The Washington times., 1930-02-24
Budget Bill Reported Held Up Until Middle March
BILL
ACTION IS DUE
TOMORROW

Indications Of q compromise
on the Dale retirement bill with
liberalization to meet President
HOOver'S view were given today
by Robert II. AlcOrn, chairman
Of the Joint committee on re-
tirement, after a meeting Of
that OrganizatiOn held shortly
before noon. En-
Senator Porter, H. Dale of Yer
mont, chairman of the Senate
Civil Service Committee, conferred
today with representatives Of Gov
eminent employees who are op-
posing passage Of the new Lehl-
bach bill.
Senator Dale declined to COM
ment on the result of his confer
ence with the delegates, who were
headed by Robert H. Alcorn. chair.
man Of the joint committee on
retirement.
With increasing indications that
it will be the Lehlbach retirement
bill or no legislation at all during
this session of Congress, members
of the House Committee on Civil
Service prepared today for a
showdown and vote at an execu-
tive session of that committee at
1920 tomorrow.
1t is possible that the committee
discussion behind closed doors
may be so prolonged that vote
will not be taken tomorrow, but
prompt action reporting out the
Lehlbach measure, which has
again been endorsed by President
Hoover, was expected. .
Veto Dale Bill
Since the President has limited
at a veto of the Dale bill, which
majority of the House Com
mittee favors, the presidential in
fluence. together with that of
Chairman Lehlbach. a member of
the House steering committee,
presages swing of votes sufficient
to bring out the substitute Lehl.
bach bill.
Meanwhile, it was considered
significant that Robert H. Alcorn,
chairman of the joint conference
of retirement, called together to-
day the members of his group
which has consistently fought for
the Dale bill as it passed the
Senate. The joint conference, in
opposition to the Federation of
Federal Employees, feared that UNI
less the House takes the Dale
measure all legislation is dead
for this session.
Subsequent to this positive
stand at the hearings before the
House Civil Service Committee
the President has issued a state
ment reciting that his prede-
cessor vetoed the Dale bill during
the past Congress, the implication
being that Mr.. Hoover would fol-
low the same course.
The White House attitude is
distinctly in favor of the broader
substitute offered by Chairman
Lehlbach, although it has been
criticised by various witnesses as
complicated" with benefits too
long deferred" and IAN nsur-
ance rather than a retirement
bill" "
Alcorn declined to state in
advance the purpose of the meet
ing of his organization suddenly
called for today, but admitted
that in view of the White House
developments it was preferable
that the Government employees
have something better than we
have now" This feeling may
bring about a belated and half
hearted switch to the Lehlbach
bill. or a plea for a compromise
between the Dale and Lehlbach
measures.
Need Special Rule
Republican leaders of the
House have broadly intimated
that it would be lost motion to
bring the Dale bill up in the
House in the face Of prospective
presidential disapproval. A spe-
cial rule is regarded as essential
if any retirement bill goes
through the lower body at this
stage of the session and this rule
must enlist the support of Major
ity Leader Tilson, Chairman
Smell, of the Rules Committee,
and Chairman Lehlbach, Of the
Civil Service Committee.
! Therefore, the situation ap-
peared more complicated than
ever today and is to be unscram.
bled, if at all, when the Civil
Service Committee convenes to-
~ ASGAn1eesAr.