The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-24
INITIATION BLOC
LOSES GROUND
IN CONGRESS-
Reaction to Veteran Issue
Defeat Strengthens
. Administration.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Special Writer.

WASHINGTON, April 24.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt may win his stock
market fight, his reciprocal tariff
fight, and other close contests which
lie just ahead as a direct result Of
his defeat on veterans legislation.
Congressman who voted 10 over
ride his veto are now hearing from
the folks at home and what they
hear is making their ears burn. Even
veterans, in many cases, are writing
that the veto should have been suS-
tanned. The results are already evil
dent.
When a test vote was taken in the
house Monday on the inhationary
Mcleod bill, opposed by the Presi-
dent, the bills sponsors failed to
rally even the number of members
who petitioned for a vote on the
measure last week.
Inhationary Bill Losing
The infationary Frazier-Lemke
bill Is losing signers instead OF
gaining them.
The senate silver bloc has voted
to take its stand behind legislation
so drastic that it's defeat is certain
rather than a moderate measure
which might have some chance of
success. The decision is interpreted
here as a graceful way of ending a
difficult fight in campaign year.
The letters from home may even
tilt the balance in favor of the
Norris amendment to divorce the
home loan administration from pat
ronage Many congressman are be-
ginning to feel that if home senti-
ment prefers support of the Presi-
dent to support of veterans it may
feel the same way about political
jobs, usually one of the most deli
cate subjects just before an election.
Lobbies Still Busy
But if the veterans lobby has
taken it's place in legendary history
along with the Antl-Saloon League,
their successors are ready to carry
on the tradition.
Just as the biggest lobby the
capital has ever Seen-that against
stock market regulation-was being
exposed here, The most unusual
lobby made its appearance.
This one. organized against the
administrations plan for control of
milk production, did its work in the
milk producing states rather than
in Washington and little has been
heard of it. 1t is the first, so far as
the records show, that has been able
to persuade a large froup of citizens
to decline a gift of $165 100000 from
the government.
Relief Program Dropped
That amount was to have been
paid milk producers in return for a
cut in production. Growers of other
products have demanded similar
control schemes in order to increase
their incomes. with the result that
cash received by all farmers in
March amounted to SAT- 900, 900, just
just $142, 100000 more than cash re-
ceived in March of last year.
The National Cooperative Milk
Producers Federation led the fight
against the administrations milk
plan and succeeded in marshaling so
much opposition at fifteen regional
conferences called to explain and
discuss it that AAA has declined to
proceed with any program for dairy
relief until a majority of the indus
try asks for it.
Still another lobby is grooming for
the coming fight on the Johnson
bill, designed to increase efficiency
of utility regulation by taking juriS-
diction over rate cases from the fed
eral courts.
Further Debate Due
This is known as the American
federation of utility investors, just
formed to fight all measures SEEM
ing to threaten profits on utility
securities. 1t says it represents TO-
100000 investors, including, of
course. orphaned children and
widows
The house will debate the john
son bill in few days under a rule
giving the whole membership gener-
Gus opportunity to reject the in
nocuouS substitute reported by the
house judiciary committee and re-
store provisions of the senate bill.
Representative Thomas L. Blan-
tons filibuSter against action in this
congress on old age pensions for the
district of Columbia may help to
speed nationwide adoption of PEN
sion plans through NRA codes.
Pensions in IS States
Insurance companies report a
squirt of interest in pension plans
from industries which find that dis
miSSal Of old workers and their sub
sequent support on relief rolls is as
expensive as attempting to use them
for watchmen or in other capaci-
ties.
twenty -6lgll States ilOW nave Oiu
age pension laws, and in addition
800 companies have put group an
nuity plans into effect through in
Surance companies.
Those who have done so the be-
ginning to agitate for uniform &C
A CaSSV Stomach