Evening star., 1932-12-23
HOUSE ABSENTEES
AREFAC|NG ARREST
Quorum Missing, Garner and
Rainey Warn Against
Repetition Tuesday.

The Democratic leadership Of the
House has shaken its big stick" q. ali
members with the issuance Of orders
to the sergeant at arms to arrest those
who do not return on the Tuesday
following Christmas day If q quorum
is not present
This decision was reached after fail
ure to round up a quorum in the House
late yesterday when the 343,ls2, ,s04 In
terror Department appropriation bill
could not be passed due to a motion by
Representative De Priest, Republican,
OF Illinois. to resubmit the bill in an
effort to get into 1t an item of $780,
600 for new power plant for How
ard University. On the motion to re-
commit the vote was ITO to 95.
Garner and RAiney Act.
After this situation developed Speaker
Garner and House Leader Rainey de-
cided upon the move to compel attend
ance. Kenneth Romney, sergeant at
arms, was directed 10 serve warrants On
all absentee members, in the event that
half OF the members are not present
at noon Tuesday.
When De Priest made the motion
there were but few members on the
moor. They had previously defeated his
proposal as an amendment. He de-
manded . roll call vote to establish 4
quorum. which in the present House
Is 2l5 members.
After the roll call had been read. Rep
resentative Rainey sought to adjourn
the House. Representative Smell of
New York, the Republican leader, de.
manded to know the vote. Speaker
Garner said 1t was mot necessary to
announce 1t. because there Is not q
quorum present"
But the vote Is ITO ayes, and s5
nays" Garner added.
The Republicans and 4 few Demo-
Gratis voted with De Priest. But be-
have left for the Christmas holidays,
they were unable to muster q quorum.
Adjournment Voted.
The House had planned to adjourn
yesterday after final action on the In
terror bill, until next Tuesday, for the
Christmas holidays.
Rainey again sought to adjourn the
House. Representative Mouser. Repub-
y
perfunctory count, Garner announced
a majority favored adjournment, until
II o'clock tomorrow" and banged his
gavel
De Priests attempt to pass the How
ard University item as an amendment
was defeated by vote of 81 to IS.
The amendment would have appro-
priated $780, 900 to construct a light,
heat and power plant for the group Of
Howard University and Freedmen's
Hospital buildings. This item had been
recommended originally by the Bud
get Bureau, but was withdrawn before
the President sent his budget message
to Congress.
Representative De Priest, supported
by Representatives French of Idaho and
Murphy Of Ohio, both Republican
m members OF the :ubeo%mittes .,is nm, that
it was in the interest Of real economy
to make this appropriation 20 that the
new central heating plant could sup.
ply the needs of all buildings IN the
group, including two buildings under
construction, which will be without
heat, light and power, As . result q
this withdrawal Of the power plant
estimate.
Chairman Taylor. In charge of The
Ulll, oalu VIC buiuCA - Oh t10 xSSA00v
Bureau and that the committee did not
have before it any recommendation for
this item. He admitted the power plant
is needed, but estimated q suitable
plant could be erected for $500, 900. He
argued that officials in charge Of the
colored institutions should 20 back 70
the Budget Bureau and If they could
convince the bureau regarding the
merits Of the request, and the bureau
would submit it as q supplemental item,
the Appropriations Committee would
give it consideration.
Representative Hastings, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma. another member Of the
subcommittee, emphasized that Howard
University is not a Federal school and
that the National Government is not
obliged to support it, entirely. He said
the Federal Governments contribution
during the next year will be S632, 500,
which he considered very generous.
Supported by Hull.
Representative Hull of Illinois, chal-
lenged his colleagues IF you're going
to keep Howard University running,
why not properly maintain it? Why de-
stroy it?" He declared that if this item
is not included now, it will have to be
done next year and declared his atti-
tude on this legislation to be that Of
. member Of Congress legislating in the
interests Of the people and not bound
simply to approve Bureau Of the Budget
recommendations.
Chairman Byrns Of the Appropria-
tions Committee pointed out that the
House was being asked to appropriate
nearly. half q million dollars, without
any estimate from the Budget Bureau
or the President or one line Of testi-
mony. regarding the need for this
power plant. II there Is responsibility
for not carrying out a worthy project,
1t rests with the President and the
Budget Bureau, who, presumably, with.
drew the estimate with good reason.
after careful investigation and In the