voted down with little debate
 AMENDMENT DEFEATED
 proposal to exempt the interstate commerce commission offered by Repre- sentative Walsh of Massachusetts. repllb- lican, was defeated s1e to ST. and one by Representative Longworth of Ohio. republican, to exempt the war finance corporation and the capital issues com
 mittee was rejected 1G9 to 6l.
 Representatives Moore of Pennsylvania and Towner of Iowa, republicans, sought ,,, "A n 4 MAI, ~. the President to report to Congress on
 charges in departments while Repre-
 sentative Gould of New York. republican,, wanted to amend the section authorizing the President to establish an executive agency to. have Jurisdictions oyer the air Ieruft production so as to make com lpulsory the establishment of a separate aircraft department.
 PROMISE OF PRESIDENT l Representative Webb. chairman of the Judiciary committee, announced that President Wilson informed him that
 he had no idea of using his powers to reduce the functions of the interstate commerce commission Tn that connec- tion however he said the President called attention to the large number of experts employed in the interstate com merce commission and expressed the hope that he would be given authority to transfer some of them to the railroad
 administration or to other departments where their experience would be of great Ivalue. similar transfer of experienced
 men in the federal reserve board. Mr. Webb said, would aid the war finance corporation.
 FORDNEY CHANGES MIND Representative Fordney of Michigan, republican, told the House he had made up his mind to vote against the meas ure. but had changed his mind today after talking to an army officer. Just what changes under the law are contemplated never has been indicated. When the President asked Senator Over- man to introduce the bill he merely said he needed authority to coordinate the activities of various branches of the gov ernment in the prosecution of the war.
 And during all the long debate that pre- ceded in the Senate virtually no further Information developed
 GENERAL UNDERSTANDING lHtit ildo pCcH l Scicidi uhuSiStdiiA- ing, however. that among other things various functions now performed by the departments will be transferred to the war trade board. the war industries board and other war agencies. Reorganization of the auartermaster department and of
 the signal corps Of the army are steps which are said to have been contemplated under the law, but which were taken without waiting for Congress to act. When the bill was introduced soon aft. | CT the. President had signlfied his opp position to the war cabinet and muni- 1 tions director measure of the Senate mli- | litary committee. champions of the conr riittee bills declared that it would g'vs the President power to do Just wna' those measure proposed.