Evening star., 1939-05-26
Townsend Bill
Goes 10 House,;
Vote Due Soon
Debate Is Limited
To 4 Hours With
Changes Barred
BACKGROUND

Plan sponsored by DR.. Francis
E. Townsend, California septua-
genarian, gained widespread sup
port during depression, and for
number OF years it has been in
the forefront OF pension pro-
posais. Providing pension of
5000 a month for persons ouer so,
plan neUer l11S permitted to
come to Uote in Congress, and
at one time its creator Uas SEN
fenced to jail for contempt of the
House. DR.. Townsend ,Das par
doned by the President before
starting his term.
BY the Associated Press.
The Rules Committee today dis
patched the Townsend old-age PEN
sion bill to the House floor for a
vote, probably next Wednesday.
Under procedure which the com.
mittee approved at the behest Of
Democratic leaders, the controver-
slal bill cannot be changed by ths
House, but must be accepted or re-
jected as it stands.
Advocates of the measure asked
for eight hours general debate, but
the committee cut this to four
hours. Majority Leader Rayburn
said the House probably would
consider the bill next Wednesday.
Normally, that would mean a vote
late the same day.
Democratic leaders have indicated
that roll call vote on what Repre-
sentative Cox, Democrat, of Georgia
called "hot political brick" would
split Republican ranks more than
the Democratic forces.
The public was excluded from
today's session after the Rules Com.
mittee had treated a good-sized
crowd to a laughter filled hearing
yesterday. At this curtain raiser,
three members of the House Ways
and Means Committee were sub.
Jected to long question and answer
period, the source of all the smiles,
grins and outlaws.
Doughton, Treadway Questioned.
The Ways and Means Committee
had passed along the bill without
recommendation" Both Chairman
Doughton and Representative
Treadway. Republican, of Massa-
chusetts, were asked about this ac-
ton
They replied there was a nation.
wide demand for vote in Congress
and that even some of the bills
opponents subscribed to this view.
Representative Dies, Democrat, Of
Texas, Rules Committee member,
had his own theory. Slapping his
leg, he laughed:
Il think you fellows just took
this monkey off your backs"
Representative Doughton said he
was against the bill. Representa-
tive Hendricks, Democrat, of Flor
ida, whose name the bill bears. said
he was for it, but didn't think it
would pass
Representative Treadway re-
ceived the most attention. Ques-
tioning developed that he had told
the voters of his district in 1885
that he favored "a fair hearing"
for the Townsend proposal. He
told the committee, however, he
wouldn't let himself be pinned down
as to his individual views on the
measure.
Pressed for statement as to
whether he wanted the bill sent
to the House with a rule prevent
ing amendments, Mr.. Treadway
declared:
I've told you time and again
I didn't give continental damn"
Would Ford Seek Pension:
Representative Hendricks was
asked by Mr.. Dies whether Henry
Ford could qualify for a Townsend
pension. which estimates have
placed at about $50 a month.
Does the gentleman think Henry
Ford is going to apply for a pen
sion?" Mr.. Hendricks came back.
Il believe he would" Mr.. Dies
drawled.
IL remained for Representative
Fish, Republican, of New York to
ask the question which broke up
the session. He wanted to know
the meaning of this paragraph in
the bill:
Throughout the act, the present
tense includes the past and future
lenses; and the future, the present.
The masculine gender includes the
feminine and neuter."
After the gavel had fallen amid
laughter, Mr. Hendricks told re-
porters similar language can be
found in statutes now in force.