Evening star., 1933-01-22
SUPPLY BILLS MAY BE LOST
IN CONGRESS INDIFFERENCE
Lackadaisical Attitude of Leaders Expected
to More Doom Appropriations Until
sd. r. Special Session Convenes.

Il now before the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, continues. The Senate
committee holds meeting on the meas
ure tomorrow morning. It's chairman,
Senator McNary, has been urged by
President ELECT Roosevelt to expedite
this legislation at the present session,
since If the bill lapsed until the special
session, 1t would be too late to affect
ip any way the crop acreage for this
ykar.
Belief that President Hoover is likely
10 veto both the farm bill and the beer
bill, and that neither could be passed
over his veto, even If both houses could
be brought to agree upon the terms of
ing for haste on these measures. In
deed, there seems no real drive in Con-
gress to get legislation through, but
rather q lackadaiSical attitude by the
great majority Of the members, who
feel that the important legislation will
have to wait for action In the special
session anyway.
The plan Of the President elect for
dealing with the debtor nations. partic-
ularly Britain, which are clamoring for
which President Hoover concurred at
the White House conference Friday,
bobbed up for debate in the Senate
when that body met at noon. The first
round over the agreement to receive
representatives of Great Britain to dis
cuss the debts and the general eco
nomic situation was fought with Sem
ators Robinson of Indiana, Republican,
and Robinson of Arkansas, the Demo-
cratic leader, playing the leading roles.
Robinson of Indiana attacked the
Roosevelt plan, charging that it ignored
the fiat declaration by Congress a year
ago that there should be no cancella-
ton or further reduction of the debts.
The American people, he said, would
never consent to having the burden of
the foreign debts owed this country
transferred to the shoulders Of the peo-
pie of this country.
Charges Cheap Politics."
Senator Robinson of Arkansas re-
piled with heat the Indiana Senator
was playing cheap politics" seeking to
stir up the people against the President
elect. He claimed it was only the
nation the privilege Of discussing Ques-
tions with this Government.
Senator Watson of Indiana. Republic
an leader, after the row In the Senate
chamber was over said he believed that
President Hoover and President elect
Roosevelt had been correct in reaching
an agreement looking to the reception
Of British delegates to talk over the
debts and the economic situation. He
said this Government should not de-
cline such discussion when requested
by the debtor nations
But that does not mean" continued
Senator Watson, that Congress should
accept any proposal TO reduce or cancel
the debts"
Borah Backs Roosevelt.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, Senator Borah OF
Idaho, was outspoken in his approval
of the determination Of the President
elect to discuss with the British the
question of debts in connection with
the world economic problems. He has
contended for months that If anything
in the way Of revision or reduction of
the debts is brought about it must be
through concessions Of the foreign
nations looking to relief Of the eco
nomic situation.
The expressed willingness of the
President-elect to discuss with the rep
tion OF debts in connection with the
world economic problems is a matter
of very great and heartening signif-
cance," said Senator Borah in state
ment issued late yesterday. The
rigid and rather strained situation with
reference to these economic problems,
without the settlement of which the
world cannot start to recover, has been
greatly changed for the better, and 1t
is Of the utmost Importance. I take
1t that the President elect is not simply
performing an act of courtesy toward a
friendly nation, but that it Is his pur-
pose to take up these problems and
make a start, If possible. toward their
solution. This fact alone will have
favorable reaction everywhere Neces-
sarily before We get far in dealing with
these economic problems, the presence
OF other nations will be required. and
1t may be that something considerable
can be accomplished