Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18
HOOVER'S FRIENDS
DOUBT ABILITY TO
BLOCK RELIEF BILL
House Opposition CrumbIeS
After Senate Approves
$4,000, 900 Food Dole
UPPER CHAMBER LATER
VOTES RECONSIDERATION
Tilson and Wood Plan to Resist
Passage, Although Admitting
Situation Is Serious"

Agitation for direct Federal aid to
the destitute gained such ground yes
terday in Congress that the $25000,0 900
"food amendment" was adopted in the
Senate, although later reconsidered, and
House opposition crumbled to degree
which left leaders doubtful about block
ing it In the lower branch.
with Senate leaders declaring them
selves powerless to stop the amendment
when 1t comes up again tomorrow for
O vote, House failure to support the
President in this instance would con-
front him with the alternative of veto
ing the Interior Department supply bill
and thus inviting an extra session OF
Congress or sacrificing his principle
against approving direct Federal aid
to individuals.
Since the food amendment, which
has been referred to as dole" had
been attached to the Interior Depart
ment appropriation bill, and the latter
carries $4,000, 900 for Western projects,
Senator Smoot Of Utah, staunch ad-
rendered yesterday afternoon rather
than hold up the main bill and the
work it would authorize.
Hoover Stands Firm.
President Hoover stood firm In the
face of pleas from Senator Watson OF
Indiana, Republican Senate leader, TO
make a compromise by which the Fed
eral Government would agree to the
$685. 00, 900 appropriation as loan to
the Red Cross rather than as an out
right gift, as proposed in the amend
Ynent pressed by Senator Robinson OF
Arkansas, Democratic leader OF the
Senate.
House leaders, while privately admit
ting the situation to be serious" as
sured the President they would resist
the disposition in the House to concur
with the Senate in Government FOOD
appropriation of any kind, on the theory
this would establish a dangerous pre-
Senator Reed, Republican of Penn
gylyania, took q similar stand for the
administration in the Senate follow
ing q conference with the President.
It was upon his motion that the Senate,
BY unanimous consent, reconsidered its
sudden action on the Robinson amend
ment. The Pennsylvania Senator Is
prepared to ask postponement OF
Senate action on the amendment until
February 8, In the belief that the Red
Gross should be allowed this much
time, at least. to try to raise the pro-
jected $10,O00,Oo0 fund from private
subscriptions.
President Hoover was represented TO
have protested that the suggestion Of
direct Federal aid was hampering the
Red Cross in getting subscriptions. A
Red Cross announcement last night
showed that $518,500 had been raised
toward the goal set, that the organi-
cation is now feeding about 100000 per-
sons and has spent $1,45e,799 for
drought relief purposes to date.
Doubt PostpOnement.
Senate Leader Watson was among
Republicans who expressed doubt that
Senator Reed would be able to win a
postponement The strongly prevail
Ing view was that the Robinson amend
ment would be adopted by roll call, as
It was yesterday, without record vote.
In view of the situation, Speaker
Nicholas Longworth called into con-
ference John O. Tilson, the Republican
floor leader, and VIII r. Wood, chair
man Of the House Appropriations Com
mittee. to try to devise means TO check
the agitation in the House. Reports
followed that the House leaders, II con-
fronted with defeat might compromise
on bill proposing TO match from the
Treasury any amount raised by the Red
Cross.
Those reports were vigorously denied
by the leaders in question and led to
the word from administration quarters
that the House chieftains we're stand
ing fast as in several other situations
this year wherein the lower branch has
forced the Senate to accept President
Hoover'S terms, or something resembling
them.
House leaders admitted that a de-
termined deadlock between the two
Houses was the least of the evils"
to be expected from the situation in
which members were reluctant to vote
against relief appropriations when many
persons were in need.
The administration takes the posi-
ton that provision for food, medical
care and other personal assistance to
destitute people should be left to the
Red Gross, while the Federal Govern
Ynent confines its relief activities TO
legislation to stimulate employment and
furnish seed feed and other supplies
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