Evening star., 1934-01-12
Offices Bill, Carrying 10 Per
Cent Slash, Due fer
Quick Approval.
PRESIDENT MAINTAINS
GRIP BY THREE VOTES
Bitter Fight Forecast in Senate
Over Amendment Which
Would Restore Wages.

With the President maintaining his
grip on the House by slim margin of
votes, as expressed in the vote on
the House gag rule yesterday, the in
dependent offices bill, carrying extern
sion of 10 per cent of the present IS
per cent pay cut, is expected to be
passed in short order today.
Protected by this gag" rule which
prevents any attempt to amend or
strike out title 2 of the bill, the econ
omy program was approved by the
House by the narrow margin of 1877
to 1924 switch of only three votes
would have defeated it-on the adop-
ton of the rule. However, two earlier
votes of 26l to 112 sustaining the de-
cision of Speaker Rainey against a
point of order by Minority Leader
Smell and of 216 to 1877 which closed
all discussion over the gag" rule
showed the administration leadership
in full control
Attacks Survey of Costs.
Rigorous attack on the cost of living
survey by the Department of Labor as
considerable bolony and balderdash"
was made in the House today by Repre-
sentative DirkSen, Republican, of Illi-
nois, member of the House District
Committee, and an advocate of full
restoration of basic salaries to Govern
ment employees, when the debate was
renewed. By unanimous consent
agreement the debate was limited to
three and one-half hours.
He pointed out that. the cost of liv-
ing figures make no Consideration of
inStallment payments on homes or of
taxes He told his colleagues he does
not believe that the figures are
proper or concise index" to the cost
of living and called them fictitious
index values"
He asserted that he had consulted
with the merchandising manager for a
chain of some 10 stores in his home
State, who told him that basket Of
staple groceries which sold for S1.00
in the Christmas season of 1882, sold
for Sl37 in the Christmas season for
1888 Mr.. Dirksen said that he had
more confidence in those figures as
showing the increase in living costs
that the people had to pay than in the
figures compiled by the Department of
Labor. In conclusion he said: 1T Is
hypocricy. 1t should be gotten rid
Of to say the people buy more when
they haven't any money to buy with"
Quick Passage Seen.
While all of the individual items of
appropriation in the regular inde-
pendent Offices appropriation bill are
subject to amendment today under the
five-minute rule, there can be no
change or omission made, in whole or
in part, of title 2, which is the legisla-
tive rider carrying the economy pro-
gram. There is no serious disagree
ment over any of the appropriation
items. and the bill will be passed
quickly, after which the House leader
promised the House would adjourn
until Monday.
In the note yesterday the usually
compliant House gave only a five vote
margin for Mr.. RooSevelt's personally
requested 10 per cent cut in Federal
salaries for next fiscal year. The vote
was 1877 to 1872, a considerable contrast
to the ballot for the original economy
bill last March of 266 to 1873.
The Republicans yesterday voted in
block of 103, and were joinedsby "a
Democrats and 5 Farmer-Laborites.
Sixty-nine Republicans, who voted orig
lnally for the economy measure went
back into their party's fold, frightening
Democratic leaders both by their unity
and ability to drive wedge partly into
the majority ranks.
1t tied the House up with an I'M
precedented rule, SO worded that from
now until this session adjourns no
member may attempt to amend the re-
quested economy legislation by trying
n fn r1u nf hn fOYt h
coming 10 appropriation bills.
Republicans Cheer Vote.
Republicans who have only ia men,
bers to the Democrats 313. were so sur
prised by the anti-economy showing
that they cheered vociferously when
the vote was announced. The Demo-
Gratis, more surprised. sat silent.
The thing that made it especially
surprising to the Democratic chieftains
was that they had said fatty that Presi-
dent Roosevelt wanted the legislation
and had approved the procedure under
which it was being considered.
Chairman Buchanan Of the Appro-
priations Committee read letter from
the President expressing hope the
Congress will enact the legislative
economy provisions referred to in my
budget message"
And just before the vote, Representa-
tive Byrns of Tennessee, the Democratic
leader took the floor and said to his
party
1T isn't over but we are in the mid
die of a winning march against depres-
sion. for one am not going to desert
my leader in the midst of the fight.
This is a part of his recovery program" :"
Winning Votes BY Democrats.
Then came the roll call. Not a single
Republican or Farm-Labor member
| voted with the President, Democrats
providing all of the winning 1877 ballots.
But "a Democrats joined with 103
Republicans and the five Farm-Labor-
ties to pile up the unexpected total
against the proposition.
Actually, the vote was on what many
| members called gag rule" 1t waived
parliamentary laws SO that the economy
provisions might be attached to the ap-
preparations bill supplying funds to run
| Is governmental independent Offices in
the next fiscal year: it forbade any
amendments to those economy provi-
sions and any amendments to subse-
quent appropriations bills which would
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