The times-news., 1936-03-17
Hard Wind And Snow Spread Damage
BITTER DEBATE IN SENATE
BREAKSOVER APPROPRIATION
FOR UNAUTHORIZED CANAL
Roosevelt Started, Project
Without Authority From
Congress

WASHINGTON, Mar. II. (UP)
A move to provide money for
continuing work on the Florida
ship canal stirred bitter debate
in the senate yesterday over the
right of the president to start
such projects without specific au-
thority from congress.
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg
(R., Mich.) asserted that comple-
tion of the canal started with a
$5,O00,00O WPA allotment, would
require an ultimate expenditure
Of $20O,000,000. He urged the
senate not to obligate itself for
this amount by voting any more
money now, for what he termed
an "unjustified" project.
The row broke over an amend
ment offered to the war depart
ment appropriations bill by Sem
ator Duncan U. Fletcher %. Fla.)
to provide $20,O0O,O0O for four
waterway projects, presumably
including $12,OO0,OOO for the
Florida canal. .... ...... .... .
The measure itself-carrying a
peace-time record of more than
$600,0O0,000 for the army-tem-
porarily was lost sight of in the
hot debate launched on a point Of
order raised by Senator, Bennett
Champ Clark 3D., Mo-.
Clark argued that Fletcher's
amendment was not in order be-
cause the canal project unauthor-
lied by congress was started by
President Roosevelt from relief
funds insufficient to complete it.
Senator Alben w. Barkley 3D.,
Ky.) joined Fletcher in uphold
ing the presidents action.
The senate overrode Clark's
protest and voted AZ to 32 that
the amendment was in order, but
recessed until today without act
ing on Fletcher's proposal itself.
Vandenberg asserted that the
senate is setting precedent max
ing it impossible to raise points
of order against similar proposals
in the future, had assumed the
responsibility Of passing on prof.
ects regardless of whether they
were held justified by engineer
ing experts
"The senate has just voted it
self into a position where it must
vote on its own responsibility
whether this project can be justi-
fed" Senator Arthur Vanden-
berg (R.. Mich.) said after re-
calling that the board of army
engineers did not authorize the
canal.
The Fletcher amendment pro-
posed adding $12,000,000 for the
Florida canal, $3,500,000 for the
Conchas dam; $2,5O0,000 for the
Sardis reservoir, Miss, and ST.
100000 for the Bluestone reser-
voir, w. Va. None of the projects
was mentioned specifically, how
ever.
The senate vote created a prec-
edent and made it impossible to
raise points OF order in the fu-
ture against proposals to con-
tinue work started by President
Roosevelt with relief funds. Pas
camauuoddv would come in that
category. D.
"The project is not justified"
Vandenberg said. at is the first
major waterway in the history of
the United States undertaken
without an act of congress. It is
the first started without report
from the board of army engi-
neers.
"There is not one scintilla of
economic justice for this. burden
of from $1OO,000,000, to $780,
100000 on the taxpayers.
"This isn't an innocent amend
ment involving only $20,000,000.
That's just admission fee. This
is the time when the senate de-
cides whether this project shall
be undertaken and completed.
You will commit yourself to SUBJ
sequent appropriations to COM
plete the project.
at means an ultimate expendi-
ture of $200,00O,0OO."