Evening star., 1938-03-18
Curb on Reorganization
Powers of President
Is Refused.
CHARGE OF LOBBYING
BRINGS SHARP TILT
Montanan and Minton Clash.
Former Demands Probe of
Work for Bill.
BY J. A. OLEARY.

Administration forces won the sec
ond and crucial fight over the Govern
ment reorganization. bill today when
the Senate refused by the narrow
margin of 43 to SO to require congress
sional approval of presidential orders
abolishing or transferring Federal
agencies.
The vote came after three days of
spirited debate that split Democratic
ranks and ended in a sharp verbal
tilt between Senators Wheeler Demo-
crate, Of Montana and Minton. Demo-
crat, of Indiana over alleged lobbying
for and against the bill.
A change Of three votes would have
carried the Wheeler amendment.
which was intended to enable Con-
greSs to take a vote within 20 days.
approving or disapproving reorganiza-
ton plans before they take effect.
Failure OF the amendment leaves in
the bill the committee recommended
ton that the Presidents orders take
effect automatically after they have
been pending in Congress for so DAYS
II no action is taken. The closeness
OF the vote had intensified and pro-
longed the discussion. during which
supporters of the restriction charged
that assurances were being given some
Senators that some agencies would
not be disturbed.
lhe vote was closer than the enc
by which a single administrator was
approved as a substitute for the eX-
listing Civil Service Commission.
Another Major Battle Pepds.
One more major battle remains
against the proposal to abolish the
controller generals Office. turning
current accounting over to the Budget
Bureau and setting up new auditor
general with authority only to make
post audit after appropriations have
been spent. This fight may keep the
bill before the Senate until next week
but without much chance of victory
for the opponents in view of today's
vote
Before today's vote a sharp verbal
clash over the action of the Lobby
Committee in summoning an opponent
OF the reorganization bill before it
this morning flared up on the Senate
floor between Senators Wheeler and
Minton. the latter being head Of the
Lobby Committee.
Shortly after the lobby group had
subjected DR. Edward A. Rumely.
secretary of the National Committee
to Uphold Constitutional Government.
to tWo-hour examination regarding
the organizations literature against
the pending bill. Senator Wheeler.
fighting to amend the bill, demanded
in support of the bill.
Senator Wheeler said he wanted
Senator Minton's committee to in
vestigate Governors of States and
Government department heads that
have called up Senator'S about the
bill
Il want him to investigate the
American Farm Bureau Federation.
the American Federation of Labor
and the Veterans Bureau also," the
Montanan added
viii the Senator include the social
lobby too?" Senator Minton Interrupt
ted. asking Senator Wheeler to furnish
him the names.
Senator Wheeler replied he would
include any social lobby. but pointed
out that the Indianan had brought
that up. Senator Wheeler said he did
not know anything about a social
lobby.
When Senator Minton replied that
the Montana Senator had been dining
with visitors in the Senate restaurant,
Senator Wheeler retorted: What nom
sense
The Senator told his colleagues he
had been invited to lunch by Mrs. Alice
Roosevelt Longworth and that he was
proud to have been invited.
rs there any Senator here who
would have refused?" he inquired. ad-
| ding that she had never mentioned
the pending bill to him.
Senator Holt Interrupts.
IF it has come to a point where I
can't have lunch with some one with
out being contaminated, then I want
to quit the Senate" Senator Wheeler
shouted. Il have more confidence in
myself than the Senator seems to
have"
Senator Holt, Democrat. of West
Virginia interrupted to ask: Il want
to know if the Senator from Indiana,
when he spoke of social lobby, had in
mind the party that was given at the
MayfloWer for Mr.. McNutt (high COM
missioner Of the Philippines)
Senator Minton tried to break In to
say he would tell the West Virginian
who paid for that reception, but Sen
ator Wheeler said he was not inter-
ested in that. When Senator Minton
asked him If he was interested in the
wheeler candidacy" the Senator
from Montana replied:
Il am not candidate and I'm not
| interested in YOURS. And when am