Evening star., 1938-04-24
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

10y ". oOSLD LlNSoLN,
President Roosevelts new program
for the remainder of the present ses-
sion Of Congress-an also his leader
ship-faces its second big test this
week.
The House Rules Committee. COM
posed Of 10 Democrats and 4 Repub-
llcanS, will decide whether the wage
hour bill is to be given its day in the
House. Predictions were made freely
yesterday that if special rule can
be obtained from the committee for
the consideration of this measure
there will be wage-hour law enacted.
The President scored at least face
saving victory in his contest last week
with the Senate group, led by Senator
Harrison, Democrat, Of Mississippi to
have the principle of the undistributed
profits tax retained in the law.
That the Chief Executive obtained
real victory in this contest with a
Senate bent on rewriting the tax laws
to restore business confidence, was
denied by several of the Senators
participating in the conference on the
new revenue bill. TheS pointed out,
in support of their assertion. that the
undistributed profits tax. which is re-
tanned in only skeleton form. goes out
entirely at the end of two years. unless
Congress should re-enact it. And the
Senate had its way with the capital
gains tax.
Interpreted Az yictory
Nevertheless, the compromise reached
revenue bill stands forth as a presi-
Dental victory, and will be 20 inter-
preted
The big hurdle for the President in
connection with the wage-hour bill
is the Rules Committee. The fate of
the bill rests with two groups in the
committee-the group Of Southern
Democrats, five in number. and the
four Republicans. Together these
groups can dominate the committee
action. They can lost two Demo-
Gratis and still refuse a special rule,
or they can lose two Republicans. or
one Democrat and one Republican
with the same effect-because q tie
vote would defeat motion for rule
The group of Southern Democrats
in the committee is standing firm. &C
cording to Representative Cox Of
Georgia, against the bill
OF the four Republicans, one. Rep
resentative Martin of Massachusetts,,
will support a rule for consideration
Of the measure and one, Representa-
tive Taylor of Tennessee. will oppose
such a rule. Representative Mapes of
Michigan and Representative Mclean
of New Jersey are the uncertain guam
titles to date.
1t is clear. however, that there will
be division among the Republicans
over the measure. both in committee
and in the House itself if the bill is
brought up there for action. 1t is not
expected an effort will be made to
make party issue over the bill.
Must Change Views.
Speaker Bsnkhead last night an
nounced no wage-hour bill would be
enacted unless some of the four Re-
publican members Of the Rules Com
mittee change their views to relent in
their opposition to the proposed legis-
lation."
New England manufacturers as we'll
as New England labor organizations
are strongly favoring the new wage
hour bill, which makes no provision
for differentials in favor of Southern
industrialists. Generally speaking.
the Republican members of the House
from the New England States will sup
port the bill, and of course, so will the
Democrats
Even Republicans from New Eng
land. however, are skeptical about the
(See CONGRESS, Page A-5)