Evening star., 1935-07-03
Senate Committee Adopts
Black Resolution to
Conduct Quiz.
COMPROMISE ON BILL.
PROPOSED BY WHEELER
Roosevelt Refuses to Discuss
House Defeat or Brewster
Charges.
BY the Associated Press.

Simultaneous investigations in both
branches of Congress of lobbying for
and against the utility holding COM
pany regulation bill appeared likely
today after the Senate Commerce
Committee had approved a Senate
inquiry.
Meanwhile, Senator Wheeler. DEM
ocrat, of Montana, an administration
supporter in the utility fight in which
President Roosevelt was twice defeated
in the House, proposed a compromise
on the provision desired by the Chief
Executive to outlaw unnecessary"
holding companies in seven years.
He suggested that two holding COM
panies be permitted in each inte-
grated, regional system of operating
companies.
Showdown Due Monday.
A showdown is expected in the Sen
ate next Monday, when 1t will be asked
to concur in the House action striking
out this death sentence" clause. 1t
approved that provision by a one-vote
margin.
At his press conference today Presi-
dent Roosevelt would not discuss di-
rectly his House defeat He quoted
part of a poem and said a news mans
inquiry about whether works funds
would be withdrawn from the PaSsa-
maquoddy power project in Maine was
foolish question No. /.
An assertion by Representative
Brewster. Republican, of Maine, that
he had been told money for the project
might be withdrawn if he did not
vote for the administration on the
utilities bill precipitated the House de-
cision yesterday to have its Rules Com
mittee investigate lobbying.
The Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee today voted for a similar
inquiry by a special senatorial COM
mittee with an appropriation Of
s15o,O0
When the resolution by Senator
Black, Democrat, of Alabama, for a
lobby investigation was reported TO
the Senate, Senator Long, Democrat,
of Louisiana, began q criticism Of the
House leadership for not allowing q
record vote on the death sentence"
in the utility bill.
A point of order raised by Senator
Robinson, the Democratic leader. was
sustained by Vice President Garner on
the ground Senator cannot reflect on
the other House.
Garner ruled it would not be "con-
ducive" to cooperation between the
two houses If members of each were
permitted to question the motives Of
the other.
That hasn't been the practice Of
the other House with regard to me-"
Long replied. but he added he would
abide by the spirit as well as the letter
of the rules.
Long had said administration stall
warts" in the House had become "re-
calcitrant" when they found an
amendment In the bill to include the
gas industry.
They ought to investigate inside
the House." he asserted, expressing
the hope the lobby investigation
would not be "a one-way proposition.
He contended the party platform
favored regulating or destroying all
holding companies. but the pending
bill only singled out one industry.
We've made this great principle one
of favoritism." he said. whereby we
let others go free provided they helped
US convict one of them"
Long said the food monopolies,
the oil monopolies and the marketing
monopolies" should be included in
the regulation ard destruction"
Asked by Senator Lewis, Democrat,
of Illinois what the investigation in
tended to cover, Senator Black said
he favored a full, fair and complete
investigation.
There have been charges that a
large amount of money has been
spent to influence legislation and pre-
vent passage of the holding company
BILL" Black asserted.
Wants Complete Inquiry.
Charges have been widespread that
lobbyists have filled the galleries,
coming here from all over the Ma
tion. II the investigation Is to be
held it should be one prompted with
the idea that it would be a full and
complete inquiry by those who want a
full inquiry
1T is we'll we should investigate
what influences have been brought to
bear to keep Congress from acting the
way Congress would act without
them" Long said.
Lets not make the investigation
one sided. It's in the public press
that the power lobby is here. If I
owned a power line I'd have been here
and would have had the right to-"
Long pleaded that the investigation
also be directed at the alleged use Of
administration influence through
threats of withdrawing constructions
projects or patronage. ID
Let's investigate why Congress was
afraid to 60 the whole route and strike
out evils we know to exist" he added.
The Senate probe resolution now
goes to the Audit Committee, headed
by Senator Byrnes. Democrat, Of
(See LOBBY, Page ~