Evening star., 1933-03-14
SUPPORT OF c. 0. P.
PLEDGED ECONOMY.
MEASURE IN SENATE.
Democratic Caucus Votes
Pr0gram-MemberS Left
Free on Amendments.
Confident OF SPEEDY
PASSAGE OF MEASURE
Various Cuts Proposed in Veterans
Benefits May Be Left to Dis
cretion of President.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Republican leaders pledged support
to the administrators economy bill to-
day as the Senate headed for a vote on
the proposed power for President Roose-
welt to cut veterans benefits and Fed
eral pay more than half a billion dol
lars
The So Democrats in the chamber
were free to vote for any amendments
to the bill. but a party caucus bound
them to support the program on final
passage.
indications were many amendments
would be offered and that their dis
position might postpone a vote until
tomorrow.
Debate Opened.
Senator Fess Of Ohio, the assistant
Republican leader, opened debate by
declaring it was essential to balance the
Federal budget and that he would sup
port the legislation for this reason.
though he feared some elements of
danger" were involved.
Fess contended the pending legis-
lation and the proposed gasoline levy
extension and beer tax would still leave
more than half billion dollars deficit
to be made up. He believed new taxes
would be necessary.
Senator Harrison, Democrat, Of Mis-
sissippi, disagreed. saying the pending
bill. together with the gasoline and
beer levies, would permit the budget
to be balanced without increased in
come and inheritances taxes and with
out q sales tax.
Confident Of Passage.
Party leaders expressed confidence
the legislation would pass, but with
the possibility of some amendments
being adopted.
The names of those Senators who
refused to be bound to vote for the
bill as introduced by Senator Robinson
OF Arkansas, the party leader, were
not announced
Under the caucus rule, the only ex-
cuses for declining to be bound are for
conscientious objections and where q
bill runs counter to pledges made to
constituents.
Despite leaving the measure open to
amendments, Senate leaders were con-
f1dent it would be placed before Presi-
dent Roosevelt for signature In a very
short time.
The House passed 1t In one day after
Republican support was required to
make up for Democratic defections
which prevented binding the member
ship by caucus. Despite this failure,
however. the measure was taken up un-
der rule preventing amendments.
Robinson Announces Action.
The action of the Senate caucus to-
day was announced by Chairman Rob-
inson in two brief sentences:
The conference adopted a resolution
that the members of the conference are
hereby bound to support the bill to
maintain the credit of, the United
States.
Action was not taken to bar amend
ments."
After the Democrats acted, the meas
ure was again taken up in the Senate
with Senator Fess Republican, of
Ohio opening the debate. He said he
would vote for the bill, but that he
feared dangers" were involved.
Senator Dale. Republican, of Yer
AlOilt, pTcSeIlCeO IeSOluClOn from the
Vermont Legislature urging support of
the bill.
Fess characterized the bill as a
great innovation" but Senator Reed,
Republican, Of Pennsylvania, challenged
this.
1T occurs to me-" Reed said, that
1t Is not a much greater innovation
than giving rate-making powers to the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
Fess pleaded for maintenance of the
three independent branches of the Gov
ernment and said he did not want his
vote interpreted as "a loss of apprecia-
ton of the institutions under which We
now live"
Discretionary Power Desired.
President Roosevelt is understood to
be anxious that the bill as passed give
to him, as it does in present form. dis
cretionary power on the suggested
veterans cuts.
Considerable opposition to this has
arisen, however, the American Legion
last night saying that while it would
support rs per cent slash in World
War veterans benefits, it was 'un-
willing that the basic structure" of these
benefits "be destroyed"
The Legion pointed out that the ad-
ministration is pledged to 25 per cent
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