Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-23
Capitol Hears President
May Carry Work Issue
to Country.
REVIVAL OF MEASURE
IN DOUBT, BYRNES SAYS
Wage Amendment Supporters Be.
lieve Administration Aides
Statement Threat"
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The huge Roosevelt program of work
relief, set back to where it was nearly
a month ago, faced an uncertain future
today. Talk on Capitol Hill ranged
all the way from hints the President
would carry the fight to the country to
a prediction the bill is dead" and the
dole" must go on.
1t was Senator Byrnes, Democrat,
of South Carolina, an administration
supporter, who had said the bill had
met its death, but some proponents OF
the McCarran prevailing wage amend
ment answered today they believed
this was merely a threat"
Byrnes amplified today the state
ment he made yesterday after the $4,-
$50 100000 bill, to which the McCar-
ran amendment had been tackled over
the strenuous opposition of admins
tration forces, had been sent back
from the Senate floor to the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Insisting he was expressing his own
belief and not talking for the Presi-
dent. Byrnes said there is no pros
pect" of reviving the works program
and "the committee probably will do
nothing about it."
Bill Cone" Says Byrnes.
THE President stated that IL the
McCarran amendment were adopted
he would not sign the bill" Byrnes
said. The Senate adopted it. There
fore, so far as the works part is con-
cerned. the bill is gone"
He expressed the thought the COM
mittee would report out an appropria-
ton of 880,000,000 or 81 $50 900 900
to carry out the present relief program
for six months or year. This pro-
gram, strictly speaking, is not a dole
pure and simple, but combination of
dole and work relief
Such move by the committee would
mean at least a major delay in the
Presidents plan to put 100000 "em-
ployables' to work on public works at
security wages" of about $50 month.
The forces behind the McCarran
amendment, which include the Amer.
lean Federation of Labor. want the
payment Of wages prevailing in private
industry.
The works bill. facing half a dozen
other drives to alter it, was sent back
to committee on motion of Senator
Robinson, Democratic leader and with
the advice of Senator Glass, Democrat,
OF Virginia, who had fought in vain
against the McCarran amendment.
Glass thought the committee should
report out bill that will not be quite
so controversial"
Senator McNary, the Republican
leader, meanwhile asserted the Sen.
ate'S action was strange procedure.
coming from those in charge of the
! bill. However, he promised co-opera-
ton with the understanding a separate
measure would be reported promptly
providing funds for direct relief.
! Pressure From States.
: Some other sources on Capitol Hill
/ were saying today that no hasty effort
would be made to bring the works part
of the bill out of committee for some
time. 1t was said that certain ad-
mlniStration strategistS believed that
States and municipalities which had
been counting on public works projects
would bring pressure to bear on Con-
gress to pass the bill in form that
would not face a presidential veto
| threat
A tentative plan to have the $3.50, =
100000 separated from the $4,000
O00,0 and reported out quickly so
the Relief Administration will not be
without funds is expected to be con-
Sldered by the Appropriations Com
mittee next week.
/ With President Roosevelt away over
/ the week end, administration chief
I tainS expect little to be accomplished
Immediately in the way of a possible
compromise.
! Senator Adams. Democrat, of Colo
RADIO, is expected to submit to the
Appropriations Committee his pro-
poSal to slash the whole measure to
J 81 $50 100000 Around this idea are
rallying Senators who want to cut So.
100000, 900 out of the bill permanently
! on the ground that the huge expendi-
ture would be dangerous to the public
credit. They claim additional strength
for their drive.
! Senator Adams said that with the
Federal Government plan to return
100000 "unemployables" back to the
States and cities, $3.50, 000, 900 would
go much farther and would be sum.
| Gent until the next Congress meets.
| At present, he said the Federal relief
program is costing about $l50,000, 90
a month.