Evening star., 1935-01-18
Ways and Means Commit
tee May Devote Two or
Three Weeks to Bill.
T0WNSENDITES PLAN
TO REDRAFT MEASURE
House Leaders May Invoke Dras'
tic Rules to Curb Radical
Changes in Program.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
First hearings on the administra-
tons social security bill were set to-
day by Chairman Doughton of the
House Ways and Means Committee
for next Monday.
Doughton said every effort would
be made to expedite legislation. but
it looks like it'll take two or three
weeks to finish the hearings"
He had planned to call Secretary
Perkins to testify Monday morning.
but she said she had previous out
of-town engagement.
she promised to send somebody
up to help us get started" Doughton
said.
Silent on Rival Hearing.
Doughton declined to express an
opinion about the fact the Senate
Finance Committee would start hear
ings on the same bill Tuesday. Some
other members had said they thought
the Senate should wait until the
House finished the bill. since the
House must vote on the measure first
The omnibus bill includes old age
pensions. unemployment insurance
and other projections against what
President Roosevelt terms the haz-
ards" of life.
Members Confer.
Doughton and Representatives Vim
son. Democrat, of Kentucky, and
Cooper. Democrat. of Tennessee. who
are members of the Ways and Means
Committee, conferred this morning to
outline the program.
The chairman said there was only
slight possibility, if any, that his
committee would turn the bonus bill
over to a subcommittee and let it
conduct hearings concurrently with
the social security study in answer to
contentious that an attempt was be-
ing made to delay the bonus.
Despite signs that strenuous efforts
will be made to change major features
of President Roosevelt's social security
program, Democratic leaders predicted
it would 60 through promptly" and
essentially unaltered.
Driving for quick action 50 States
can act while A Legislatures are
in session, House leaders were said
to be prepared to curb any revolving
blocs by drastic rules If such a step is
deemed necessary.
Bill Lauded and Hit.
Praise and complaints mingled In
the reaction to what the President
told Congress was a measure to pre-
vent and alleviate "the dreadful con-
sequences of economic insecurity"
The praise ranged from remark by
Senator Robinson, Democratic leader,
that the program would mark a not
able advance in the improvement of
living conditions" to the statement
of Representative Fish. Republican, of
New York, that Il hope no liberal
minded Republican will find fault with
such humanitarian program of social
welfare"
Senator Borah, Republican, OF
Idaho, found unsatisfactory the plan
to have the Federal Government con-
tribute SIS month to $50 Federal
State pensions for those now aged
and needy.
Il am not satisfied to make an out
lay Of nearly q billion dollars for
and SIS for old age," he
said.
The Townsendites, with their plan
to pay 5000 a month to the aged,
registered strong opposition Also. a
was known to be in the
making among some Senators to
redraft the Townsend bill to offer
pensions ranging from $50 to $50,
financed by Federal sales tax.
Conservatives Doubtful.
In more conservative quarters some
complaint was heard that the at
tempt to aid the aged, jobless mothers
and children and to improve public
health was too sweeping Representa-
tive Eaton, Republican. of New Jersey,
called it too big a dose to take at
one swallow" and raised the aues-
tion whether 1t wouldn't dry up the
fountain of personal and private
charity"
Though the administration plan
calls for Federal expenditures of more
than s98, 100000 the first year and
s217 100000 annually for several years
after that, there were Indications that
when the legislation introduced by
Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New
York, and Representative Lewis,
of Maryland, is rounded
into final shape. these figures may
be altered
A tangle in the House over what
should handle the legisla-
ton threatened trouble.
Chairman Connery of the House
Labor Committee had thought his
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