Evening star., 1932-12-11
THREE COMMITTEES
in HOUSE TO FIGHT
.RE0RCAN|z|NG PLAN
Rivers and Harbors Work
Transfer to Be Point
of Attack.
SPEAKER GARNER BACKS
OPPOSITION TO PROGRAM
Resolution in Either Upper or Low
er Chamber Is Sufficient to
Halt Threatened Changes.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Supported by Speaker Garner, three
House committees prepared yesterday
to block the Presidents plan to reor-
ganize Government activities by attack
ing his proposal to transfer rivers and
harbors improvements from the Army
Engineering Department to the new
division Of public works in the Interior
Department. These were the Commit
tee on Expenditures, the Rivers and
Harbors Committee and the Flood Con-
troll Committee. The Speaker is sup
porting this opposition.
In order to get an o. X. from the
House Committee on Expenditures,
which meets Tuesday to consider the
reorganization proposals, the President
must show some important economy, in
the opinion of Chairman Cochran.
On the other hand, there was con-
siderable support shown yesterday for
the proposal of Chairman Byrns of
the Appropriations Committee to con-
soIdate the War and Navy Depart
ments. This was not a part of the
Presidents proposals.
Many House members are preparing
to introduce resolutions to prevent the
shifting of some of the agencies in
cluded in the Presidents plan of re-
grouping.
Sentiment Is Opposed"
THE sentiment Of Congress-" Mr..
Garner said, "is against transferring
rivers and harbors work and flood con-
troll work from the War Department to
the Interior Department, as President
Hoover proposes"
He pointed out that for more than
10 years Congress has stubbornly re-
pulsed every effort to take the rivers
and harbors work away from the war
Department. Heretofore Congress
would have had to act to make the
change, while now Congress must say
1t shall not be done" to prevent suci,
action.
Chairman Mansfield Democrat. of
Texas Of the Rivers and Harbors
committee expressed his conviction
tnat his committee would do some
tning about rivers and harbors and to
prevent IL becoming q foot ball for
1r1:, AHeiiSeAS. Representative
wilson. Democrat, of Louisiana, chair
man OF the Flood Control Committee.
also said he was ready to call his com
mlttee into conference to act as shock
troops"
Single Resolution Needed.
Speaker Garner, speaking generally
OF the Presidents program. said that
opponents of some of the major pro
posals probably will get together" ano
take some prohibitive action. He eX-
planned that adoption of resolution
IN either House or Senate will be suffi-
cient to Illustrate the Presidents
reorganizations.
Chairman Cochran of the Expendi-
ture Committee, who has called his
committee to meet Tuesday, says:
The Presidents message finally
brings to the Congress his definite ideas
on reorganization of Government ager-
cleS. Heretofore his recommendations
nave been general, not specific.
Individual groups, interested in the
administration of certain laws. will i'm
mediately protest.
Had such a message been sent to
the Congress two years ago 1t would
not have received the support of the
Presidents cabinet and other appoint
ees AS they will leave office beginning
March 4, they will now commend the
Presidents suggestions. They opposed
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