Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-09
REPUBLICANS MOVE
TO SPEED WORK TO
AVOID EXTRA CALL
Night Sessions Agreed Upon
to Complete Necessary
Supply Bills.
SENATE ACTION ON BONUS
TO AWAIT LOWER HOUSE
Hoover Writes Robinson Relief Bill
to Be Interpreted Sym
pathetically
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Plans were laid by the Republican
members of the Senate in conference
today to drive ahead and complete the
annual supply bills and thereby pre-
vent special session of Congress
after March 4.
The Republicans agreed to hole
hight sessions beginning tomorrow night
At they were found to be necessary tc
complete the program.
So far as legislation to pay in cash
khe soldiers bonus is concerned, 1t was
announced that the Senate Finance
Committee would wait until the House
took action.
Can Buy Anything.
Senator Watson, Republican leader
took up the statement made by Secre-
tary Hyde of the Department of Agri-
culture regarding the so-called CON-
promise agreement on relief legislation.
The Republican leader said it was
his Interpretation of the agreement and
of the Hyde statement that money
loaned to people in the drought-Strick-
en- area could be used to buy food
Senator Watson made the distinction
between money to loan for the purposes
of rehabilitation and money to give tor
the purchase of food.
He said that under the agreement
no money was provided to give to those
in distress for the purchase OF food or
anything else. He made 1t plain, how
ever, that the farmer IN the drought
stricken area would be able to borrow
the crops they void raise this year.
Having borrowed the money on secur1-
ty, it was the Republican leaders
thought, they could use it for any pur-
pose related to farm rehabilitation.
The Hyde statement, however,
aroused criticism in a number of quar-
tiers today and may be made the basis
of a fight against the compromise
agreement.
Hoover Writes Robinson.
A letter from President Hoover to
Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the
Democratic leader, assuring Senator
Robinson that the drought relief meas
ure would be interpreted fairly and
sympathetically," was expected to have
q decided effect on the situation in the
Senate and TO reduce the antagonlsm
of Democratic Senators who were
aroused over the Hyde statement.
Senator Robinson was in conference
with the President today, as the Presl-
dents letter indicates. The letter fol-
lows, addressed to Senator Robinson:
"My dear Senator:
"As to our conversation this morning
I am glad to confirm at once that the
proposed additional drought relief
measure was suggested for the purpose
OF real aid TO the weakened credit sit
uation in the drought area, and that in
the administration OF 1t the Secretary
of Agriculture assures me he has no
other intention, and that he will inter-
pref 1t fairly and alphabetically
Yours faithfully,
Disturbed by Hyde.
The Presidents letter is under date
of February 8. Senator Robinson, 1t Is
understood, had been disturbed over the
HYDE statement and had requested fur
ther light from the White House regard
ing the Interpretation of the compro-
mise agreement on relief.
The Presidents letter and his personal
conversation allayed the fears of SEN
ator Robinson that the compromise
agreemeet might not be effected IN
bringing real relief to the drought
stricken area.
When the Senate met at noon, Sen
ator Caraway of Arkansas questioned
Senator Smoot, chairman of the Finance
Committee, about the attitude of that
committee toward soldiers bonus legis-
lation. Caraway has bill to pay the
bonus In cash now before that COM
mittee. He gave notice some time age
that he would move to discharge the
Finance Committee from further con-
sideration of his bill If it did not act
within a reasonable time.
The Arkansas Senator asked Senator
Emoot If he would interpoSe no objec-
ton to the discharge of his committee
from further consideration Of the bonus
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