Evening star., 1935-08-31
ROOSEVELT REPLY
TO SOVIET DRAWN
ON EVE OF TRIP
Statement Due Today as He
Clears Desk to Visit
Hyde Park.
NEUTRALITY AND T. v. A.
BILLS YET UNSIGNED
President Hopes to Leave Tonight
for Three Weeks, Then Go
to San Diego.
BY the Associated Press.

Dy the hSSoCldleQ fTeSS.
President Roosevelt strove today to
clean up the big chores left him by
Congress and head for his Hyde Park,
N. Y, home and a vacation tonight.
Two important measures-the neu-
trality resolution and the Tennessee
Valley Authority amendments-re-
manned to be signed into law. In ad-
dition, there were many other minor
bills to be acted upon, some of which
faced vetoes.
Also, before the President could close
his Office, laSt-minute domestic and
foreign problems demanded his at
tention. He indicated yesterday a de-
cision on the Soviet-American dispute
over communistic activities in this
country had been reached and that
an announcement probably would be
made today.
What its nature would be was a
matter of speculation. However, OBJ
servers were inclined to believe it would
review the circumstances of the Amer
ican protest against communistic agi-
tation here and couple it with a
warning that friendly relations might
be severed unless activities of the
Third Internationale bearing on this
country are curbed.
Plans Long Visit.
BY nightfall Mr.. Roosevelt hoped to
have his desk cleared away, allowing
him to take a train for his Hudson
Valley estate. where he expects to
stay until late in September. He
probably will return here for a day
or two and then leave for the San
Diego, Calf, Exposition about Sep
tember %.
He already has expressed his ap-
proval of the neutrality resolution i'm
posing mandatory embargo against
the shipment Of arms to warning ma
tionS, and the T. v. A. amendments,
designed among other things to give
the Tennessee Valley Authority express
authority to sell surplus electric power.
The President and Secretary of State
Hull have been carefully reviewing So
Wet Russia's rejection of the United
States protest against alleged sub
verSive activities by the Third Interna-
tionale Both refrained from giving any
hint as to what the Governments fu-
ture attitude would be, but intimated
some word would be forthcoming dur
ing the day.
Working far into the night. the
President has been slowly whiting
down the stack of bills passed by Con-
gress Just before adjournment. Late
yesterday he signed the $3.50, ,000, 900
tax measure.
The Presidents acton Immediately
put into effect new and higher levieS
on estates which are estimated to
produce $50 0000,0 900 a year in addi-
tional revenue. They range from
per cent on the portion between 10000
and S50.000 to 70 per cent on all over
$50. 900 900.
Under the law higher gift taxes,
which are quarters of the estate
taxes, become effective January !,
1886.
To newspaper men the President
yesterday expressed qualification over
cooperation offered to the Govern
ment by the International Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
gineers in setting up the new Railroad
Retirement Board
The brotherhood, through D. B.
Robertson, its president, offered to
lend the Government $1,000,000 for
any period up to year in order that
machinery for administration of the
pension law might be established.
Initial funds were in the now-dead
deficiency bill.
Law Forbids Acceptance.
The President replied to Robertson,
expressing deep appreciation" but
explained that Federal laws governing
disbursements made it impossible for
him to take advantage of the gen
erous and patriotic offer" Of the
brotherhood.
The Executive reiterated that it
would be impossible to provide State
grants for old-age pensions and care
of crippled children under the social
security act. Funds for this purpose
also were contained in the third de-
ficiency bill. The Executive explained
that while some money could be made
available for skeleton machinery for
administrative purposes, no cash
benefits could possibly be disbursed.
Asked when he expected the Guf-
fey coal measure to reach a point Of
effectiveness, the President said its
machinery would be set up within a
short time. He added that he did not
expect a large number of additional
employees would be required to admin
lister the "little N. r. A." of the soft
coal industry.
The Federal housing program Is
moving ahead rapidly, the executive
indicated. with $3,000,00O daily going
out in loans