Evening star., 1935-02-14
Names Sears, RoebuCk Head
to Form Committee to
Advise on Work.
SENATE REPUBLICANS
OPEN ASSAULT ON BILL
Steiwer Declares Measure "Radi-
cal Perversion of American
Concept of Government"
BY the Associated Press.

Formation Of business group to
advise on spending the proposed s4,-
600, 100000 work relief fund was
directed by President Roosevelt today
as a Senate Republican termed the
bill the most radical perversion Of
the American concept of Government
ever to come tC my personal atten-
ton
Senator Steiwer. Republican, OF
Oregon made this statement on the
Senate floor only moments after Mr..
Roosevelt chose Gen. Robert E. Wood,
president of Sears. Roebuck & Co.,
TO organize a committee TO advise on
allocating the work relief money.
Secretary Roper, who took Wood
to the White House, said the "ad-
ministration is happy TO have this
advice from businessmen" Woods
advisory group will be organized out
Of Roper's Business Planning and Ad-
visory Council.
Opens Assault.
Steiwer opened the Republican as
sault on the huge money bill, which
contains also $3.50 ,000,000 for tapering
of direct relief, shortly after Chair
man Glass formally reported the meas
ure to the Senate from the Appropria-
/ tions Committee, with Senate action
/ hoped for within a week.
/ AS passed by the House, he said, the
huge fund could be expended in
every way the fancy may conceive"
and could even be spent or used"
/ for gifts or loans by a person un-
known" to be named by the President.
If the Supreme Court doesn't hold
this bill invalid and unconstitutional"
| Steiwer said, "the whole character of
I government, as far as the expenditure
( of this 5000, ,000. 900 is concerned, will
be determined by this unknown per-
/ son under a plan not even outlined in
detail in the message of the President"
Wood will serve on volunteer basis,
/ as will members Of the committee he
is to select With Wood and Roper
| at the White House conference were
! H. P. Kendall. chairman of the Com
merce Departments Advisory and
Planning Council. Roper explained
the Wood committee would act simply
in an advisory capacity. and would
not allocate the money or direct the
program.
Committee to Be Consulted.
This committee will be consulted
by the President and whatever ad-
ministrative organization is established
by him to allocate the $4,000 100000
work fund.
"A committee of the planning coun-
Gil is being formed" Roper said.
with Gen. Wood at the head TO act
in an advisory capacity to the PreSl-
dents board. or whatever 1nstru-
mentality is agreed upon, to handle
the ALLEGATION of the proposed S4,-
900, 1000 900 work relief program. The
administration is happy to have this
advice from business men,
Committee Approves Changes.
Finally extracted yesterday from
an Appropriations Committee, where
critics had sought to change it beyond
recognition, the bill bore nearly
score of alterations. most of them
considered comparatively minor.
The critics sought reinforcement in
the Senate at large in an attempt
to continue their fight. Administra-
ton forces saw stiff contests to keep
the $4.880,000,000 fund from being
chopped down to S2,880,000, 900. to
maintain intact the broad discretion
ary powers which the bill would con-
fer on President Roosevelt and TO
prevent the prevailing wage" idea
from winning over security wages"
There was sharp difference OF opin-
ion over whether the committee vote
of IL to IL against the amendment OF
Senator Adams, Democrat, of Colo
RADIO, to cut the appropriation to 81
$50 .000 900 was an index of Senate
sentiment as whole.
Most Senators agreed Senator NC
Carran, Democrat, of Nevada, would
have a better chance for his amend
ment to require the Government to pay
wages prevailing in private industries
instead of the security" wage OF
around $50 a month planned by the
administration. This amendment first
was approved by the committee. II to
i8. 1t was then reconsidered, IA to Q.
Substitute Approved.
BY a like vote, a substitute offered
by Senator Russell, Democrat. OF
Georgia, was approved yesterday. This
says the President may fix different
wage rates for various types of work.
If he finds such pay is threatening TO
tear down the wage prevailing in the
locality, he must increase it. William
Green, president of the American
Federation of Labor, called on friends
of labor" to fight this compromise.
Another amendment provides that
all rivers and harbors, public build
ings. roads and reclamation projects
shall be undertaken under the direc-
ton of departments concerned with
| clinh xynrk