Evening star., 1935-04-09
TWO BILLS FORM
CONGRESS- BIG lob
Social Security and N. R. A.
Extension Measures to
ProIong Session.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

measures on the administration pro-
gram Of legislation-the social secur-
ity and N. r. A. extension bills-and
when they are passed Congress will be
ready to close shop for this session,
although the present prospect Is that
will not be much before the middle Of
August.
The social security bill is considered
the most important and the N. r. A.
extension measure the most contro-
versial. House leaders predict that
both will be passed, probably in modi.
ned form, with considerable change
in the administrative features of the
N. r. A.
The big three" Of the House
Speaker Byrns, Chairman O'Connor
OF the Rules (policy and program)
Committee, and Chairman Doughton
Of the Ways and Means Committee,
sponsoring both these bills-were to
have conferred with President Roose-
welt &C the White House this morning
regarding the social security bill Cbut
the President was in New York;. Fol-
lowing the postponed White House
conference the Rules Committee Is to
meet to decide what sort of a rule
will be reported for consideration Of
this measure. It probably will not
be a gag" rule, although Chairman
Doughton and other members of the
Ways and Means Committee voted to
ask for one to prevent the offering
of any but committee amendments.
It will come up In the House Thurs
day or Friday.
House to Take Two or Three Weeks.
Chairman O'Connor of the Rules
Committee estimated that 1t will take
two or three weeks to dispose Of the
social security bill In the House. No
one knows how long the Senate will
require.
Work for the unemployed on re-
lief is contemplated in the work-relief
bill-the $4,880, ,000, 900 appropriation
measure signed by the President yes
terday. Congress felt it had done its
biggest job in relieving distress in
passing that legislation and some
members felt that many. If not all. of
! the other measures on the relief legis-
lation program might be deferred.
| But the second vital part of the pro-
gram for security comes in the bill to
be brought up under the special rule
either tomorrow or Thursday. This
bill Is designed to aid the States In
taking care Of the dependent members
of their population and to make be-
ginning in the development of meas
ures which will reduce dependency in
the future It deals with four major
ubjects-old-age security. unemploy-
ment compensation. security for chill
dren and public health. All are closely
related, being concerned with major
causes Of dependency. Together, they
constitute an important step, Chair
/ man Doughton says, in q well-rounded,
unified. long-range program.
Bill Represents Pledge.
This legislation is presented to fulfill
q pledge made by President Roosevelt
in a message last June. Subsequently
ated q Committee on Economic Sc
| curity to study the entire problem and
to make recommendations for the
guidance Of Congress. After six
months study, assisted by a staff Of
specialists and by IA advisory groups,
| The committee made unanimous re-
! port to the President in January.
| which he transmitted to Congress with
his Endorsement.
The Ways and Means Committee
held hearings from January 81 to Feb
vrvhf mn
pages Of testimony were taken. The
committee after careful consideration
adopted so many amendments that it
! became necessary to redraft the bill.
The legislation for extension of the
N. r. A. is now before the Senate
and is so highly controversial that
Chairman O'Connor Of the Rules
Committee, In charge Of the admini-
stration program in the House. feels
| that 1t will probably cause the ses-
sion to be extended beyond the nor
NAL time (the middle Of June) until
after the middle OF August. How
ever, he feels fairly sure that the N.
r. A. bill will eventually go through
in some limited form, with the funda-
mentals left in and with particular
administrative features which are seri-
ously objected to either stricken out
or toned down great deal. The
essentials as he sees them are: To
prevent cut-throat competition to
prevent child labor, and to provide
a living wage for labor with shortened
hours so as to distribute employment
Concerning the cut-throat competi-
ton clause, Mr.. O'Connor said the
bill should carry provisions for fair
competition within the limitations of
the antitrust law.
Some Points Avoided.
The provisions to be left out In
clude prescribing in detail how indi.
vidual businesses or group businesses
under the code authority shall con-
duct every phase of their operations
and the prevention of extension of
businesses. In other words, he ex-
planned, individual initiative and eff
cient management will be permitted
to continue as they did before the
N. r A. days, provided they do not
violate the fundamental rules of fair
competition and honest dealing with
workers.
Several other measures on the ad-
ministration program undoubtedly will
be worked through before Congress
adjourns, although emphasis viii be
put on the foregoing two.
The home owners loan bill Is pend
ing In the Senate and must be dis
posed Of.
The utility holding company bin Is
still In committees Of the House and
Senate and the best guess Is that it
Will be another two weeks before It
will be presented to the House. That
seems to be on the must" program,
The banking bill is of highly con-
troversial nature and there is a bare
possibility that it will not be dis
posed Of this session.
Appropriations Cared For,
The appropriation bill program is
we'll along, but with considerable vet
to be done. The Independent Ofices,
State Justice Commerce and Tahor