Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-09
Lower Chamber May FIatly
Refuse to Receive Bill on
Constitutional Grounds.
PARTY LINES ARE DRAWN,
BUT G. o. P. HAS CONTROL
Vote Yesterday Gives Complete
Picture of Sentiments of
Members of Senate.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The battle over the "debenture plan"
of farm relief shifts today to the House.
The prospect is that it will be badly
defeated there. This is by no means
admitted. however, by supporters of de-
benture.
The Republican leaders of the House,
opposing the debenture, must determine
what line the battle is to take there.
They may decide to decline to receive
the bill with the debenture plan in
cluded from the hands of the Senate.
This they would do on the ground that
the debenture has to do immediately
with revenue and that under the Con-
stitution all revenue legislation mus
originate in the House.
Prerogatives Guarded.
"Once let the Senate get its r1ose
under the tent, and it may turn the
whole tent over on us" said one OF
the Republican leaders of the HOUSE
today, discussing the proposition. H
insisted that there would be strong op-
position in the House to permitting the
legislation, and that the House jealousll
guarded its prerogatives. Many time
In the past, the House has decline,
absolutely to receive bills and resolu
tionS from the Senate which it ilei
violated the authority conferred upoi
1t to initiate revenue legislation.
the House by vote determined nc
to receive the debenture plan from til
Senate, there would be an immedia
check for the supporters of debentu.
III the Senate, and tie-up temporari
at least of all farm legislation,
The other course which may be pui
sued when the farm bill goes back [
the House from the Senate is for tn
House to receive the bill and send
TO conference. That is the ordinar,
course of legislation where differencf.
arise between the two houses. It l..
course which some of the Republica,
leaders Of the Senate are urging upor
the House leaders today, believing tina
the House will defeat the debenture
and that such course would expeoit
the final passage OF farm legislation
6. o. p. Has Big Lead.
The Republican lead in the HOUSE
over the Democrats is practically an
even hundred. While some of the Re
publicans might vote for the debenture
plan, 1t Is also true that some Of the
Democrats from New York and other
Eastern States may vote against it, just
as they did in the Senate: RepreSen-
tative Garner of Texas, Democratic
leader of the House. has asserted that
the Democrats will support the deben-
ture plan practically to a man, how
ever, making it party issue.
Senate Authority Debated.
The right of the Senate to original
the debenture plan in the bill was de
bated in the Senate today. Senator
Moses of New Hampshire, Republican,
stated that the House had been "sf-
fronted" by the action taken yesterday
when a coalition of Democrats and Re
publicanS voted to retain the debenture
plan in the bill
Senator Robinson OF Arkansas, thr
Democratic leader, denounced the sue
geStion that the Senate had exceeded
its authority when it initiated the
debenture plan.
Any lawyer" said Senator Robinson,
viii arrive at the conclusion that the
debentIlre has no relation whatever to
that clause i'll the Constitution which
says that bills raising revenue must
originate in the House"
The Democratic leader insisted that
every court decision was to the effscJ
that such a measure as the debenturs
CA6uSC Ll CLtc IdTHl OIL CdTIlOJ Oe COT-
sidered revenue raising measure.
Claims Move to Bar Vote.
mo strained construction of the Corr
Stitution" said Senator Robinson, "can
show that the Senate has usurpe6 the
jurisdiction of the House in this mat
ter. I realize there is a movement on
foot to prevent by a parliamentary ruse
vote on this debenture plan in the
HouSe."
Senator Robinson said that such q
course on the part of the House would
be an sffront to the Senate. and in
sisted that the Senate had just as much
right to insert the debenture plan as
has the House
Before this Congress adjourns." de-
clared the Democratic leader emphat-
ically, this debenture plan will be
voted on. CapitaliStic influence, great
newspapers that have had the BENEFITS
of protection, which is as much a
bounty as the debenture, now seek to
characterize as unsound and unjust
the debenture. Now we are told that
a construction of the Constitution is TO
be used to prevent men and women on
the farms from receiving equality of
treatment With the capitalists
Senator Robinson insisted that this
was a serious issue and one that would
be fought out to the end.
In reply Senator Moses said that ne
had no doubt the arguments made by
Senator Robinson would be heard fire.
quently in the Senate when the House
politely returns to us the farm relief
bill"
The defeat of the administration