Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-22
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

by y. n. " ALAn1s
Storm clouds Of controversy were
gathering last night around the adj
n,inistration's work-relief bill, reported
from the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee yesterday with its total raised
to s3,247,ooo, 900 and carrying several
major changes. including ban on
P. w. A. competition with private
utilities.
As Senate leaders prepared to begin
consideration of the widely revampeo
measure at noon tomorrow, Senator
Norris. independent. of Nebraska an.
nounced he would make fight against
the restriction on p W. A. allotments
to local communities for utility prof.
ects.
Other outstanding committee
amendments that may prolong dis
cussion. though less controversial than
the utility clause. include:
Addition of s212 900 900 for parity
payments to farmers under the new
crop control law.
Amendment by Senator Byrnes.
Democrat, of South Carolina bearing
somewhat on the wage-hour issue by
providing that if minimum pay rates
are established for private industry
they shall apply also to work relief
projects.
p. W. A. Fund Curtailed.
The P. w. A. fund for non-Federal
loan and grant projects of cities was
sharply curtailed by there separate
committee moves.
First, the 1865 900 900 direct appro-
priation to P. w. A. was cut 500 ,000.-
900 to Offset. in part. the parity pay
ments to farmers.
Second-The P. w. A. was au-
thorized to use s200,000,000 instead
of 500, 100000 of its funds for Fed
eral projects in the continental United
States. outside the District Of Co.
lumbia. The House originated the
ban against Federal projects in Wash
ington or the territories. and the Sem
ate Committee did not change it. The
question may still be raised on the
floor. however.
Third-The committee reduced from
100000 900 to s4O0, 100000 the au-
thoriZation for loans by the P. w. A.
out of its revolving fund derived from
sale Of securities it receives on the
loan portion of non-Federal projects.
As the bill stands, therefore, the
public works section is left with a
direct appropriation of $685. 200, 900
for non-Federal projects and the re-
duced revolving fund for non-Federal
loans. after allowing for the Federal
projects
| w. p. A. Sum Increased.
For the Works Progress Administra-
ton. under Administrator Harry L.
Hopkins. the Senate Committee added
| SITS, 100000 to the House figure OF
| S1,250, 900 900. not for the purpose Of
broadening the scope of the program.
but to make it cover eight instead of
seven months, to give Congress more
time in January to study what more
should be done.
The total of direct appropriations
from the Treasury was raised from
the House figure Of S2,519 ,425, 900 to
S2,816.905 900, an increase of $780,
48O, 900. The House bill also contained
the S500,OOO.OOO P. w. A. revolving
fund. a s1oo,OO0,00O R. F. c. loan au-
thorization for the Rural Electrical
ton Administration, and a $35. 000, 900
authorization for public buildings to
be appropriated later. These items
made the entire House program So
154, 900. 900.
What the Senate Committee did was
to boost the amount of direct appro-
priations by including the farm pay
ments, adding an extra month to
the w. P. A. fund and several smaller
direct appropriations, and then cur
tailed the loan authorization features.
Besides shrinking the P. w. A. re-
volving fund by s1o0,0oO.oo0. 1t
pruned the r. E. A. loan fund frcm
sl00. 900, 900 to $4,000, 900 and the fu-
ture public building authorization
from $35, 100000 to 100000.
Even with these adjustments, how
ever, the Senate committee combined
program of appropriations and au-
thorizations aggregates $3.247. 000, 900,
or about s93,OO0,0O0 more than the
combined House figure.
AS the committee finished work and
ordered the bill reported. its chairman.
Senator Glass of Virginia, announced
he is against the measure. He has
reserved the right to present a minor
ity report, he said, but indicated ne
has not decided definitely on that
course.
Debate on the measure will BE-
opened by Senator Adams, Democrat
of Colorado, subcommittee chairman
in charge of the bill. In view of the
(See RELIEF, Page A-4) -