Evening star., 1933-02-01
HOUSE MAY WRECK
TRADE COMMISSION
Proposal, if Adopted, Would
Curtai| Work Begun by
Woodrow Wilson,.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The late President Wilson's pet
agency, the Federal Trade Commission.
may take wallop from the Democratic
House today.
Wrapped up in the intricacies of the
billion dollar independent Offices appro-
priation bill, which is now being con-
sidered by the House, is a severe thrust
at the Trade Commission. The House
Appropriations Committee, controlled
by the Democrats. has Topped s599, $50
of the budget estimate for the Trade
Commission for the fiscal year 1884,
leaving only $4,000 for the entire
work of the commission.
If the House agrees to the proposal
of its Appropriations Committee it
means elimination of the economic d.
vision of the commission, division
which has conducted investigations Of
tremendous value to the American peo-
pie. 1t means further that the legal
! division of the commission will be sert-
ously hampered in its investigation OF
complaints and its trial Of cases.
Hostile Interests Seen.
| While the drastic reduction proposed
| for the Trade Commission in this bill
is advanced in the named Of economy.
| it Is declared in some quarters that GER
/ tain influential interests, hostile always
| to the commission and its investiga-
| tions, will feel that they have won q
real victory If the group is rendered
largely impotent through the action Of
Congress this year.
In the House itself, it is likely friends
of the commission will attack the pro-
posal to hamstring that agency. Rep
resentative La Guardia of New York.
while he may not lead the fight, Is ex-
pected to take part. He Is opposed to
the proposal. which may halt tenn.
! porarily, If not permanently, many OF
the operations of the commission.
II believe that 1t would be a great
mistake to SO hamper the Federal
| Trade Commission" said Mr.. La
Guardia today, discussing the proposed
reduction in the appropriation.
.Amlie Attacks Leadership.
Representative Amlie of Wisconsin
said it looked as though the reaction
ary Democratic leadership" of the
House has raised the issue against the
Trade Commission, and that this stand
does not coincide with the supposed
progressive policies of President-elect
Roosevelt.
He said that he did not believe it
was the duty Of the lame duck" Con-
gress-he himself IS lame duck"
member-to take action which would
prevent the Federal Trade Commis-
sion from functioning as it was in
tended to do by its sponsor, the late
President Wilson
Mr.. Amlie added that the commission
has done in recent years a great
amount Of good work. He spoke par
ticularly of the need of holding on
to the Division of Economics, particu-
larly If the Roosevelt administration is
intent upon dealing with the power
and other public utilities.
Representative Summers Of Washing
ton. another Republican, announced
himself firm friend of the Trade
Commission. As a member of the Ap-
preparations subcommittee in charge
Of the appropriation bill, he acquiesced
In the proposed cut in the appropria-
ton largely because he had been un-
able to be present at the hearings on
the Trade Commission item and took
the verdict of the other members.
Whatever the House action on the
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