Evening star., 1937-12-20
ROOSEVELT SEES
CONGRESS CHIEFS
They Confer on Entire Leg
isIative Program as Senate
Gets Homes Bill.

S--~
housing bill to the Senate today in an
attempt to enact one major measure
before adjournment of the special ses-
sior, President Roosevelt called in his
lieutenants on Capitol Hill to discuss
the entire legislative program.
The discussion included the wage
and hour bill, sidetracked in the House,
but many Representatives have eX-
pressed doubt that the measure can
be revived for months.
The only legislation passed so far
by both chambers has been crop
control program. The House and Sen
ate bills are so greatly at variance,
however. that an agreement cannot
be reached until next month.
Those who talked with the Presi-
dent today would not discuss de-
tails of their White House conversa-
tions. In the group were Vice Presi-
dent Garner, Senate Majority Leader
Barkley, Democrat, of Kentucky:
Speaker Bankhead, Democrat, of Ala
bama and House Majority Leader
Rayburn, Democrat, of Texas.
After their call on the Chief Ex-
ecutive it was understood adjourn
ment of the special session had been
agreed upon for Wednesday or Thurs
day.
Despite the setback to the wages
and hours bill and the general lack
OF accomplishments, administration
chieftains called the special session
distinct success. They said it would
lessen materially the length of the
1888 session, beginning January 3, be-
cause the spade work" on the Presi-
dents program has been done.
An informed House member said
Mr.. Roosevelt already has begun ap-
plying pressure to prevent the regu-
lar session from running beyond May
l. He based his statement on what
he termed the unusual activity" in
the House Appropriations Committee
Hearings on two major appropria-
ton bills-those for the Navy and
independent offlces-are finished,
and third, on the Treasury-Post
Office supply measure, will end early
this week
On the basis Of these accomplish
ments, which he said had been un-
equalled since the Roosevelt admini-
stration began, the members predicted
all major appropriation bills for the
coming fiscal year would be COM
pleted by April 30, unless the Senate
decides to filibuster."
Increases Everywhere.
Members of the House Appropria-
tions Committee disclosed that budget
estimates for administrative expenses
had been increased for every major
government agency. Increases also
had been recommended for other ac-
tivities, they said, although some items
had been cut.
An increase Of about S5O,000,000
has been recommended for the Navy
Department, they reported, to finance
the start Of construction of several
new ships, including two more $780,
100000 battleships. The appropria-
ton for the current fiscal year was
s5l8,000,000, which included funds to
start two battleships.
Some of the new vessels were au-
thorized last year, while authority for
the others was granted two years ago.
Spade work" also was accomplished
this fall on bill to revise the revenue
laws to meet some of the objections
from industry to the present schedules.
Definite proposals were worked out
by House subcommittee for revising
the corporate surplus and capital
gains taxes as well as general tax
alton statutes.
The special session made no head
way, however, on President Roose-
Velt's other proposals.
Legislation to authorize Government
reorganization was in exactly the
same status as when the session be-
gan. A bill was pending in the Sen
ate and the House was holding OF
until the Senate acted.
Spirit of independence.
Regional planning bills still were in
committees at both ends of the Capt.
tol. The House Rivers and Harbors
Committee, it was learned, has de-
cided to tone down the proposal for
seven regional planning agencies.
Nothing has been done with the
Presidents proposal for a curtailment
of spending or road construction. A
Senate committee will consider it to-
morrow-too late for special session
action.
Some legislators interpreted the
House revolt on the wage-hour bill as
a sign of increasing congressional in
dependence, while others said the
recommital was due to politics"
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah
told reporters:
"The House did the right thing.
There is too much subserviency on the
part of Congress to the executive
agencies"
Senator Copeland, Democrat, of
New York said that while political
motives may have been largely respon-
sible for the House vote, there is a
growing spirit of independence in
Congress"
Senator Minton, Democrat, of In
diana, an administration supporter,
said the House action demonstrated
"a temporary trend-a trend toward
getting reelected"