The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-12-15
LEADERS PLAN
QUIET SESSION
OF CONGRESS
Conservatism to Mark
New Legislation
BY THEODORE HUNTLEY

| ny AhGODONE nun \ LIZ
National legislators are return.
ing to Washington with open
minds on the coming session Of
Congress.
Most of those who have re-
ported for possession duties ap-
pear to anticipate:
/. A fairly quiet session.
2. One marked by conservatism
3. Action on governmental re.
Organization If President Roose.
welt will take it on Congress
terms.
4. Action of some kind on the
National Labor Relations Board
and possibly the Federal Commu.
nications Commission or the radio
problem in general.
DEFENSE PROGRAM
5. Approval of a stable ma
tional defense program applying
to all branches of the military and
naval services.
6. Some curtailment of relief
OUTLAWS as such, and a general dis.
position to view Government
spending more critically.
Z. No increase in taxation I'm.
It'll business improves substan-
tally.
In addition, it is anticipated
that the social security system will
be extended modestly, with some
increase in the old-age pensions
now provided for in the law, and
possible revision to permit higher
payments in some sections of the
country than others. Married
men also may get a somewhat
higher pension than single men,
if the ideas of Chairman Altmeyer
of the Social Security Board pre-
vail.
Beyond this, pressure will be
eXerted on Congress to concentrate
all Federal welfare activities under
a single administrative juriSdic-
ton. Congressional leaders say
privately, however, this Is not
likely at the moment unless
worked out as part of a general
reorganization program acceptable
to Congress.
O'MAHONEY PLAN
Senator O'Mahoney, CD, Wy
oming, chairman of the Temporary
Economic Committee, is hopeful
that the Senate and House as
well will approve the Borah h.
O'Mahoney plan for Federal incor-
lporation Of all concerns engaged
in interstate commerce, to give the
Federal government a stronger
grip of monopoly and monopoliStic
trends.
Senator White, (R) Maine, re-
garded as Congress best authority
on radio, is studying the problem
of recognizing the Communica-
tons Commission, hoping both to
end the internal Squabbling, more
closely define the rights of broad
casters and the public in the twi-
light zone of program censorship,
and speed the adjudication of
administrative disputes in the
courts.
STATE RELIEF
Senator King CD, Utah will
again push his bill to abolish the
present Works Progress Admins
tration and turn the problem of
relief over to the Secretary OF
the Treasury on a modest State
aid basis-with little hope that
it can be done.
Senator Pittman is working on
new silver program designed to
raise the price Of the metal to q
new high, and offering the pros
pect of a Silver-for- cotton swap
as lure for support in the South.
Senator Norris is prepared for
a list-ditch fight by Senator-elect
Robert Taft and others who feel
as he does that the Government
should liquidate the iva and re-
tire from the utility field.
Senator Sheppard Cd, Texas
and his colleagues on the Senate
Campaign Investigating Commit.
tee will meet December 81 and
more or less continuously through
the holiday period, to work on
their report to the Senate.
Senator-Elect Sheridan Downey
3D., California, and Senator
Lodge (R.), Massachusetts,, are ex-
pected to lead the fight to lib
eralize old-age pensions.
Most Senators seem to think the
pressure for pension legislation
will be too strong to resist, and be-
lieve Congress will compromise at
some midway mark between the
Townsend-Lodge $60-a-month for
the old folks and the present $50
month provided for on a Fed
eral-State basis in the Social Sc
curity act.