Evening star., 1935-08-18
GUFFEY COAL BILL
PASSAGE IS SEEN
Measure Pushed Through
Senate With Vote in
House Tomorrow.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Amendments rained down yesterday
upon the Presidents Guffey coal bill.
but Democrats pushed 1t through the
preliminary storm virtually unaltered
and set q final House vote for to-
morrow.
Even some House opponents of the
measure said 1t would pass and word
came from high Senate Republican
leader that that branch. too. would
approve the bill before Congress ad-
journs.
The bill calls for presidential ap-
pointment of a national bituminous
coal commission to enforce codes nx-
ing wages, hours. trade practices and
prices for soft coal production. Pro-
ducers who accept the code would
get 80 per cent drawback against a
Is per cent tax on the value Of their
coal.
Mitchell Scores Victory.
Yesterday it westhered half dozen
attempts to change some of its major
~ Wv A@'ACAiS- A3Nt ~ gave W
sentative Mitchell, Democrat, of Ten
nessee. his biggest victory in his fight
TO get relatives off Federal pay rolls.
He offered an amendment to forbid
coal commission members from hiring
close blood or marriage relatives.
1T Is shameful and shocking, the
extent TO which men appointed to
high ofices put their kin on the
pay roll" Mitchell said.
Representative Knutson. Republi-
can, OF Minnesota, chimed in:
There isn't a bureau in this town
that isn't loaded up with whole fami-
lies-fathers, mothers. sons, daugh-
ters-yet, and even sweethearts. Why,
a good Democrat can't get q job
any more"
Opposing the amendment Repre-
sentative VinSon, Democrat. OF Ken
lucky, said he never had had a rela-
tive on a pay roll. but insisted that
NJ we're going to do something Ike
this we ought to have a general law
rather than apply the idea piecemeal. "
The House disagreed with him and
by o 67-to-26 vote accepted Mitch
ellis amendment.
Attendance Is Small.
The bill failed to draw full attend
ance. OF the 433 members, count
once showed only 90 on the floor.
That included only nine members OF
the 34-man Pennsylvania delegation,
which is greatly affected by the legis-
lation.
The Republicans made another at
tempt to keep political patronage out
of the new agency. Representative
Mapes. Republican. of Michigan. tried
to eliminate a provision that the coal
commissions workers might be ap-
pointed without regard to civil service
laws.
job thirsty Democrats. however,
howled him down with such volume
that Mapes did not even ask a d-
vision vote.
One amendment was added which
members forecast might cause trou-
BILE. Presented by Representative Girls
void, Democrat. Of Indiana, 1t was
designed to give small operators q
bigger voice in the affairs Of the
% district boards which will admin
lister the coal and, with the approval
Of the national commission, FIX max
imum and minimum prices.
Advantage to Big Producers
As originally presented to the House,
the bill would have let district boards
be selected by operators within that
district on the basis of tonnage Thus.
big producers reputedly would have
had more votes.
The Griswold amendment. however
stipulated that the boards shall be
of en- even number, and one-half of
their producer members elected by
the majority in number of producers
in the district.
His amendment went in over COM
mittee protest. 66 TO a. on a teller
vote.
Representative Hobbs. Democrat, OF
Alabama proposed to put back in the
bill authority for the Secretary Of the
Interior to buy up mines. That was
in the first draft of the measure, but
was knocked out by the Ways and
Means Committee.
Yesterday. Hobbs amendment was
ruled out of order.
He told the House he had offered II
because there are $4,000 persons In
Alabama dependent upon bituminous
coal mining for their living. and 1t is
my deliberate opinion that they will
be put out of work in IL months II
this bill is passed"
His amendment contained provi-
sions designed TO permit relief for any
miners who lost their jobs as q result
Of the Federal purchase of coal land
Bill Termed Unfair.
Representative Fuller, Democrat Of
Arkansas said in a radio talk enact
ment of the Guffey coal bill would b
followed by demands for similar legis.
lation governing all natural re-
sources and all public utilities
Asserting that not only the weather
but many pending measures are max
ing it hot for members OF Congress,
Fuller said. ANY measure that kills
competition in trade, creates a monop-
oily, Is mandatory In regulating every
act and conduct, including price
fixing, the hours and prices Of labor
Is unfair and unamerican."
Il can't believe" Fuller continued
that members Of Congress can be 50
influenced, convinced or treated like
dumb driven cattle on account OF
strike threats. as to enact this measure
into law. contrary to their firm con-
victions."
The Arkansan said II Of the Is
members OF the Ways and Means
Committee. of which he Is one. openly