Evening star., 1934-03-24
Expected to Act FavorabIy
on House Position This
Afternoon.
VETERANS ALLOWANCES
SETTLEMENT is SEEN
McCarran, Leader for Full Salary,
Willing to Agree to New
Compromise.

With the Senate all set to accept
the House five-and-f1ve plan of Gov
ernment pay restoration this after
noon, the two branches Of Congress
at last are on the verge of an agree
ment on this question after more than
two months of parliamentary ma
neuvering.
The outlook also is bright for settle
ment of the differences between the
two houses on war veterans allow
anceS, which must be done before the
pay question can be sent to the White
House, since both are in the Inde-
pendent offices appropriation bill.
Temporarily Sidetracked.
When the Senate met at noon the
Government pay and veterans ques-
tions were sidetracked temporarily to
give Senators in charge of the inde-
pendent Offices bill more time for in
formal conferences in the hope Of
working out an agreement on the vet
erans' amendment. For this reason
the Senate proceeded with debate on
the Bankhead cotton bill. but leaders
planned to call up the Government
salary and veterans proposal later in
the afternoon.
1t is understood that the Senate
group holding different views are en-
deavoring to settle the conditions
under which World War presumptive
disability cases would be restored to
the roll This is said to be the chief
stumbling block remaining in the
way of final agreement.
When the bill comes up Senator
McCarran, Democrat, of Nevada plans
to make a preferential motion TO
concur in the House pay provision,
which calls for restoration of per
cent of the cut as of February /, and
another per cent on July /. This
would leave one-third of the cut in
effect, but it could be restored by the
President on July l or next January,
if commodity prices have reached the
necessary level.
Senator McCarran led the fight for
full pay restoration. and the Senate
last month adopted his proposal by
vote of Al to 40. The House, how
ever. later adopted the modified five
and-flve plan, which administration
leaders in the Senate also favored.
and Senator McCarran believes the
Government employees would rather
see an agreement reached on that
basis than have the uncertainty con-
tinue.
May Agree in Several Days.
The general belief prevailed that
within few days at least the veter-
ans program will be worked out sub
stantially along the House lines, but
with some further last-minute Senate
notifications. Senate leaders, it is
known, are trying to make this pos
sible on the Senate floor this after
noon to avoid the added delay of a
new conference. But if 1t is found
impracticable to threSh out the re-
naming differences in Senate debate,
conference with the House will be
asked.
The essential difference over vet
Grams at this time is said to revolve
around the wording of the section by
which the House seeks to restore
World War preSumptive disability
cases to the compensation rolls at IS
per cent of former payments. The
Steiwer-McCarran amendment adopt
ed by the Senate last month would re-
store these cases at full compensation.
While the rs per cent House basis
corresponds to the percentage ia
ton supporter, Byrnes' proposal did
not go as far as the House amend
ment, because his amendment would
only restore these cases pending re-
view. Whether a majority Of the
Senate will agree at this time to COM
promise on less than the House Ian
guage is problematical.
Wants to Rewrite Amendment.
Senator Steiwer also wants to re-
write the House veterans amendment
before agreeing to it, to make sure
the clause providing for rs per cent
compensation for presumptives will
not be construed as affecting the
rights of some service-colnected
veterans. Senator Steiwer does not
any service connected cases, but is
afraid the phraseology of the amend
ment might do so.
The Borah amendment, which
sought to continue the Is per cent
pay cut next year on all Government
salaries in excess of $4,000, was at
tached to the veterans amendment in
the Senate, but is not in the House
veterans amendment. If the Senate,
therefore, concurs in the House pro-
vision the Borah proposal would be
abandoned.