Evening star., 1934-03-10
Signs of Revolt.

4NOooCNCAG dOlpIl anu
its policies come under fire from sew
eral directions next week. In the
House on Monday vote will be forced
on the immediate cash payment of
the soldiers bonus, and following
the bonus decision, perhaps on Tues
day, the House will tackle the inde-
pendent offices appropriation bill and
the Senate amendments providing for
immediate part restoration of pay of
Government workers and full restora-
ton beginning next July and pro-
viding for more liberal compensation
of war veterans. Before the week is
over, on March Is, to be exact, will
come the vote in the Senate on the
St Lawrence waterway treaty between
the United States and Canada, the
ratification of which President Roose-
welt has urged.
Despite the strong Democratic Or
ganiZations in both House and Senate,
which have functioned with precision
on measures of huge Importance, there
seems no doubt that the leaders are
frankly worried over the tests which
are to come. The cash payment Of
the soldiers bonus probably will be de-
feated. There seems to be no chance
of its acceptance by the Senate in any
event. But so far as the pay cuts and
the more liberal compensation for dis
abled war veterans and pensions are
concerned the House may cast off the
administration leadership and accept
many, if not all, of the Senate amend
ments If the Senate by two-thlrds
vote ratifies the St. Lawrence water
way treaty it will be surprise both to
the administration leaders and to the
opponents of the treaty in the Senate.
The temper of the House Demo-
Gratis with regard to the pay cuts and
to the veterans compensation was
indicated Thursday night in the
Democratic caucus Of the House. An
attempt was made to bind the caucus
to accept the views of the admins
tration. A two-thirds vote was re-
uuired, and it failed to materialize
in support of this proposal. A group
of administration Democrats are
planning another attempt to bring
about agreement on the pay cuts and
veterans compensation, and call has
gone out for another caucus Monday
night. In the meantime every effort
will be made by the leaders to win
the necessary votes to maintain the
administra tons stand on these mat
tiers. Unless such support can be
obtained in the House, the independ-
ent Offices bill seems likely to go to
the President in a shape declared to
be utterly repugnant to him, forcing
him to veto the measure.
The situation with regard to the
pay cuts and veterans compensation
has become increasingly ,difficult for
the administration supporters as the
weeks have progressed. The inde-
pendent Offices bill with its so-called
economy provisions was driven through
the House under gag" rule with no
opportunity to offer amendments.
Many members of the House deeply
resented these tactics. In the Senate
the administration desires were over
ridden in regard to both these mat
ters, although compromises were held
out by the Roosevelt leaders. The
veterans compensation and the pay
cuts for Federal employees are in
reality local issues for the individual
members of both House and Sem
ate. In the face of the coming con-
gressional elections, the maintenance
of their position on these issues is be-
coming extremely difficult for the ad-
ministration.