Evening star., 1936-06-14
CONGRESS SEEKS
END BY SATURDAY
Adjournment Must Hurdle
Tax and Deficiency
Relief Bills.

ing PnllaQelpn1d, WLere Ine beIlo-
cratic convention will meet.
Agreement on the controverted
features of the tax and deficiency
relief bills are the chief hurdles, but
a number of other matters loom for
possible consideration.
Leaders yesterday were organizing
plans for adjournment not later than
Saturday, but some doubt tinged their
hopes, as indicated when House and
Senate conferees on the tangled tax
bill adjourned until tomorrow, four
days of deliberations having proved
unproductive.
Meanwhile, Interior Department
officials admitted that, due to the
failure of Congress to date to pass
the first deficiency bill, no way had
been found to meet the pay rolls to-
morrow of 4,20O employees in the Ma
tional Park Service.
An additional 81 employees OF the
taxes and penalties unit of the Justice
Department also face a payless pay
day.
Hardship for Employees.
Because a great majority OF the
National Park Service employees af-
fected are in the low pay scale OF the
custodian service, Interior officials
made no secret of the fact that the
delay in passing the deficiency bill
will work a hardship on them that
many are unprepared to meet.
Those whose pay will be delayed
include guards, mechanics, cleo
tricians, engineers, charwomen, ele-
vator operators and other inside
maintenance forces of the federally
owned or operated buildings in the
District of Columbia.
National Park Service officials con-
suited unsuccessfully with the Bureau
of the Budget and Controller Gen
eral ]. r. McCarl in an effort to ar
range transfer of money from other
sources.
Profits Tax Big Issue.
The main point of difference be-
tween the Senate and House tax con-
ferees centers around the question Of
taxing undistributed corporate profits.
The House approved graduated tax
ranging up to 4212 per cent, while
the Senate voted for fiat per cent
levy.
While the conferees were re-
luctant to discuss the situation, they
did say definitely report would not
be ready when Congress meets to-
morrow.
1t was known that some leaders
we're disappointed over the lack of
progress. When Congress recessed
for the Republican convention it was
the hope that the tax conferees as
well as those on the deficiency relief
bill and other measures would have
agreements ready to report tomorrow.
The s2,430,830, ,484 deficiency-relief
bill, which also is in conference, con-
tains several provisions on which
House and Senate managers must
agree before final action may be taken.
Among these is the section in
serted by the Senate by which the
District of Columbia Alley Dwelling
Authority would be authorized to use
its unexpended balance from last
years 100000 appropriation, plus
any receipts prior to June 80, 1887,
in carrying on its work during the
coming fiscal year. The House failed |
to make any funds available for the |
authority, but the Senate provision |
is estimated to provide about s250,000. |
Included in this bill, also, are nu-
merous other District items involv- |
ing about 100000, but except for
one or two minor respects these are
not in dispute.
Relief Funds Included.
This measure carries $1,425, 900, 900 |
for financing the relief program in
the coming fiscal year.
Several other pieces of legislation
still are in conference, among them
the deadlocked District appropriation
bill, the measure calling for registra-
ton of lobbyists and the amendment
to title of the national industrial
recovery act dealing with housing ac-
tivities Of the Public Works Admins
tration. The Interior Department sup
ply bill also is awaiting agreement on
some troublesome amendments.
While conferees thus hold the real
key to adjournment, both the House
and Senate are prepared to dispose
of conference reports already pending.
Among these slated for early dis
cussion, probably tomorrow in the
Senate, is the report on the Robinson
Patman so-called chain store bill
Conference agreement on this much
disputed measure was reported last
Monday.
In the background in both branches
Is the new Guffey act for regulation of
the soft coal industry, already on the
House calendar and in final stages of
preparation in the Senate. Although
this replacement for the invalidated
earlier Guffey act has not been tagged
must" by administration leaders,
strong pressure has been brought for
its enactment, and last-minute efforts
are sure to be made on its behalf.
Facing the Senate also is the an
nounced determination of Senator
Wagner, New York Democrat, to force
consideration, at least, for his bill
creating a United States housing
authority and setting forth a pro-
gram of slum clearance and low-cost
housing. Senator Copeland, New York
Democrat, also hopes to bring up a
merchant marine measure.
In the House, major issue, aside
from legislation, Is the behind-the
scene battle going on over the ma
jority floor leadership, with several
candidates furiously pulling strings to
block the seemingly certain selection
of Representative O'Connor of New
York. One of the strong runners in
this under-cover campaign is Repre-
sentative Rayburn, Texas Democrat,
and administration wheelhorse, on
the utilities holding company bill.
On both sides, of course, there are
the usual possibilities of last-minute
snarls, as tempers become short and
pressure increases for certain legis-
lation but in spite of all these oh