Evening star., 1934-03-08
President Expected to
Threaten Veto of Bill on
Ground 1t Would EmasCu.
late Economy Program.
FIRM STAND ON ISSUE
is REVEALED BY CALL
Three Senator'S and Nine House
Members to Go to Executive
Mansion Few Hours Before
Democrats Hold Caucus on
Vital Issue.

The fate of the program for Gov
ernment pay restoration and increased
benefits for war veterans was be-
lieved today to hinge upon a con-
ference at the White House at 3
o'clock this afternoon.
President Roosevelt has summoned
House and Senate Democratic lead
ers to give them his views on the
Senates action IN adding $3.50 o00, 600
to the independent Offices appropria-
tions bill. and there were indications
he has ready a compromise which
would keep Government salaries and
veterans allowances within his bud
get limitations.
AS an alternative, it was made clear
at the White House by an administra-
ton authority the President was ready
to tell the House leaders he would
veto the rAasure as adopted by the
Senate, which virtually wrecked the
administration economy legislation.
The delegation will consist of three
from the Senate and nine from the
House.
Delegates Selected.
The Senate is expected to be repre-
sented by Senator Byrnes, South Caro-
lina Glass. of Virginia, and Russell
of Georgia. The House mem
bers will be Chairman Buchanan of
the House committee Chairman
Woodrum of the Subcommittee Oh
Independent Offices; Hastings, Okla
homa: Boylan, New York; Arnold,
Illinois; Oliver. Alabama; Cary, Ken
lucky; Ludlow, Indiana, and Ayres.
Kansas.
The House chieftains were called
to the White House few hours be-
fore party caucus to be held at 7:30
o'clock tonight at which the position
of the House majority will be taken
on the economy issue.
Lewis Douglas, budget director
spent the morning consulting with
the President.
The nature of the compromise was
not disclosed. but it was known the
President was prepared to use firm
language.
Balks at Full Amount.
In representing Mr.. Roosevelt's atti-
tude it has been intimated that he
might consent to a compromise plan
which would provide for a per cent
restoration of the pay cut, retroactive
from February /, and an additional S
per cent on July /. However. it was
asserted. he will not agree to a full
Is per cent restoration as voted by
the Senate, Al to 40.
Also it is conceded that he will
consent to some further restoration of
veterans benefits. but nowhere near
the amount provided in the bill as it
passed the Senate.
The meeting with the Democratic
leaders is to afford them the definite
views of the President as we'll as to
give them an opportunity to work out
a compromise preliminary to the
caucus tonight Following the caucus,
the Democratic leadership will then
have reached a decision as to what
course will be followed in handling
the bill in the House.
1t was learned that Senate and
House leaders have agreed to allow
the Spanish War Veterans a restora-
ton of rs per cent, instead of 80 per
cent, as provided in the Senate
amendment.
The great stumbling block on which
the decision is finally to be made by
the President himself is said to be
presumptive cases. Here, the House
Committee is admittedly up in the
air
However, House members of the
delegation will suggest that in these
$4,000 presumptive cases an effort be
made to work out some way to care
for these cases through a small al
lowance dependent upon the amount
of injury and graduated up to a
maximum of $50 a month.
Elimination of the Borah amend
ment, which eliminated all salaries
above $4,000 from the proposed
restoration of cuts, is said to have
been agreed on by the leaders.