Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-13
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

An administration compromise on
the McCarran prevailing wage"
amendment to the S4.880,000 900
work relief bill today was adopted
by the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee.
The compromise will require pay
ment of prevailing local wages on
public works only when the President
finds lower rates are disrupting pri-
vate pay levels.
The administration had planned
to pay $50 a month to the 100000
employables on relief rolls it hopes
to put to work with the $4,000, 900
work money. The American Fedora
ton of Labor commended the $50 a
month rate would break down wage
levels in private industry.
Today Senator Russell, Democrat,
of Georgia offered the substitute,
which was understood to have the
approval of the administration. The
federation's attitude was not known
Immediately.
Vote Stands IA to 9.
IC was duOpIcu Nv n
vote of IA to 9. This is the same vote
by which the motion to reconsider ac-
ton on the McCarran amendment
was carried in the committee on Mon
day.
Senator McCarran, Democrat. of
Nevada, author of the amendment
which would compel payment of the
prevailing wage on work-relief projects
which is paid for similar work in pri-
vate industry. announced he intended
to carry his fight for his original
amendment to the floor of the Sen
ate.
Under the substitute amendment
which I voted against" said Senator
McCarran. the President is directed
to pay the prevailing wage on work
relief projects after the damage shall
have been done to the workers in pri-
vate industry.
''As matter of fact, If this COM
promise amendment is finally written
into law, it will mean merely the piling
up of trouble for the President and
new problems for him to consider all
the time" Senator McCarran will
have considerable support for his orig
inal amendment when the matter goes
to the floor of the Senate.
The vote today was in a sense a
victory for the administration. 1t
marked a recession from the original
position Of the President which was
directly against the McCarran amend
ment.
Slash in Fund Defeated.
As soon as the committee had dis
posed of the McCarran amendment
Senator Adams of Colorado offered
in slightly modified form his amend
ment to reduce the total appropriation
carried in the bill from $4,880, 900 900
to So, $50, 100000. This amendment was
lost on a tie vote when it came before
the committee last week.
Senator Adams made q strong plea
to the committee to cut the appro-
priation by $4,000, 100000. He warned
the committee that If private industry
did not during the coming year reab-
sorb the unemployed, demand would
be made for another $4,000, 000,0 900 for
the following year. The credit Of the
Government, he told the committee,
could not Withstand these enormous
appropriations.
Fears Morale Breakdown.
Senator Adams argued that the mo-
rale of business and Of all the tax
payers in the country who must foot
the bill for the appropriations would
be broken down unless a halt was
called. The Federal Government, he
said. had assumed an obligation dur
ing the last two years to see that nc
man or woman went hungry or suf-
fered from the cold.
In the new work-relief bill, he said
a new obligation was proposed.
That obligation was to provide every
man and woman with job.
This he contended was too great q
burden for the Federal Government
! to take on its shoulders. -