Evening star., 1938-12-18
Congress 10 Retain
Reorganization
Check, Byrd Says
Predicts Opponents Hold
Enough Votes to Poss
On Regrouping Orders
BY ]. A. OLEARY.

Opponents Of the administrations
Government reorganization bill will
have votes enough in the Senate
this winter TO insist on retaining in
Congress the right to pass on presi.
Dental regrouping orders, Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia, pre-.
dicted yesterday.
The Virginian made known at the
same time that he will continue to
fight for the following provisions in
any revival of the reorganization
program:
No interference with the quasi
Judicial agencies, such as the Inter-
state Commerce Commission.
Preservation of an independent
General Accounting Office with
power to pass on validity of ex-
penditures before they are made.
Oppose Welfare Department.
The Senator announced also that
he still favors the three member
Civil Service Commission in prefer
ence to a single administrator, and
Is still opposed to creation of q new
department of public welfare.
This declaration of principles by
one who took a leading part in the
hight against the bill as presented
to the last Congress was taken as
an indication the administration
probably would have to do a good
deal OF compromising and revision
on the old bill to get it through.
Meanwhile, plans for reviving the
issue are still in a formative stage
on Capitol Hill. President Roose-
velt has made known he will have
message for Congress on the sub
]ect. but it is not known definitely
whether the program will be identi-
cal with the bill that died in the
House last June, or modified.
One definite suggestion advanced
oy administration supporters in
Congress is that the reorganiza ton
plan be split into series of bills
instead OF an omnibus measure, It
was an omnibus bill that met defeat
IN the House after leaders had
squeezed it through the Senate.
May Start in House.
1t Is likely that the start will be
made on the legislation in the
House, since Senator Byrnes. Demo-
crat, OF South Carolina, in charge
OF the subject in the Senate, has
suggested that course.
The fight against the old bill CEN
tered around what opponents re-
| garded as concentration of blanket
power in the Executive to change
the Government set-up. The oppo-
sltlon was expressed in the Wheeler
amendment, which would have al
lowed Congress approximately 20
days-lO days in each branch-to
pass on reorganization orders before
they took effect. The Wheeler
amendment was defeated, 43 to 80.
IN the Senate, after which the House
pigeonholed the entire bill.
Senator Byrd expressed confidence
there would be enough votes in the
Senate now to carry the Wheeler
amendment. presumably basing his
belief on changes in the Senate as a
result OF the November elections.
Senator Byrd is bitterly opposed
to that part of the old bill that
sought to abolish the General Ac-
counting ONCE, transfer current
accounting to the Budget Bureau
and set up new congressionally
supervised Auditor Generals once
to make a post-audit of appropri-
ations after the money is expended.
Senator Byrd made it clear he would
renew his fight to retain an inde-
pendent Controller Generals Once
with authority to check on expendi-
lures in advance.