Evening star., 1937-12-02

WV JoHt CoHtHtUtee, TLeHuS OF
measure are nearing number re-
CURED.
| BY the Associated Press,
The House leadership broke the pro-
longed deadlock over wage-and-hour
legislation today when the 21sth mem
Der signed petition to force vote on
the measure by mid December.
Representative Mansfield, Democrat,
of Texas rolled up on his wheel chair
to be the gnal signer, amid a roar of
cheers.
Just before Mr.. Mansfield put down
his name, Representative Smith, Dem
ocrat, of West Virginia had jotted
down his signature-No. 217.
They were preceded by Represent
ative Connery, Democrat, of Massa-
chusetts, brother of the late William
P. Connery, co-author of the wage
hour bill; Representative Kennedy,
Gambrill and Goldsborough, all Mary
land Democrats, and Champion,
Democrat, of Illinois.
Before the final signature, the House
heard Republican demand for in
vestigation of statements that hackers
OF the bill "swapped everything but
the CAPITOL to insure vote on it at
the special session.
Fish Asks Inquiry.
Representative Fish, Republican, Of
New York, asked for the inquiry be-
cause, he said, of statements attributed
to Representative Dies, Democrat, of
Texas, a leading opponent of the
wage-hour bill, and Representative
Robertson, Democrat, Of Virginia.
As soon as the Fish inquiry resolu-
ton was read in the House Majority
| Leader Rayburn asked that it be ia
bled, but the New Yorker objected and
forced a roll call. The vote to table
was 281 to "a.
After the petition was completed,
Chairman Norton of the Labor Com
mittee and other hackers of the bill
pressed up to shake the hands of Rep
resentative Mansfield, who for many
years has been forced by illness to use
wheel chair.
It was minutes before the House
Gained down.
Sponsors of the measure, with sue
cess in sight, had soft-pedaled their
talk of removing cotton provisions
from the crop-control bill. They had
threatened such action unless South
ern Representatives helped get the
wage-hour bill to the floor.
| Few Southerners Sign.
A few Southerners were among the
members who added their names to
the petition yesterday. Most legislators
from that region, however, have op-
posed the bill on the ground it would
harm industry in the South by re-
moving North-South wage differen-
tials.
Representative Martin, Republican,
of Massachusetts,, assistant minority
| leader, said completion of the petit
ton would be the signal for attempts
to keep out any such differentials after
the bill reaches the floor.
Even if the House should pass the
|
would get to the White House before
the special session ends during Christ
mas week. The Senate passed wage
hour bill last summer and differences
between the two measures would have
to be composed. This might be long
process.
Neither was there assurance that
any of President Roosevelt's other rec
concentrations could be enacted dur
ing the brief session.
Wallace Is Critical.
The Senate farm bill, on which
leaders had pinned their chief hopes
for q concrete accomplishment, was
criticized by Secretary Wallace. He
wrote Senators Pope, Democrat, of
Idaho and McGill, Democrat, of Kan
sas that it would not safeguard con-
sumers against high prices and might
lessen export marketing.
The House got down to considera-
ton of amendments to it's own farm
bill after three days of general debate.
Leaders forecast the measure would
pass by the end Of the week, marking
the first final vote in either House
on any of the Presidents recon-
mendations. A compromise will have
to be worked out between House and
Senate measures.
Completion of farm debate might
clear the way for House action next
week on housing legislation, if the
committee can ge. it ready in time.
Possibility of Senate action on hous-
ing, however, was clouded by the fill
buster expected on the anti-lynching
bill after disposal of the farm bill.
Senator Van Nuys, Democrat, OF
Indiana, co-author of the anti-lynch-
ing bill, said he would oppose laying
1t aside to consider the housing bill
or anything else.
Efforts to act during the special ses-
sion on President Roosevelt's other
recommendations ns-Government reor-
ganization, regional planning and re-
duction in road appropriations-vir-
tually had been abandoned by con-
gressional chieftains.
Administration spokesmen also said
there was no chance for revision of
corporate taxes before the regular ses-
sion beginning in January. A House
subcommittee was working daily,
however. with q view to making 1t the
first order of hlIsir,Asx af that time