Evening star., 1936-05-29
SENATE TO START
QUODDY DEBATE
Robinson win Ask Power
for President to Continue
Two Projects.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
After extending helping hand to
rescue Rexford 6. Tugwell's giant Re-
settlement Administration from eclipse,
the Senate sped on today toward de-
bate on two other controversial angles
Of the relief program-"Quoddy" and
the Florida Ship Canal.
Senator Robinson Of Arkansas,
Democratic leader, announced, def
nitely he would offer, as an amend
ment to the $2.369, ,000, 900 relief de
ficiency bill, a resolution giving Presi-
dent Roosevelt conditional authority
to continue work of the Passama-
quoddy tidal power project in Maine
and the canal
Immediately, Senator Vandenberg.
Republican, of Michigan reached for
a stack Of data he has been collecting
in an effort to convince the Senate
that further work on the two big
projects. which the administration
started with work relief allotments,
Is unjustified
Other Republicans planned to join
in the attack, and served notice the
debate would be prolonged. Admin
istration men have been seeking to
put the big bill through as quickly as
possible, SO Congress might adjourn
next week.
Would Permit AIlotments.
The Robinson amendment would
permit the President to allot more
money to the canal and power prof.
ect If new boards Of review approved.
The boards would be required to make
their reports by July 20.
After hearing Senator La Toilette.
Progressive. of Wisconsin, defend the
Resettlement Administration, the
Senate, by vote Of 38 to %, decided
late yesterday to continue financial
backing of the big program to buy UP
poor farm land and transfer agricul-
tural families to better soil.
AS the relief bill came to the Sen
ate from the House it provided that
$85, 100000 could be used for rural
rehabilitation" and some other pur-
poses. A Senate committee struck
out rural rehabilitation, but the
Senate vote yesterday restored the
words and thus permitted the funds
to go to Tugwell.
La Toilette said much of the criti-
cism leveled against Tugwell's agency
was unjustified. Declaring it may
prove ''one Of the most constructive
steps this Government has taken in
years." he said the Nation must turn
back the tide resulting from prof1igate
and wasteful use of the SOIL"
Senator Glass, Democrat, cf Vir-
ginia fought for the committee view-
point on the ground that Congress
already had appropriated S45o,000 900
for soil conservation Some others
supported him. but on the vote 30
Democrats, S Republicans and 2
Farmer-Laborites joined La Toilette
to reject the committee amendment.
Earlier Senate Vote.
Earlier the Senate had voted to
give President Roosevelt sole control
Of the SLABS, 10000 contained in the
bill for relief for next fiscal year.
This action was taken after spirited
debate in which Senator Steiwer, Re-
publican, of Oregon, objected that the
President was being given a blank
check" Senator Borah, Republican,
OF Idaho, remarked that while it might
not be wise to accord the President
such power. the determination of prof.
ects was an administrative" oper-
alton.
Chairman Glass Of the Appropria-
tions Committee said he was opposed
to the lump sum appropriation"
i voted against it in committee" he
said, because I thought the people of
the United States should know how
this money is to be spent, and still
think So"
This was his answer when asked If
he would follow his course of last year
when he presented his committee's
s4,880 100000 bill and then voted
against It.