Evening star., 1938-01-04
EXPECTS ACTION
EXPLAINING BILL
Senator Norris Also Halls
Governments Victory
in Power Cases.
- the Associated Press

BS the Associated Press.
Senator Norris, independent, OF Ne
braska, veteran advocate of a strong
Federal power program, said. today
he expected to get action at this ses-
sion Of Congress on his bill to create
seven regional planning agencies pat
termed after the Tennessee Valley Au-
thority.
The Nebraskan at the same time
hailed with pleasure the Supreme
, Courts refusal to permit the Ala
bama Power Co. and the Duke Power
co. to enjoin Government loans and
grants for public utility ventures.
The public should benefit also, Sen
ator Norris said, from his resolution
seeking a broad investigation by the
Federal Trade Commission of the T..
V. A., its directors and its relations
with private utilities.
Mr.. Norris, sometimes called the
J: father of T. v. A." said his proposed
: investigation would help the Authority
itself.
If there is anything bad about it.
that should be brought out now" he
said.
Would Aid Program, He Says.
Because Of the similarity his pro-
posed authorities bear to the r. v. A.,
the Nebraskan said an investiea ton
would aid the whole program.
Chairman Mansfield meanwhile
said he would ask the House Rivers
and Harbors Committee to approve a
substitute regional planning bill
stripped Of power and other "contro-
versial sections"
He said he would propose also that
the committee delete all language
which might be construed as con-
nlcting with State rights, especially
water rights, and with such Govern
ment agencies as the Army engineers
ana the Bureau of Reclamation.
Representative May, Democrat, of
/. Kentucky, asserting that T. v. A. was
"on the verge of unsavory disclosures. !"
announced he would ask for an in
vestigation different from the one pro-
poSeu Dy senator MOTIFS
Mr.. May described the Norris pro-
posal as "a red herring across the
trail OF a smouldering scandal" He
suggested an inquiry by a congress
sional committee.
On Hot Spot, May Says.
1T. V. A. is on a hot spot" he said.
1t Is on the verge of unsavory dis.
closures. Senator Norris resolution
would again pull the curtain of Sc
.sserecy upon that scene"
9. Mr.. May said his Investigation would
4 seek to determine why the T. v. A.,
= directorate had "misrepresented" plans
: Tor proposed dam At Gilbertsville,
ky, when seeking funds for the s112.-
100000 project and why the agency
had Haunted" the law with regard to
reporting to Congress on the costs of
ats activities.
ss- Senator Norris won immediate SUD-
sport elsewhere In Congress, however.
r. Senator Berry, Democrat, of Ten
nessee said that he believed the reso-
= luton was broad enough to provide a
thoroughgoing investigation of T. v.
"A. from all angles" and that he IA
zvored the move.
Z Z Studying Question.
Z Republican Leader McNary Of ORE
: eon, who previously had urged an
. investigation, said he was studying
! the question Of making it even broader
/ than Mr.. Norris suggested.
, Il would like to have the Trade
Commission look into the amount of
! money appropriated for the T. v. A.
and the amounts transferred to It bv
] the President" Senator McNary de-
elared.
THE commission also should look
into the amount allocated to electric
power production for the purpose of
rate making"
Conference work on the Senate and
House farm bills will delay considera-
ton Of the Norris resolution by the
Senate Agriculture Committee. to
which 1t was referred, said Chairman
Smith.