Evening star., 1937-12-08
FARM BILL AIDES
PREDICT PASSAGE
Within FEW DAYS
Victory in House and Sem
ate Before Weeks End
Forecast.
OPTIMISM is BASED
ON TESTS BY BALLOT
Representatives Vote, 30 to SO,
Against Dropping Cotton
Marketing Quotas.
BACKGROUND

Co"IHLtttcc OtttS, JlhLUty opened COH-
stderdtton of tUo different farm
measures. From Secretary Wallace
came criticism OF Congressional
Uerstons of such legislation.
BY the Associated Press
Administration lieutenants, encour-
aged by test votes in House and Sem
ate, forecast today the long-debated
crop control bill would win approval
by both chambers this week.
Their optimism was caused by a
double victory for the bills supporters
yesterday:
l. The House turned down, 80 to SO,
proposal to eliminate marketing
quotas for cotton. Leaders predicted
they could defeat similar attempt to
remove provisions for compulsory con-
troll of corn.
2. The Senate defeated, 81 to 25,
an amendment by Republican Leader
McNary to limit the farm programs
operation to three years.
Senate leaders said the greatest re-
naming danger would be a motion to
send the bill back to committee They
declared, however, count showed
they could defeat it by margin of
IS or 20 votes.
Foes Dispute Figure.
Foes of the bill disputed this figure.
They said they had almost enough
votes pledged to send back the meas
ure, and that when the roll call came
they might have enough.
Forecasts of a final vote this week
also were challenged by some of the
measures critics, who noted the SEN
ate had reached only page 1s of the
97-page measure in consideration of
committee amendments.
House leaders were in better shape
for completing the legislation this
week, although they had abandoned
efforts to limit debate They al
ready had disposed tentatively of some
of the jor issues that still must be
debated in the Senate.
Number of Compromises Necessary.
Even should leaders succeed in pass
ing the farm bills in both House and
Senate this week, they should have no
assurance of getting the legislation
to the White House this session. Many
fundamental differences will have to
be compromised between the House
and Senate versions.
The wage-hour bill will come up
in the House next Monday, but its
chances for final action were consid-
cred even slighter, because by the time
a vote is taken, only week Of the
session will be left
Southern Senators expressed oppo-
sition to the proposal of the House
Labor Committee for putting admin
istration of the measure under the
Labor Department. If the House
should agree with its committee,
there would be an argument with
the Senate, which voted to have an
independent board of five members
administer the law.
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah, chairman of the Senate Labor
Committee, said he personally favored
supervision by the Labor Department.
Committees at Work.
Committees were at work on three
other administration recommended
Itions-housing legislation. tax re-
vision and new Merchant Marine
program. Only the first, however.
has any chance of consideration at
| the snecial session
The test votes on the farm bill
yesterday we're especially pleasing to
administration forces, because the
House previously had overridden its
leaders and had voted tentatively to
remove provisions for compulsory con-
troll of wheat. Chairman Jones Of
the Agriculture Committee hopes to
reverse that decision in a later vote.
Chairman Smith of the Senate Agri-
culture Committee said the vote re-
! jecting limitation of the farm pro-
gram did not disclose the full opposi-
ton power.
| Comment of Pope.
On the other hand, one of the bill s
authors, Senator Pope, Democrat, Of
Idaho, said he expected some of those
who supported the McNary amend
ment to vote for final passage Of the
measure.
Senator Pope sought to eliminate
some opposition to the bill by ac-
cepting an amendment to prevent
land taken from production Of corn.
wheat and cotton being used to COM
pete with the dairy and live stock in
dustries. The House tentatively has
approved such an amendment.
President Roosevelt, asked about the
farm bill at his press conference,
laughingly said he noticed that Mark
Sullivan, newspaper columnist, had
not yet gone to jail for criticism Of
it's provisions.
NO" replied Mr. Sullivan, I'm still
able to be one Of your friendly aud