Evening star., 1935-02-10
"PrevaiIing Wage" Amend
ment to Offer Problem in
Holding Majority.
EFFORT TO FORCE CUT
IN TOTAL GAINS FORCE
Adams Pushes Fight for Reduced
Sum-Revolt Surprises
Party Leaders.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


With the administration battling
deperately against the McCarran
prevailing wage amendment, the
fate of President Roosevelt's work-re-
lief bill hangs in the balance.
The first showdown of strength Is
expected to come in the Senate APP
preparations Committee tomorrow,
when a motion will be made by Sem
ator McAdoo of California to recon.
slider the committees action voting
the amendment into the bill.
The real test will come, however,
when the bill reaches the Senate floor.
1t will be difficult to hold majority
in line against this amendment, which
has the backing of organized labor.
And if the Senate should pass the
amended bill and send it back to the
House, and a record vote could be
obtained, there is grave doubt the
House would hold out against 1t.
Second Test Looming.
Another test of strength for the
administration is due to come in COM
mittee also when Senator Adams Of
Colorado offers in somewhat modified
form his amendment to cut the total
appropriation carried in the bill from
81, $50 100000 to S2,880, 100000. This
amendment was defeated in commit.
tee last week by tie vote, 10 to 10,
with four members not voting.
The revolt in the Senate committee
and in the Senate itself against the
work-relief bill and the broad powers
wi 10
a surprising shock to the administra.
ton. The adoption of either the Nc
Carran amendment or the Adams
amendment, or both, might mean the
death of the work-relief plan. The
McCarran amendment would permit
the work-relief plan to go forward,
but on much modified scale.
The President and his supporters
contend the adoption of the McCar-
ran amendment, which would compel
the payment of the prevailing wage"
! for similar work in private industry,
| would make impossible the object of
the legislation-the taking of $780,
| 600 workers of relief rolls and plac-
ing them on payrolls.
Four Absent During Vote.
The McCarran amendment was
adopted by vote of II to 8 in COM
mittee. with four members absent and
| not voting. The four absentees were
I TydingS of Maryland, McKellar of
Tennessee and Overton of Louisiana,
/ Democrats, and Nye of North Da-
kota. Republican. Tydings and Nc
Kellar definitely will vote against the
McCarran amendment. Overton has
been absent on account of illness. If
/ present he has been rated for the
amendment. Whether he can be
voted by proxy or will send a proxy
is a question. Senator Nye was out
/ Of the city yesterday. 1t is claimed
in some quarters that he will sup
port the amendment.
The administration is counting
definitely on winning over several
of the seven Democrats who orig
inally voted for the McCarran
amendment. One of them. McAdoo,
has already shifted and is making
| the motion for reconsideration. The
other six Democrats who supported
the McCarran amendment are re-
ported to have been Copeland of New
York, Thomas of Oklahoma, Russell
of Georgia, McCarran of Nevada,
O'Mahoney of Wyoming and Truman
of Missouri If the votes of Tydings
and McKellar are cast against the
amendment. and those of Nye and
Overton for it, it will be necessary
for the administration to persuade
three Democrats to shift their orig
inal positions on the amendment, or
two Democrats in addition to Nc.
Adoo. Administration leaders declare
their confidence that this can be ac-
compliShed. But they are not over.
looking any steps which may be
necessary.
Adams Plan Vote Close.
With regard to the Adams amend
ment to cut the appropriation. which
would mean virtually continuance
for the next year of the direct relief
system instead of the work relief
! planned by the President, the situa-
ton in committee is very close The
same four absentees failed to vote on
this amendment as failed to vote en-
McCarran's amendment. Tydiugs is
counted for the amendment, and so
is Overton. On the other hand, Nc
Kellar may be expected to support
the administration and so may Sem
ator Nye.
McKellar was called to the White
House yesterday and when he left ne