Evening star., 1937-08-11
RE0RCAN|z|NC BILL
PLANS DROPPED
Congress Leaders Say
Roosevelt Recognizes Time
, Is Too Short.
BACKGROUND

6AChGhOUND-
The original reorganization bill,
xhich uould haue g,Den the Presi-
Gent ,Dtde poUers to reNmp the
structure OF the Federal Gouern-
mert, met trith little fduor IN either
Senate or House. Late Majority
Leader Robinson, apparently con-
p,nced original measure could not
Be passed, split the proposals into
tour sepordte bills, hoping By this
6euce 10 obtain favorable action
on at least same phases OF the plan
at this session.
Government reorga nization is dead
for this session, unless legislative
Jam develops to keep Congress here
longer than now seems likely.
This announcement was made today
BY Senator Byrnes, Democrat, OF
South Carolina, chairman Of the JOINT
Committee on reorganization, after a
White House visit in company with
Chairman Cochran of the House Com
mittee on Reorganization. and Chair
man Warren of the House Accounts
Committee.
Senator Byrnes said the President
recognized the lmpossiblllty of getting
a general reorganization program
through at this session if Congress ad-
heres to its present plans,
The visit of the three followed &C
tion of the House committee Yesterday
IN approving measure that would
give the President blanket authority
to consolidate and reorganlze executive
agencies. with the exception of sew
eraI major commissions, and would
also set up a new Department of Pub
lie Welfare This was the second OF
four major reorganization measures
on which the House group has acted,
The first, which already has passed
the House. provides for the addition
Of six members to the presidential
secretarlat.
To Push Two Other Bills.
Cochran expects the general re-
orga anizatlon measure to come up Fri
day or Saturday, and he said he also
expects to put through his two other
bills-one revamping the General Ac-
counting Office. and the other pro-
viding for extending civil service.
Cochran explained that these bills
have privileged status in the House,
that it will not require spe
cisl rule TO handle them, and that
for that reason he expects passage.
Senator Ryrnes, however, said, We
do not anticipate dong anything" un-
less Congress becomes so involved with
legislation that the gates are thrown
open, and anything and everything
can be taken up.
Meanwhile. Speaker Bankhead SAID
today he expects to recognize Rep
resentative Warren to call up the bill
fsvorably reported yesterday by the
REORGANIZATION Committee.
House Leader Rayburn also an
nounced he expected this bill to come
up for vote as privileged leglsla-
ton, probably on Friday. Rayburn's
statement was made IN reply to
question from Representative Taber,
Republican. of New York, the rank
Ing minority member on the Reor-
Fanization Committee.
Ma 1Or Agencies Exempted.
In eXempting such major agencies
4 Interstate Commerce, Federal Trade
and other commissions from its pro-
visions, the bill runs counter to Presi-
dent Rooeevelt's reorganization pro-
gram, which called for putting these
under cabinet officer, though re-
servlng to them quasl-legislative and
quasi judicial functions, Representa-
tive Cochran would not hazard an
opinion as to the Presidents views
on this difference from his plan.
The Missouri Representative said
the General Accounting Office bill. on
which his committee is working,
would be satisfactory to everybody,
he believed The Presidents recon-
menda ton would do away with the
q, A, o. as at present constituted and
strip the office of the power to pre-
audit
There has been decided opposi-
ten to this in Congress, which set up
the office Is years ago as its agent.
Cochran would not go into any de-
tails as to this bill or the one on civil
service.
The President had recommended
that the bipartisan Civil Service Com
mission be supplanted by single ad-
ministrator, and Representative
Cochran said he favors this idea. The
Missouri Representative insisted
however, Eve are writing our own
measure" From this it was taken
for granted the General Accounting
Office and civil service bills will hit
middle ground, because the latter also
has its opponents, who contend the
civil service set-up would become po-
litical if the three members were re-
placed by single individual.
Would Give President Power.
The bill approved yesterday by
The House Reorganization Commit
tee would give the President the
same general powers to reorganize
given to President Hoover, but it
exempts from such reorganization
various regulatory agencies However,
1t brings the regulatory agencies and
all Government-oWned or controlled
corporations under strict budgetary
control.
The exempted agencies are: The
Interstate Commerce Commission, the
Federal Trade Commission, the Fed
eral Power Commission the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the Fed
eral Communications Commission,
the National Labor Relations Board,
the National Bituminous Coal Com
mission, the United States Maritime
Commission, the Engineer Corps of
the Army, the General Accounting
Once and the United States Tariff
Commission.
In explaining the sudden action"
on the bill Chairman Warren said
Reorganization Committee members
realized if this legislation was de-
layed until Congress reconvenes the
bill would probably not reach the