Evening star., 1938-05-28

to turn tide OF present depression.
Appropriation legislation Which
Dould provide for extension OF pub
lie Dorks and Dork relief set-nps
already has been passed by House.
IN Senate measure has run into po-
litical storm. centering In influence
of relief funds in elections.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.
The administrations big spending
and lending bill. delayed by deter
mined earmarking drive in the Senate,
faced a new obstacle today on the
question of wage standards on Works
Progress Administration projects.
As it came from the House the bill
carried the usual requirement for
maintenance of prevailing wage rates
for relief workers in each locality. To
this section the Senate Committee
added a proviso that in the event Con-
gress passes the minimum wage bill
for private industry, such minimum
rates shall be paid to persons per-
forming similar work on w. P. A.
projects.
Senator Lodge. Republican. of Mas
sachusetts, announced today he would
fight the Senate amendment on the
ground that to write in minimum
wage rule would weaken the existing
prevailing wage requirement.
In Session Today.
Meanwhile Majority Leader Bark
ley is keeping the Senate in session
today in the hope Of making some
progress on the measure. but with in
dications voting on numerous pending
amendments will not start until some
time next week.
An effort may be made this after
noon to limit debate by unanimous
consent, starting Tuesday, in order to
avoid session on Memorial Day. The
success of this effort is uncertain.
The Sl,425, 100000 w. P. A. appro-
priation to keep work relief for the
unemployed going is meeting with lit
tie opposition, aside from the proposal
to return administration OF relief to
the States and allocate the Federal aid
to State authorities.
Fight Centers on Printing"
The P. w. A. S865. 100000 pump
printing portion, however. is the focal
point of the opposition bloc, which is
urging earmarking of these funds in
stead of giving the administration
broad power to allocate it as lump
sum.
Senator Copeland, Democrat, of New
York is urging that 1925 100000 Of this
fund be devoted to specific food con-
troll and river and harbor work Tor
which Congress would otherwise make
regular appropriations later. Senator
Bailey, Democrat, of North Carolina
has similar proposal to require P.
W. A. to give preference to the 2,700
loan and grant applications Of cities
ard counties already on file and ap-
proved.
Senator Bulow, Democrat, of South
Dakota told the Senate late yesterday
he will vote for the relief bill with
many grave misgi2ings." The South
Dakotan declared pump priming alone
will not correct present economic con-
ditions. Denouncing sit-doWn strikes
as a source of disbursement to pri-
vate business development he urged
better labor relations as one recovery
step. He also advocated curbing the
authority of the Federal Reserve
Board.
Sees Dependence Fostered.
The South Dakotan said a danger
ous philosophy is developing in this
country of looking to Washington as
a mecca to solve all human problems.
The staging of the sit-down strike
and forcibly preventing men from
working until they have joined and
paid their dues to any labor organiza-
tion is un-American. unpatriotic and
wrong" Senator Bulow declared. If
your Government continues to coun-
tenance that sort of thing the end of
human freedom is in sight"
The National Grange, through its
Washington representative, Fred
Brenckman, yesterday urged reduc-
ton of the pump-priming fund to
more reasonable proportions, besides
making proper provision for the des-
titute and unemployed.
Borah Backs Gillette.
AS discussion touched frequently on
the political implications in the ad-
ministration of the huge relief fund
and the recent action of w. P. A. |
Administrator Hopkins in indorsing
Representative Wearin for the Demo-
cratic senatorial nomination in Iowa, |
Senator Borah. Republican, of Idaho |
came to the support of Senator Gill
lette, the incumbent
s'I am classed as a REPUBLICAN, and !,
l. do not live in Iowa" Senator Borah |
said, but under the practice which !
has now been established I would |
be willing to walk to Iowa and cast |
q vote for Gillette. He is a great |
Senator"
Z, Mr.. Gillette left yesterday for Iowa |
to make series of five speeches. |
which he said would be both political
and ron-political "