Evening star., 1937-06-02
RELIEF BILL FACES
BATTLE IN SENATE
New Fight to Slice Fund Is
Seen After House Votes
Measure, 323-44.
BACKGROUND


hoping TO regain some measure OF
control oper expenditure OF public
funds, House group made deter
mined effort to cut relief appropri-
alton from 81 500 900, 900 to s1.OOO.-
100000 and to edrmdrk portion OF
funds. They Jailed, hoWeper, and,
as in the past, their earmarking
efforts ,riH serDe only to indicate to
the President ho1D Congress uould
like to sec the money spent.
By the Associated Press
The administration $500, 900 900
relief bill, winning midnight House
approval after compromise quashed
q persistent revolt, went to the Sem
ate today for another major battle.
Economy advocates in that cham
Der said they would renew demands to
cut the fund by one-third A House
bloc lost similar attempt before
the final 323to44 vote by which the
bill passed.
There were prospects, too, that
some Senators would try to reinstate
amendments to earmark one-third
of the total for roads, dams and other
special projects. These won ten
tative House approval last week
over the objections of administration
leaders.
After week end conferences, how
ever, the Presidents lieutenants
agreed on notifications, which were
accepted last night by tired and hun
cry members who had been in ses-
sion since noon.
Six roll calls, each requiring 35
minutes, prevented most members
from leaving the chamber for dinner
Majority Leader Rayburn had ar
Eued that tying of the Presidents
hands by the earmarking amendments
would force dismissal of more than
$4,000 workers from works progress
rolls
The administration contended the
earmarking proposals would take
extra money for materials and re-
duce the amount available for wages.
House members described the COM
promise as including:
l. An administration promise that
probably much more than the 45,00O,-
300 tentatively earmarked would be
spent for flood control.
2. An agreement to revoke an all
relief labor order which had held up
use of Sl3l 100000 now in the Public
Works Administration revolving fund
for loans and grants to cities This
would mean completion of large
number of projects for which cities
already have voted bond issues.
Dust Bowl" Aid Assured.
s. A promise to make relief funds
available for building ponds and lakes
to raise the water level of the South
west Dust Bowl"
Although the administration had
offered to supply relief labor for con-
struction of farm market roads.
Chairman Cartwright of the House
Roads Committee held out for setting
aside s150,000000 for road construc-
ton under contracts let by State high
way departments,
His amendment, once tentatively
approved, was rejected last night, 207
to 167.
After the principal controversy was
settled by rejection of the earmarking
proposals, the House acted swiftly on
number of other proposed amend
ments.
Hopkins Pay Restored.
The salary Of Harry L. Hopkins as
works progress administrator, from
which $4,000 had been tentatively cut.
was restored to the present $4,000
year by vote of 272 to 96.
Republicans led by Representative
Bacon. Republican, of New York urged
that relief be turned back to the
States, with Federal grants Of money
to them, but that was rejected, 296
to 78.
Amendments were adopted giving
zens and aliens with first papers and
barring agricultural workers from re-
lief while part-time private jobs are
available to them.
A Senate subcommittee, some men,
bers of which favor cutting $500,000,-
600 from the relief fund, decided to
start work Immediately on the meas
ure. 1t must be signed by the Presi-
dent before July l unless relief pay
ments are to lapse.
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico asked an investigation of the
entire relief problem, with view to
fixing a permanent program.
Blocked in his propose! Cor such an
inquiry by group of citizens to be
appointed by the President, he OBJ
tanned promise of consideration for a
Senate-conducted study
Against the demands of an economy
bloc for cutting the relief fund stood
the declaration of Senator La Fol-
lette, Progressive, of Wisconsin that
500,000O00 was "inadequa>Hr
He said he might have to fight to
save the amount the President recon-
mended. however, and would await
developments before demanding an in
crease.