Evening star., 1938-05-21
.P. v. A. UTILITIES
CURB IS STUDIED
Big Increase in Spending
Program Is Indicated in
Senate Subcommittee.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The Senate Appropriations Commit
tee is approaching final action today
on the more than $4,000 900 work
relief bill, with proposal to curb
Public Works Administration utility
projects that would compete with
private industry one of the major
issues to be decided
In seven-hour executive session
yesterday the subcommittee in charge
of the big lending spending measure
is understood to have made changes
stantally increase the total above
the House figure of S3l54 100000 IL
approved today by the full committee.
The subcommittee is reliably re-
ported to have recommended the pro-
posed limitation on P. w. A. funds
to exclude utility projects that would
operate in competition with private
plants that are under public regula-
ton. The fate of this question rests
now with the full committee.
It was reported also that the sub
committee had accepted an amend
ment TO add another S20000O.000 10
the sum already available for farm
benefit payments The amendment,
| sponsored by Senator Russell, Demo-
crat, of Georgia. is understood 10 pro-
vide for an outright increase of Sl00-
0.00O in the bill with the other
100000 coo to be earmarked from
the P w. A. fund
The Agriculture Department bill
carried S500,000.000 for farm benefits.
r. F.. A. Slash Indicated.
The subcommittee also is UNDER
stood to have reduced from 100000
900 to S25.0000O0 the Rural Electrifi-
cation Administration loan provision.
which was placed in the bill on the
/ floor of the House after the original
/ bill had been drafted.
Another subcommittee change rec
commended would restore from $4,000
900 to S6.000,000 the allotment for
handling accounting for the Works
Progress Administration IN the Treas
ury Department.
Nav Provide for 8 Months.
Early Yesterday it became known
the subcommittee was planning 10
recommend that the w. P. A. fund
be made large enough for eight in
stead of seven months. which would
raise that part OF the bill by S175,-
100000. or from 250000.000 to ST.
425,000. 900. The purpose of this move
is to make sure sufficient funds would
be available next winter while the
new Congress is considering what more
should be done in January
If the full committee reports the
bill out this afternoon. as expected,
debate will start in the Senate at
noon Monday with Chairman Adams
of the subcommittee explaining the
measure Passage of the bill within
three or four days will be the aim
Of leaders. but the bill covers such
variety Of subjects 1t could easily
produce more than a week of de-
bate, depending on how many changes
| the committee approves today.
With the Senate concerned with the
spending bill. the House is scheduled to
turn its attention Monday to the wage
hour leglsla ton. Chairman Norton Of
the House Labor Committee predicted
/ last night that the bill would be ap-
proved by the House by Tuesday night
at the latest and with margin OF at
least 80 votes.
Also slated for speedy action on the
House side was President Roosevelts
request fo- S23,875000 appropria-
ton for construction of a dirigible. al
mosquito fleet" nine planes, IL new
naval vessels, including another air
craft carrier and some extensive i'm
provements to navy yards.
Chairman Vinson of the Naval AZ
fairs Committee said his committee
would act early in the week.