Evening star., 1936-05-31
SENATE APPROVES
STUDY OF CANAL;
RELIEF VOTE NEAR
Proposal for Survey of Tide
Harvesting Project Is
Rejected.
ACTION ON MEASURE
EXPECTED TOMORROW
Agreement Is Reached to Limit
Debate-Public Works Amend
ment 0.K.'d.

BACKGROUND
After millions Of dollars had
been spent on digging a wtde ditch
part tOdy across Northern Florida
ana in making start towdrd hdr-
Messing the tides of PdsSdmdquoddy
Bay to furnish cheap poiUer to
Maine, Congress ttUo months ago
refused to sanction further er-
perdttures for the canal and pou-
er projects.
Both had been begun Dith money
from the s4,SS0, 900 900 work-reliet
appropriation of last year.
Then started long pranole ouer
HON to spend the proposed 1886
s1,475 ,000, 900 relief bill. To quiet
the argument the cases for the
Florida canal and 'Quoddy uere
reopened.
BY the Associated Press.
Pushing slowly toward a vote on
the s2,370, 100000 elief-defciency bill.
the Senate yesterday approved a new
survey of the Florida ship canal, but
turned down similar study for the
Passamaquoddy tide-harnessing prof.
ect in Maine.
Despite settlement of these two con-
roversial proposals, the holiday session
failed to produce a final vote on the
bill itself. An agreement, however,
was reached to limit debate tomor-
row-a move which virtually assured
final action then.
Before quitting for the week end. the
Senate approved the committee
amendment making 100000, 900 avail
able for new public works program.
Program of SsOO,o0O,oOO Seen.
The sum would be used for grants
up to 80 per cent on projects costing
more than 100000 and up to IS per
cent on smaller ones 1t is estimated
to produce works program aggregat-
ing about $500, 100000.
The new survey of the Florida
canal, which, if favorable. would make
possible a new ALLEGATION of $4,000
600 to continue work on it. was adopt
ed, 35 to 30. The administration al
ready has spent s., ,400, 900 on the gi-
gantic project
BY vote Of 80 to %, administration
leaders went down to defeat on the
Passamaquoddy survey. 1t would have
permitted new ALLEGATION of So
100000 for the de-harnessing ex-
pertinent If the survey had been fa-
vorable.
The two projects we're first included
IN single amendment offered to the
relief-defciency bill by Senator Robin
son of Arkansas, the Democratic leader.
Senator Hale, Republican, of Maine,
asked for the division of the amend
ment to permit separate vote. He ex-
planned he favored the Passamaquoddy
plan, but not the ship canal.
Vandenberg Leads Attack.
Senator Vandenberg. Republican, of
Michigan led the attack on both prof.
ects, asserting the amendments were
responsibility with President Roose-
velt" for starting them.
He started all these projects" the
Michigan Senator roared, but when
he gets into hot water he wants us to
share the bath"
Senator Fletcher, Democrat, Of
Florida defended the ship canal, with
Senator White, Republican, of Maine
pleading for the Maine project.
Under the amendment which the
Senate approved, President Roosevelt
would be authorized to set up board
of three engineers to make a new sur
vey of the ship canal and report by
July 20. If the report should be
favorable. the Chief Executive would
be authorized to make the new allo-
cation.
Robinson obtained a unanimous
consent agreement whereby the bill
will be considered at pm tomorrow.
with debate to be limited after 3 pm.
to IS minutes on each new amend
ment proposed or on the bill itself.
Warns of Night Session.
He warned that there was a poSsi-
bility of session tomorrow night
The bill carries 1,425, 5000 for
next years relief program.
Vandenberg talked for two hours
against the two survey projects. He
was followed by Senator White, who
(See RELIEF, Page A-12)