Evening star., 1934-06-16
CONFEREES DECIDE
UTILITIES BOARD
FUNDS DURING DAY
Senate Keeps S36, 900 in
Bill for District to Save
Experts.
PAROLE UNIT MAY GET
$4,000 FOR SALARIES
Mcclellan Demands Civil Service
Tests to Pick Employees Of
Revenue Bureau.

With Congress heading toward Ad-
journment tonight, If possible, a nnal
decision will be reached during the
day by conferees in the battle between
House and Senate over the amount
the Public Utilities commission here
should have to carry on its regulatory
work during the coming year.
Responding to vigorous appeal by
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, the Senate late last night
again decided In favor Of the COM
mission by leaving in the last de-
f1ciency bill the S36 s23 which had
been inserted earlier in the day. Un-
less this sum remains in the bill in
conference, the commission will have
to drop IA of its staff, most of whom
are experts in the commissions work.
The most recent attempt to defeat
the appropriation was made by Sena-
tor Clark. Democrat. of Missouri. who
sought to have the Senate reconsider
its decision in allowing the appropri-
alton. Only four or five Senators
stood up with Clark when he de-
manded a division. however. More
than score voted to retain the item.
Parole Board Fund.
After a plea by Senator Thomas.
Democrat, of Oklahoma, the Senate
also added to the deficiency bill last
night new item of s13.770 for neces-
sary personnel for the local Parole
Board. The members of this board
serve without pay, but Thomas said
there is considerable amount of work
to be done in handling parole cases.
The Senator said he has been in
formed the members of the board are
seriously considering resigning unless
employees are provided to keep this
WORK up to date.
Another Senate amendment gives
the District Alcoholic Beverage Con-
troll Board sl8,408 for employment OF
eight inspectors during the next fiscal
year to supervise licensed establish
menJS.
Still Uncertain.
These three amendments. aggregat-
ing about $68, 900, are still hanging in
uncertainty until the conferees meet
today. As it came from the House,
the deficiency bill contained q series
OF other urgent items for the District
amounting TO more than $500, 900, but
none OF these was changed by the
Senate and, therefore, are net subject
to alteration in conference.
Carrying on his fight to prevent re-
tnt IS
mer prohibition unit workers in the
new liquor set-up in the Bureau of
Internal Revenue, Senator McKellar,
Democrat, of Tennessee, yesterday
succeeded in having the Senate place
an amendment in the deficiency bill
prohibiting payment OF any funds
after October l to these new ap-
pointees unless and until such per
sonnel shall be appointed thereto as
the result of open competitive exami-
nations to be held by the Civil Serv-
ice Commission" The bill carries
$40 900, 900 for the Bureau of Internal
Revenue, $500, 900 of which is for per-
sonnel services in the District.
Workers Reinstated.
The prohibition workers are those
whose reappointment Mcclellan has
fought on the ground they were
Hoover Republicans Secretary of
the Treasury Morgenthsu had them
reinstated by the Civil Service Com
mission because he said they were
well qualified for the new work to
be undertaken by the Bureau of In
ternal Revenue. and his action was
upheld in an opinion recently by
the Attorney General when the Ten
nessee Senator contended the reap
pointments were in violation of an
executive order.
The persons affected already have
competitive civil service status. but
it has been McKellar's contention
that they should be forced again to
take civil service test, and it is this
idea that is embodied in the def
cheney bill amendment.
Clark told the Senate last night he
knew nothing OF the merits of the
controversy over how much should be
allowed the Utilities Commission, but
had been informed by those in charge
of District appropriations in the
House that Senate conferees on the
District appropriation act had agreed
to reduce this item and that the in
clusion of the money in this deficiency
bill meant going back on that agree
ment.
Sheppard Supports Clark.
He argued that the House conferees
had yielded on number of other
items in return for the Senate Weld
ing on the Utilities Commission fund.
Senator Sheppard Democrat) of
Texas spoke briefly in support OF
Clark.
Senator Thomas, in charge of Dis
trict appropriations, explained that
this Is another item that comes from
District of Columbia revenues. and
that the Budget Bureau approved the
amount being sought for the Utilities
Commission. He admitted, however,
that the Senate conferees had yielded
on this item in the District bill and
that he refrained from taking any
steps to have it restored in this bill.
McCarran then took the floor and
urged the Senate to get down to the
facts" in the dispute and to do Jus.
tice to the District of Columbia. Re
ferring to the agreement that was
reached on the District bill, McCar-
ran declared that his short experience
In Congress has shown him that the
Senate may win all kinds Of battles,
but 1t seldom wins on q conference
report, because we are always told
that unless We yield. something will
happen to the bill" The Nevada
Senator declared the utilities In the
District require investigation. and
added there would be an inquiry at