Evening star., 1938-03-19
VOTE ON REGR0UP.
MEASURE PUSHED
Ballot Sought Early Next
Week-WheeIer Plan Is
Defeated,
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Administration leaders hope to
bring the controversial Government
reorganization bill to . final Senate
vote early next week. having withstood
the hardest attack on the measure
yesterday by defeating the Wheeler
amendment to limit the Presidents
power to rearrange bureaus, 43 to 80.
A new move will be made next week
to give Congress a check on reorgan-
ization orders, but, unlike the Wheeler
it will not make a vote
by Congress mandatory.
Sponsored by three Democrats
Senators Gillette Of Iowa, Brown of
Michigan and Johnson Of Colorado-it
provides that during the so days an
order is pending in Congress any part
OF 1t could be vetoed by the concurrent
resolution. Such resolution does not
require presidential signature and
therefore would eliminate the argu-
ment that the President could veto
action by Congress in disappearing an
order. A presidential veto would mean
two-thirds Of Congress would have to
vote to disapprove instead Of a ma
jority.
Shortly after the Senate reconvenes
at II am. Monday it probably will
act on the Byrd amendment calling
for 10 per cent saving in the regu-
lar expenditures Of the Government
for the fiscal year 1910 below the
total to be appropriated for the COM
ing fiscal year.
After that will come the remaining
major fight against abolition OF the
General Accounting once. splitting
its functions between the Budget Bu-
reau and a new Auditor Generals
Once. The Budget Bureau would
control current accounting, and the
new Office would be confined to maxi
ing post audits for the information
OF Congress
Progress Pleases U. F. w.
Meanwhile the United Federal
Workers of America expressed great
qualification" over the progress being
made In consideration Of the bill.
The amendments which would
have emasculated the BILL" the group
said in a statement, have thus far
beeen defeated. and We are hopeful
that it will move forward rapidly 10
enactment SO that the classified civil
service will be expanded to include
all Federal employees by the middle
Of the summer"
Senator King, Democrat, OF Utah
was speaking against the bill at the
close Of yesterdays session and will
continue Monday. An agreement has
been made to limit each Senator to
80 minutes on the bill and IS min
utes on each amendment after Sena-
tor King completes his speech.
In urging his 10 per cent reduction
motion yesterday Senator Byrd re-
peated the prediction the bill may
increase Government costs through
creation of new Department Of
Welfare and other new positions. with
no assurance of savings through con-
sol1dation Of existing agencies.
Byrnes Fights Proposal.
Senator Byrnes. Democrat, of South
Carolina, in charge of the bill, re-
iterated opposition to the percentage
cut. asserting that because OF fixed
charges 1t is not possible to apply q
nat percentage
Senator Byrd offered to compro-
mise on S per cent reduction, but
without success.
Senator Burke, Democrat. of Ne
baska reminded Mr.. Byrnes of his
statement = few days ego that II he
were doing the reorganizing he felt
sure substantial savings could be
brought about. He sought to have the
South Carolinian interpret "substan-
tial savings in terms OF percentage,
but Mr.. Byrnes insisted no one could
tell in advance what the percentage
would be. He adhered to the declara-
tion Of policy in the bill for economy
consistent with efficiency.
Knowing how difficult it would be
to accomplish the 10 per cent cut,
Senator Byrnes said that If he ac-
cepted the amendment he could pic
ture Senator Vandenberg, Republican,
Of Michigan telling the country 4
year later that the Overwhelmingly
Democratic Congress had promised
such 4 reduction and failed to carry
1t out.
Economy Plank Recalled.
Mr.. Vandenberg said he did not
see why a 10 per cent promise should
embarrass the Democrats when they
still have rs per cent reduction
promise outstanding. He had refer
ence to the 1882 Democratic platform
plank on economy.
The close vote on the Wheeler
amendment came after three days of
sharp controversy and found IS DEM
acrots joining with IA Republicans in
support of the proposal, which would
have enabled Congress to approve or
disapprove reorganization orders
within 20 days after they were sub
mitted by the President. When the
roll was called, however, they were
four votes short-in other words, q
change of that many votes would
have meant victory. Without that
amendment the reorganization orders
take effect automatically after they
have been pending before Congress
for so days, without any action being
required. The lineup against the
Wheeler amendment consisted of 40
Democras, l Progressive, l Farmer
Laborite and independent.
The vote was preceded by a heated
exchange between Senators Wheeler
and Minton, which grew out OF the
calling of the Senate Lobby Commit
tee into session yesterday by Chair
man Minton to examine an opponent
Of the reorganization bill. Mr.. Wheel
er suggested that the committee should
call State Governors and Government
department heads who, he said. have
been calling Senators about the BILL
He mentioned other organizations
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