Evening star., 1935-05-28

this country. I mean, those work.
ers who are included in my bill.
l believe that bill to be ConStitu-
tional. There is not one sentence
Or word in the decision of the
Supreme Court which stands as an
obstacle to the enactment of the
pending 30-hour work-relief bill.
If some actiCn is not taken prompt
ly I believe that several million
men and women will be thrown
out of work. Congress should pro-
cede to legislate quickly. I shall
urge that we do not attempt a
futile thing, but that We shall pass
a measure similar to the 30-hour
work-relief bill"
Hastings Doubts Validity.
Senator Hastings, Republican, OF
Delaware, here joined the dis
cussion.
Il believe that the 30-hour work
week bill is clearly much more
unconstitutional than the N. R. A.
law" the Delaware Senator said.
Senator Hastings read from
memorandum prepared by N. r. A.
lawyers which held that an at
tempt to regulate interstate busi-
ness and at the same time not to
regulate similar intrastate busi-
ness would be discrimination and
unfair and unconstitutional.
This reused Senator Borah Of
Idaho.
Il understood the Senator from
Delaware to read from some N. r.
A. legal authority to the effect that
you could not regulate interstate
business and leave out intrastate
business, because of discrimina-
tion," he said. Il do not think
that is a sound position. 1t would
be absurd to say that Congress
was discriminating if 1t left out
of the law those whom it has no
power under the Constitution to
control"
Senator Robinson voiced his
agreement with Senator Borah.
The Idaho Senator continued,
however.
II think that the difficulty we
will encounter comes from a diff
ferent source" Senator Borah did
not specify the source.
George Asks Calm.
Senator George of Georgia
pointed out that Congress in the
past tried to circumvent Consti-
tutional principles. That has got
ten us into trouble" he added.
Il do not think this Is an hour
for great excitement" continued
Senator George. Breaking down
the N. r. A. will not destroy Amer
lea or greatly disturb business. I
am not condemning the N. r. A.
or its purpose. 1t has done some
good. In my judgment the act
has spent itself and any effort to
revive it. except within clear con-
stitutional limits. would be a mis-
take, because the backbone of this
depression is broken"
Senator George said it was i'm
possible to so manipulate language
that the Congress can regulate
intrastate commerce.
The discussion was concluded
by Senator Austin of Vermont, who
declared that in his opinion the
Black 30-hour work week bill would
be clearly unconstitutional.
Will Talk Liquor Tax.
Representative Doughton Of
North Carolina. chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee, in
charge of the bill to extend the
N. R. A. for another two years,
said his committee would meet to-
morrow for the purpose of consid-
ering certain liquor taxes. Unless
the White House was ready to
come forward with proposals to
amend the N. r. A., he said, his
committee would not take up that
subject tomorrow. It had been
planned to press the N. r. A. ex-
tension bill to passage in the House
today, but that plan had to be
given up.
Congressional leaders were await
ing a call to confer with President
Roosevelt at the White House on
the situation. In some quarters it
was suggested that Congress might
even take recess for a month in
order to give the administration
and committees of the House and
Senate opportunity to consider
what should be done IN regard to
shaping legislation which would
meet the objections of the Supreme
Court.
Whether President Roosevelt will
send to Congress special message
dealing with the N. r. A. and other
New Deal legislation in the light
of the decisions of the Supreme
Court was discussed at the Capitol.
If the President has any such in
tention, it was not disclosed.