Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-09
FARM RELIEF BILL
HANGS IN BALANCE
Debenture Plan Vote Holds
Fate Of Legislation as
Storm BreWS.
Continued From First Page.)

siana, Wagner of New York, King of
Utah and Walsh of Massachusetts. Both
Senators Walsh and King said last
night that they were opposed not only
to the debentlIre clause, but also to the
whole BILL and that, therefore, they
might vote against the conference re-
port in the hope of killing the bill.
They said, however. they had not
finally decided how they would vote,
realizing that vote against the con-
ference report might be construed as
vote for the debenture clause. If these
two votes go against the conference re-
port 1t makes the path of the bill all
the more difficult, from the administra-
ton point of view. It Is believed that
Senator's Wagner and Ransdeu Will
support the conference report.
Schall Reported Changed.
It had been reported that Senator
Schall of Minnesota, Republican, who
voted for the debenture plan, was pre-
pared to support the conference report.
But last night he said he would vote
against the report on the theory that
the Senate was entitled to have the
House 60 on record on the debenture
plan. He said he believed 8 out OF 10
members of the Minnesota delegation
in the House would vote for the de-
benture clause if it came to a vote In
that body.
There have been various reports that
other Senators had shifted their posi-
tions on the debenture plan and would
vote for the conference report, but they
lacked confirmation. The Florida
Legislature recently adopted a resolu-
ton declaring against the debenture
clause and urging both Senators Fletch-
er and Trammel to support the bill
without the debenture plan. Should
they follow the recommendations of the
Democratic State Legislature, 1t would
affect the vote materially.
A caucus of the Senate Democrats
has been called by Senator Robinson
of Arkansas. Democratic leader, for to-
morrow morning. 1t is said that the
purpose is to line up the Democrats
firmly in favor of the debenture. Ger
tainly it is to discuss the farm bill stu
alton and the course the Democrats
should pursue.
Recess to Be Considered.
It also is to consider the matter of
a recess of the Congress during the
Summer months and the legislative
program. Some of the Democrats do
not wish debenture made a party issue.
bill conference report, it was said last
night that recess might be taken
at the end Of another week or 10 days.
lasting until September. The program
would include the final passage of the
census and reapportionment bill, now
In conference, some action on the pro-
posal to suspend the national origins
clause of the immigration act and an
agreement looking to a vote on the
tariff bill in the Fall. Many of the
Senators are anxious to get away for
a recess this Summer, while the finance
committee works on the tariff hearings
and the tariff bill. There is grave
doubt, however that such a long recess
will materialize, even if the program
Of legislation outlined is carried out.
The conference report on the farm
bill was brought up for consideration
in the Senate yesterday by Senator
McNary, chairman of the committee
on agriculture, who asked for early
approval of the report.
Committee Procedure Barred.
Senator McNary was questioned by
supporters of the debenture clause,
seeking to learn what had been the
procedure in the conference commit
tee. The chairman insisted that the
Senate confereeS had done their best
to, but had been unable to prevail
upon the House conferees. He said
they had sought in every way to have
an agreement for a vote in the House
on the debenture plan. He denied that
the President or any of his representa-
tives had interfered in the conference
negotiations. He denied, also, in an
swer to questions that any Senator had
agreed to eliminate the debenture clause
hpFlIlCp nrnOniCoc ~
that the Senator would then be given
consideration when it came to naming
the Federal farm board provided in
the bill.
Senator Norris of Nebraska Republi-
can, supporting the debenture plan, a
member of the conference committee,
insisted that the question now was
whether the House had a right to de-
mand the debenture clause be
stricken out of the bill without first
taking direct vote on the debenture
clause in the House. He said he would
not insist upon the debenture plan
further if the House should vote it
down directly. He charged that the
House was avoiding a direct vote by
asserting that the Senate had no con-
Etitutional right to initiate debenture
legislation.
Norris Declines Comment.
Senator Thomas of Oklahoma. Dem
ocrat, asked Senator Norris whether
President Hoover had supported the
House in its refusal TO vote on de-
benture.
Il think I can place the RESPONSE
bility for the action" said Senator
Norris. but / won't discuss that"
Chairman McNary told the Senate
that if the Senate conferees had con-
tinued to insist that the House take a
vote on the debenture plan all farm
legislation might have been blocked for
this special session of Congress
"A majority of the Senate conferees
agreed that it was useless to persist
in this demand" he said.
STUDY WHEAT CROP FORECAST.