Evening star., 1938-03-16
REORGANIZATION
FOES MEND LINES
Amendment of Wheeler to
Give Congress Check
on Powers Up Next.
BY j. A. OLEARY.

OC2CogSu &A1 tA1CA1 4A1Sp AaeAJS@ AAAS'S
yesterday to retain the bipartisan
Civil Service Commission, Senate op-
ponents of the reorganization bill were
reforming their lines today for the next
test Of strength on the Wheeler amend
ment to give Congress check on the
Presidents general reorganizing power.
The roll call vote of so to 38. by
which the Senate voted to substitute
single administrator for the present
Civil Service Commission, encouraged
administration leaders to hope they
will be able to repel other efforts to
change vital provisions of the meas
ure. 1t was, at the same time, de-
cided setback for the opposition bloc,
but did not cause them to give up the
fight to require congressional approval
OF regrouping plans and to preserve the
General Accounting Office.
A last-minute effort to save the
Civil Service Commission was made
by the American Federation of Gov
ernment Employees yesterday just be-
fore the vote was taken on the plan
to replace the three-member body
with single administrator
In a telegram to the Senate, Charles
I. Stengle, Federation president, said
the organization believed it essential
to the preservation of the merit sys-
tenn" to retain the commission.
Fear of individual Senators that
governmental bureaus of particular
interest to their sections of the coun-
try may be altered if the Presidents
power is made too broad may produce
more votes for the Wheeler amend
ment than were mustered behind Sen
ator Walsh yesterday in behalf of the
Civil Service Commission. Assuming
the lineup to be about the same,
however, change of seven votes
would be necessary to bring victory
to the proposal of the Montana Demo-
crat.
May Vote This Afternoon.
Although there is no limitation on
debate. the Wheeler vote may come
this afternoon.
Under the administration plan,
presidential orders abolishing or con-
solidating bureaus would take effect
automatically after they had been
pending in Congress for so days of a
session, unless legislation to nullify
them passed in the meantime. Such
legislation could be vetoed by the
President and in that case a two
thirds congressional vote would be
needed to stop an order. In the alb
sence Of any action, the orders would
become effective.
Senator Wheeler would require def
mite, affirmative action by both Houses
before the orders Of the President
could be carried out, but he has modi-
fed his amendment to eliminate any
possibility of delay or filibustering in
obtaining congressional action. His
amendment would give the Presidents
orders preferred status for immediate
consideration when they reach the
Capitol, without being referred to
committee, and would call for vote
within 10 days after each House re-
ceives the orders.
Would Retain Functions.
The Montanan and his supporters
insist they are not trying to prevent
reorganization. but seeking only to
retain in Congress a function that
properly belongs to it.
Senator Byrnes. South Carolina
Democrat, in charge of the bill, as
serts, on the other hand, that If
Congress must act before an order can
take effect, then the pending bill be-
comes nothing more than an invita-
ton to the President to make recon-
mendations to Congress, which he can
do without further legislation.
When Senator Wheeler first spoke on
the subject last week, there were indi-
cations he had aroused wide interest
In his amendment by citing many i'm
portant agencies by name and re-
minding his colleagues they might be
abolished or subordinated to other
bureaus by the pending bill Later,
however, Senator Byrnes modified the
committee plan by specifying that
the President could abolish agencies
only when their functions had been
transferred elsewhere. This was de-
signed to make sure acts of Congress
would not be repealed in the process
OF changing bureaus around. This
modification Of the bill may hold sew
eral votes that otherwise might have
gone over to the support of the
Wheeler amendment.
Borah Seeks Check.
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho
Joined yesterday in support of retain
ing congressional share in the
responsibility Of approving reorganiza-
ton orders. He concentrated on re-
ports that the Forestry Service may
be moved from Agriculture to Interior
under the pending bill There is be-
lieved to be strong support in the
Senate for leaving this service where
it is.
THE people of the West, and the
people generally who are particularly
concerned about the Forest Service,
are very much opposed to the trans
fer" said Senator Borah. "The oppo-
sition does not go. as has been stated
In some quarters, to the personality
Of Mr.. Ickes, the Secretary Of the Inte-
rior. That certainly does not affect
my attitude toward the proposal. That
would hot be my objection at ALL"
Mr.. Borah explained that a long
line of rules and regulations have been
worked out in the Forestry Service,
and its supporters fear they would be
annulled and built over again if the
agency were transferred.
La Toilette Opposes Commission.
Senator La Toilette, Wisconsin Pro-
gressive and strong supporter of Roose-
velt policies, rallied to the defense Of
the one-man civil service administra-
ton plan yesterday, calling it the
-