Evening star., 1938-10-29
BUDGET HEARINGS
HELD IN AbEYANCE
Five Committee Vacancies
Must Be Filled Before
Action Is Taken.

Plans TO start hearings on the ap-
preparation bills by House subcommit-
tees are being held in allegiance until
after the elections November g. because
of five vacancies on the committee and
with rearrangement of subcommittee
before work on the budget can be
started Besides. the Budget Bureau
has hardly started its own hearings on
the deparemental and District of Co.
lumbia estimates
The Budget Bureau first must be
ready to submit the estimates Tin con-
fldence) in advance of their presenta-
ton formally after Congress meets;
the vacancies on the committee must
be known and filled: the chairman
must confer with members and an
nounce his roster Of subcommittees:
the schedule of hearings must be ar
ranged so as not to overlap where
certain members are ON two or more
subcommittee, and priority rights
must be given to certain bills.
Taylor Due to Return.
Chairman Taylor of the House Ap-
preparations Committee was seriously
Ill last year and Representatives Clar-
ence Cannon of Missouri and Clifton
A. Woodrum of Virginia took turns in
directing the committees program. 1t
was thought Mr.. Taylor would not re-
turn to the next Congress. However,
his health is now much improved, he
is campaigning and. with little trouble,
is counted on to return to his congress
sional duties. Meanwhile, through
death, defeat in the primaries or for
other causes, five vacancies already
exist on the committee The absentees
are Representatives John ]. Boylan,
New York: William b Umstead, North
Carolina; John F. Dockweiler, Califor-
mia; w. D. McFarlane. Texas. and
Robert L. Bacon, New York. Among
those who are said to have serious
oposition for reelection are Repre-
sentatives Woodrum, Virginia; ]. Buell.
Snyder, Pennsylvania William r.
Thorn, Ohio; James McAndrews. nli-
nois; George w. johnson, West Vir-
ginia; David D. Terry, Arkansas; John
M. Houston. Kans.; j. Burrwood DAILY,
Pennsylvania; Charles H. Leavy,
Washington, and Joseph E. Casey,
Massachusetts,.
Chairman Ross Collins of the Dis
trict Subcommittee has returned to
the Capital and wants to start hear
ings on the District budget as soon
as possible. The Budget Bureau has
hearings on the District estimates
scheduled to start next week. The
District budget is estimated at up-
ward Of $50 1000, ,0O0. The District ap-
preparation bill is generally one OF
the last to be considered by the House
committee. This year, however, 1t
is probable the request of Mr.. Collins
will be acceded to and that hearings
on the District items will be started
earlier than usual.
Subcommittee Intact.
In spite of the prospective vacan-
cies, the District Subcommittee is
likely to remain intact, and there is
an even better prospect that Mr.. Col
Inns will continue as chairman. The
suggested date Of December for
starting District hearings seems much
too early. In many years no SUBJ
committee has started appropriations
hearings before December S and indi-
cations are that this year the start
will be later.
As result Of Mr.. Collins charges
last year that District relief rolls were
padded and that some families were
being given "de luxe relief, an ap-
preparation Of $4,000 was made for
a relief investigation. The report on
that inquiry is expected to be ready
for submission to Congress by Decem-
Der /, but the Advisory Committee
insists it must be formally presented
to Congress, which meets on January
5. before it can be made public. Chair
man Collins expects to call Burdette
G. Lewis, director Of the relief inves-
tigation, before his subcommittee dur
ing hearings on the District budget.