Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-24
HUNGRY AUSTRIA WAITS
ON BIG As PLEASURE
G. o. p. Steering Committee Holds
Up $50, ,0OO, 900 for Starv-
ing People.

Washington. Jan. "a. NO move was
made Yesterday by either tho Republican
steering committee or The House ways and
means committee ~ gel before Che House
the question OF apwopriating sl5OUD,-
600 for food relief in Poland, Austria and
Armenin.
Thirteen days now have gons by since
the WAYS ard means committees was told
that within four weeks starvation and
famine would become the order Of the day
in A,lstr'a. ,o.,.,.h = r,.,,..,,,
chairman of the WAYS and rn,sans com
mittee. admitted last night that future
action practically depends upon Che au-
thorizations Of the steering committee.
seTbe steering committee wants to get
some further information as ~ the fiscal
affairs OF the government from Secretary
Glass, and il is understood be is i'll at
bone." said Mr.. Fordney in discussing
the probabilities Of some action being
takerl. "He may be heard tomorrow
and it may not be until the next day.
The feeling which has been aroused by
the publication Of information that the
steering committee, without having had
an opportunityN Ia hear the testimony
practically had taken out Of tho hands of
1
thorifv to act. added Yesterday TO the
storm which has been brewing for some
time around the four members composing
this steering committee and now beng
described as the Big Four.
The four members are Representative
Ninslow, Of Massachusetts,; Representa-
tive Madden of Illinois and Representa-
tive Iongworfh, Of Ohio. Representative
Mondell. Republican floor leader, and
sfeuker Gillette are cx-officio members.
It. was learned yesterday also that
Republican House lenders have received
a letter from the Federal Council of the
Churches Of Christ in which u was point
cd out that conditions N Central Europe
are appalling and in which approval was
given to the proposal Of Secretary Glass
that sl50.O00, 900 be appropriated for
loans 10 relieve the suffering IN those
countries.
If n i,ow known also that The Re
publicans will not take action unless the
fires Of public sentiment are lighted be-
hind them, or, as one member OF the
Ways and Means Committee expressed
IT. ''unless Hoover and Glass can bear
down on us with such force that we viii
have 10 move.
That the steering committee had die
tated that the appropriation should not
be approved at this time was not believed
generally Thursday night but the IN
yestigntion which followed the pnbllca-
ton Of this information disclosed state
Of mild insurrection in the Ways and Means
Committee Given any comfort and as-
slIrance Of success, this instIrrection viii
break into fame and result IN q complete
reorganization in the House, What source
of information the steering committee
has to enable it 10 reach such hasty decis-
ions on such big questions no one>knows,
but the committee has become all power
ful in every matter which comes before
the House.
II was pointed out yesterday that the
following developments showed how car
Istc is the power being welded.
The committee Is refusing 20 report the
election OF Representative Harreld, OF
Oklahoma, to the Military Committee
because OF the storm which has been arots-
ed against Harreld's election by the men
supporting universal military training
and the big army idea, Harreld's cleo
ton. it is understood. was dictated by the
steering committee. The committee now
is trying to reach an agreement 70 have
Representative Newberry of Missouri,
supplant Harreld - a compromise candi-
date.
The steering committee, with only
a few hours OF work, caused the Rivers
and IIarbors Appropriation blll 20 be
reduced from 81, 900, 900 10 sl2, 409, 600
and this over the violent protest Of some
Republicans.
The steering committee, after the Naval
Affairs Committee had reported a bill
granting increases IN pay 10 officers, en-
listed men and warrant officers OF the
navy, in a few hours forced this COMMITTEES
to swallow bill which excluded the COM
missioned officers from increased pay
The steering committee Is not Interested
at present IN having the sed ition leglsls-