Evening star., 1936-05-13
Labor Head Says Commod-
ity Prices Would Rise as
Wages Remained Low Un-
der InfIationary Proposal.
AMENDMENT TO CUT
LOAN LIMIT ASSURED
Representative Boileau Says Sup
porters Will Favor Reducing
Figure to 80 Per Cent of Fair
Value of Lands Instead of 100
Per Cent.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Speaker Byrns took the House
floor today in the fight over the
Frazier-Lemke farm mortgage
refnancing bill to read a letter
from William Green, president
of the American Federation Of
Labor, opposing passage Of the
$4,000, 100000 measure.
Green's letter, the Speaker said, re-
cited that the A. F. of L. Executive
Council now meeting in Washington
had gone on record as against the
bill largely because of its nfla-
tionary features"
I'VE know" the Speaker read, that
when imitation of the kind proposed
in this bill is adopted, commodity
prices rise and wages stand still"
The Speakers appearance on the
floor was a surprise move Of the
House leadership which is fighting
passage Of the bill. Byrns was greeted
with applause both before he started
speaking and after he concluded.
Amendment Planned.
A few moments before, in a move
to break down some of the opposition,
Representative Boileau. Progressive. OF
Wisconsin, told the House that sup
porters of the bill definitely would
offer an amendment to limit loans on
farms to 80 per cent Of the fair value
Of the lands.
Members, he said, have argued
against the bill because in its present
form it would permit loans up to 100
per cent on farm lands and up to rs
per cent of the insurable value of i'm
provements
Some Frazier-Lemke adherentS have
predicted the proposed change would
bring in at least 40 more votes for their
cause
Green's letter said a proposal to
print and circulate billions of cur
rency would vitally affect labor"
The Executive Council, Green wrote
Byrns, are in thorough accord with
all practical legislation to relieve the
existing economic situation among the
farmers and are desirous Of seeing
them aided by the Government.
The letter called upon the friends of
labor in Congress to vote against the
bill and added the A F. of L. Executive
Council hope and trust it will be de-
feated"
Discrimination Seen.
Byrns said: "AS Representative on
the floor Of this House cannot under
take to vote for bill which discrimi-
mates against labor"
He said the letter represents the
''wishes and hopes of some $4,000, ,00O
people," and that the wage earners OF
the country are vitally involved in the
legislation.
House leaders planned to keep the
House in session for the final ballot
today.
Byrns said the Democratic opposi-
ton expected to make no concerted
drive to amend the bill drastically
preferring showdown on the legisla-
ton as it stands.
Should the hackers of the contro-
versial bill, branded inflationary by it:
critics, propose that loans on farms be
made only up to 80 per cent instead
of 100 per cent of their value, tn
Speaker said. it would be an admission
that they had bad bill originally.
Closing debate got under way will
an attack on the bill by Representativ,
Reilly, Democrat, of Wisconsin, who
was the next to the last signer of a
petition which forced the Frazier
Lemke issue to the House floor. He
spoke out for sound money. If this
is not an inflationary bill, Reilly said,
why not issue $4,000, ,000,0 900 Of print
ing press money and save all the mort
gagged farms?
mo Help to Farmers"
This bill will not help the farmers, u
Reilly stormed. Their problem is a
price problem"
The bill would authorize the print
ing Of $4,000, 100000 in new money to
refinance farm Indebtedness. Farmers
would pay IL per cent interest and
1115 per cent on the principal annually
over Al years.
The House leadership directed Rep
resentative Boland, Democrat, of Penn
sylvania, the Democratic whip, to have
all members of the party on deck at
$3.50 o'clock this afternoon to await
the final vote.